My Dane has anxiety help.

[Cindy hall]

I rescued my girl lucy about a month ago she is 4 month's. And the day I got her she attached to me and don't like me leaving her site witch is ok I love her to death but when I do leave her she paces and whines, how can I help her be more at ease? I rescued her from my daughter and her husband got her at 8 weeks and I thought she was taking care of her but when I went to visit I seen they had just put her outside and she was skin and bones.so I took her.. And I know she has a hard 3 months so I know she is happy now I just hate hearing her getting so upset when I do have to leave her.

[MyZoo]

Where do you keep her when you leave? Is she in a crate or closed off space or free run of the house?

[Cindy hall]

My baby lucy

I crate her. She likes her crate I leave door open to it when I am there and she will go in and sleep and she eats in crate but if I walk out door she whines and fusses and if we are at my mom's and I walk out of house my mom says she just walks back and forth whinning . I always crate her when I leave.

[MyZoo]

Breaks your heart huh... I know how you feel. Tuff love girl. Sounds like she has had a rough start in life and is still feeling a little unsure of what is going to happen next. Start with baby steps. Crate her and walk out the door for a few minutes. Don't make a big deal about leaving or coming back. It's hard - catch myself all the time getting caught up in their excitement when I get home and I just want to love on them but try to have her sit and be calm before you let her out. Then love on her...and repeat increasing the times between leaving and returning. And again... its no big deal when you leave or come home. I never comment -" Mommy has to go to work... be a good boy...or Mommy's home!" You can also try putting a towel or something w your smell on it in her crate

[Cindy hall]

Yes mam it's hard to see her upset. I will definitely try the putting something of mine in her crate with her never thought about that. This is my first dane she is such a love bug. Just a good girl all the way around. I always had standard poodles for years but I am so in love with her and this breed now. Thanks for all your help and ideas.

[oshagcj914]

Also make sure she has something to occupy her while you're not home, like a frozen Kong, that she only gets in the crate while you're gone.

[Cindy hall]

I never thought about freezing a Kong. Just the rubber one's? I have a big teething bone that I keep in there cause she has lost a few teeth at one time and it don't come out of crate cause I have another dog that I had before and she will chew it up lol. But thanks that's a good idea.

[oshagcj914]

I never thought about freezing a Kong. Just the rubber one's? I have a big teething bone that I keep in there cause she has lost a few teeth at one time and it don't come out of crate cause I have another dog that I had before and she will chew it up lol. But thanks that's a good idea.

Yeah, I got the biggest red one, and stuffed it with things like cheese, plain yogurt, kibble, PB, wet food, etc, and put it in the freezer so it occupies them for a while.

[SuzanneRM82]

I would say find a behaviorist. My Ferg has horrific separation anxiety (I call it his 'mommy issues') and will have a total meltdown when I leave, to the point of having to be on a fairly high dose of anxiety meds. We've done behavior adjustment training, which HELPED but didn't fix the issue. My vet was concerned for his safety, so she prescribed him Clomicalm. Definitely try the Kongs filled with yummy goodness, but they are totally useless for us. He will completely ignore it if I am not right there.

[Nerdzilla78]

My Lucy is a 4 year old rescue. When we first brought her home, her separation anxiety was awful. We recorded her when we left her alone, and she spent the entire hour panting, pacing, howling, barking, whining, climbing furniture, trying to open doors, etc. We bought her a crate, and while she was safer in that, she ended up shredding her nose trying to push her way out. We talked to a behaviorist and he said to make the crate inescapable- every time she escaped, it only reinforced that she SHOULD escape. It's been about 10 days (give or take) since we took that advice, and started her on Xanax before crating her, and while she definitely does not love the crate, she doesn't freak out in it anymore. The Xanax is hopefully temporary, until we sort through the work with her behaviorist (starts June 26).
I am going to have to second getting in touch with a behaviorist, and talk with your vet. Our vet wants us to put Lucy on Prozac, as he believes that between the behaviorist and the meds, it might help Lucy adjust quicker- I haven't yet because she does seem to be adjusting and settling in at this point. Lucy is also not interested in toys, food or treats, so adding anything to her crate was useless for us (although maybe if I stuffed it with the cat's food- which is about all she seems to get excited for, LOL).

[LindaS]

Another couple suggestions to add to those offered. If you have the room try an exercise pen instead of a crate. My 9 month old started off in one and is still there when I'm not home. I acutally have two hooked together. You can often find them on Craigs list cheaper than buying. She has enough room to walk around and stretch and play with toys. When she was younger she even had room for a potty area if I was gone too long. I have it set up in a small bedroom and the door of the crate is in the door of the room. The pen is "penned in by the walls and a bed so it can't be scooted around.
Try playing some classical music or if you can download from Itunes download a couple songs from the CD Through A Dog's Ear. Scent something in the room with lavender oil, it has to be the essential oil though not just a lavender air freshener, you can usually find that at health food stores like GNC.
I recently attended a seminar with Dr. Debra Horwitz, a behavioral veterinarien and president of the American Veterinatry Society for Animal Behavior. She said there is more and more evidence for the use of DAP (dog appeasing pheremone) in reducing anxiety and also increasing learning in puppies. DAP comes in a spray, you spray it on items like the bed, not the dog. Or a collar. It can be found on Amazon. There are also supplements that your vet might recommend but not all vets are knowledgeable or interested in behavior, thus the recommendations for a behaviorist. But I think our vet's need to be aware of anything we give our dogs. I also ordered a large chew toy from Amazon that I loved when mine was really teething. It looks like a large rubber lifesaver and has little pockets that you can fill with food and freeze. Like a giant teething ring. I would post a picture but can't for the life of me figure out how to post pictures here.
Bless you for rescuing this poor baby in need.

[Tiva]

I recently attended a seminar with Dr. Debra Horwitz, a behavioral veterinarien and president of the American Veterinatry Society for Animal Behavior. She said there is more and more evidence for the use of DAP (dog appeasing pheremone) in reducing anxiety and also increasing learning in puppies. DAP comes in a spray, you spray it on items like the bed, not the dog. Or a collar. It can be found on Amazon.

Thanks for posting this, I was about to recommend it as well.

I haven't read the whole thread, but OP if you haven't read "Please don't leave me" by Nicole Wilde do it now!

[Cindy hall]

Thanks very much everyone gave me some great ideas. I am so happy with her she is so loveable and smart just a pleasure to have around. I think she rescued me as I did her, I had a kidney transplant in Aug last year and was having a hard time with depression not being able to do things I used to being home alone all the time and She has helped me so much. Can't imagine life without her...