this is more just for me to vent…My Shepard/Husky mix is 10 months old. I got her when she was 6 months. Prior to getting her I was told she had anxiety, but i didn’t know the extent of it. In a way, I’m spiteful at times towards her previous owner (who is also my friend) because I feel as though he downplayed the anxiety aspect so much.
She has severe separation anxiety. When I first got her, I crate-trained her and she was doing okay with it, but the separation anxiety was still there. When I leave, she cries…and whines…and howls. Sometimes for hours on and off. This is even when I give her gabapentin and trazodone. I don’t go out with friends much anymore, because I’m always worried about leaving her. I take her with me on errands because Im so stressed at the thought of leaving her alone. Even going to work every day, I stress out, because I already know how it’s going to be when I leave. Eventually yes, she does calm down — but i would love to be able to confidently go out, and not have her constantly in the back of my mind. Or not paranoidly check the dog camera because i keep getting notifications that she’s crying, or barking. Last week it took a turn, she chewed the door frame in my new apartment while i was at work, something she’s NEVER done. The last time I tried to crate her (about a week ago) she was borderline screaming, biting the door and “digging” to try and get out, to the point i literally had to turn around (i was on my way to work) and let her out. I leave her in my room with the door closed so she can freely roam, the window open so she can look outside, even the TV on as background noise.
I don’t want to give her up. I love her, and she IS a good puppy. But this separation anxiety is really beginning to take a toll on me, negatively. I find myself becoming irritable with her, snapping at her, and that’s not fair. Like I said, I’ve tried the meds, I’ve tried so many different techniques, but when i think we’re getting somewhere, she regresses…BADLY.
I’ve inquired about going to see a behaviourist, and about doing professional training, but it’s so much damn money and I’m already just barely getting by. Her needs come before my own, which I know is not necessarily a good thing. I’ve spent so much money already. I’m just starting to be at a loss. My last resort is the professional training/a behaviourist. And if that doesn’t work, I truly don’t know what I’m going to do. Because it hurts thinking about giving her up, because that’s not fair to her. But where do I draw the line?
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