Help Needed!!!!

[saska]

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Hi everyone

i have a beautiful Whippet who is just over a year now.

He is a wonderful dog apart from whan we try to leave him alone in the house. He has now eating his way through 3 crates and my living room door and has eaten my stair carpet.

I am at my wits end as apart from this he is such a well behaved dog. My 3 year old can walk him down the road as he doesn't pull and is so gentle

I dont work so there is always someone in the house apart from when i take my daughter to groups so i am out the hosue most days for an hour max!

I dont know what to do!!

Do i get him neutuered?

Get a new crate and try again?

When he ate his way through the crates we tried leaving him in our living room, he ate the door then we gave him the run of the hall he pulled my stair carpet off.

He gets atleast 2 runs a week and walked everyday.

Help!!!!

 

[Schmick]

Sounds like he needs at least a 40min. brisk walk per day and even better a walk twice a day and one run.

Does he have free access to a yard to run around in?

Does he get a fair bit of adult attention which includes loads of discipline?

Maybe you could look at getting him into some type of canine sport. It can be really good for a Whippet that needs a challenge.

 

[meddling]

Hi there...

he is showing classic seperation anxiety...do you ever leave him in another room when you are at home? or is he always with you? maybe good to leave him fior short spaces of time in his crate at home in another room...for ever increasing times from 5 mins up to an hour...

,,,when leaving him alone at home make sure you do not have any long lingering fond farewells...ignore him for the last 15 minutes before you go out and on your return ignore him for the first few minutes, then greet him on your terms...

do get him another crate, a strong one...worth the expense, he will eventually think of it as his security...

As for exercise, my girl gets at least 30 minutes of free running every day plus another walk also and up to 3 or 4 hours free running twice a week,,,if he is an only whippet like my girl they do not run anywhere near as much as if there are two or more coursing each other

Give him a good run half an hour before you leave him each time...should take the edge off his energy...and leave him with a stuffed kong or similar to give him something to think about..

Good Luck!!

 

[Happy Humber]

Get him another whippy as a companion

 

[julie123]

My Louie was very similar (although different places of destruction). He is 20 months old now, & he has gradually improved through time. I can't believe im typing this, but we can now leave Louie alone with the run of the house when we go out - completely different story from not so long ago. He has found a part on the settee which he must find safe & comforting, & also can see out of the front window from it.

I can honestly sympathise with you. It was not a nice experience for Louie & us leaving him home alone (he would literally stand in one place panting & drooling constantly until we got home). Not sure how the transformation came, but i can only summise that he started to realise that his mummy would always come home to him! I honestly hope the situation improves for you.

 

[whippetwise]

Yep its seperation anxiety. If you google it you will find loads of info. My girl Lucy suffered from it for a while but thankfully she came out of it as she became more confident. Plenty of time and patience is needed. I have two now and they keep each other company but the seperation anxiety stopped before number two came along. Good luck.

 

[FeeFee]

Get him another whippy as a companion

That can work - but there's also a danger the existing dog will transfer their anxieties to the new dog, so you can end up with twice the problem.

I have a good advice sheet on Separation Anxiety which was done by a behaviourist for one of our foster dogs. I'd be very happy to send it to you if you PM me your e-mail address )

 

[saska]

Hi

thanks everyone.

I am going to get him a new crate and try and try excerising him more.

We have agarden but he wont go out in it if the grass is wet

In fact he wont go on any grass that is wet he sucha big softie.

I will keep you all posted.

x

 

[Seraphina]

Yes, I would get a new crate, extra strong one and big enough for 2. More exercise, as well as all that others already mentioned above.

All dogs are pack animals; however some like to be part of pack more than others, and Whippets especially thrive in groups. Have you considered geting him friend?

 

[saska]

Yes, I would get a new crate, extra strong one and big enough for 2. More exercise, as well as all that others already mentioned above.
All dogs are pack animals; however some like to be part of pack more than others, and Whippets especially thrive in groups. Have you considered geting him friend?

Hi

we were thinking of getting him a friend but its a lkot of money and commitment that i would be scared to get into in case it made him worse or he just passed his anxiety onto the other dog.

We are def going to do the more excerise route.

So you all pretty much recommend hour walk a day?

Sarah

x

 

[whippy kisses]

It is not just more walking he needs ,but more free running with something stimulating eg . one of those ball chucker thingies. He needs to run some of that frustration off. Different places too if you can manage it , as it increases stimulation. Enrol in some dog training classes too- again for stimulation also discipline - he then will not have time or the energy to indulge in separation anxiety. Good luck :luck: :luck: :luck: