It is normal and desirable for a dog to form a strong bond with its owner. Occasionally, with dogs that have had a succession of homes or spent their third and fourth months, when bonding usually occurs, in a kennel, this bonding becomes excessive. This is usually expressed by shadowing their owners everywhere and becoming extremely distressed and sometimes hysterical when separated. During such periods the dog may bark or howl non-stop, frantically try to dig itself out of the crate or room where it is confined, or lose control of bladder or bowel. These problems in such dogs cannot be treated in isolation but require that the dog learn by repeated short exposures that the separation is not permanent but something that when tolerated will draw great praise from their idol.
1) To calm the dog.
If the dog is already on a good quality dog food, free of preservatives and artificial colours increase the protein to 30% or more by adding extra protein in the form of fish, chicken, meat or eggs.
Feed the dog twice a day as a hungry dog is an anxious dog. Keep the interactions with the dog calm rather than boisterous, be matter of fact in your dealing with the dog using a low, slow speaking voice rather than a higher voice the dog may hear as a whimper. Especially when leaving and returning to the house make the event low key.
Try to exercise the dog enough to make it tired so that instead of wanting to shadow you, it will be glad to lie down. You can do this by increasing the dog's activity during the time you are exercising it (throw balls in a tennis court, allow to run free whenever possible, swimming is excellent exercise as is jumping when over a year old). Best of all is to find another dog owner and walk the dogs together (off lead when possible) or play in a fenced yard. For your dog this will focus some of the attention it is now giving you exclusively; on another object.
2) To reduce separation anxiety.
Be careful not to encourage the shadowing behaviour by physical contact (petting) or tone of voice. Instead, occasionally take a minute to give the dog a series of commands, rewarding each correct response with a pat and verbal praise. The dog should learn sit, down, stay and come but when these are learnt keep adding a new element to retain your interest and the dog's. The result of training will give your dog confidence because it brings predictability into its life and will teach the dog to look to you for direction so it does not have to make decisions for itself.
Training will be directed towards having the dog relaxed in your absence. Start with the dog on a lead, put a mat on the floor beside a chair, tell the dog "On your mat" "Down" "Stay" and sit down. If the dog attempts to rise, push down on the shoulders, say "No" "Stay". At first do this for short periods, releasing with "All right" or "OK" but whenever you will be sitting for some time in one place, put the dog beside you, sit on the lead and ignore the dog unless it rises. The next steps are to cross the room with the dog left on a down-stay on its mat; go and sit in another chair; briefly leave the room; go for a longer period and finally upstairs. With this program always repeat "Stay" when you rise, when you leave the room, when you go upstairs and NEVER call the dog to you when it is left on a
down-stay. Return to the dog and only when beside it, release it and praise it. As an extension of this, use the oven timer to have the dog lie down for increasing periods of up to one hour.
3) To prevent urination by the anxious dog.
This urination is beyond the dog's control so we can only work to remove the conditions under which it occurs. When leaving, the dog should not have access to the area where urination has previously occurred as a habit of voiding there when left has been established. A new area, preferably a pen outdoors when possible, should be established and the down/stays practised in this area for short and then longer times with praise when the dog has waited quietly for your return. When the dog will enter the pen gladly because this is part of a routine he has learnt to accept, try leaving him in the pen without the down/stay command, maybe just say wait. With this change again start with very short periods and build up the time with a lot of praise when you return.
The dog should be taught to urinate on command so it has an empty bladder when you leave.
4) Alternative companionship.
It might be helpful to introduce another animal into the household but with such a dog this should not be an adult dog. Possibilities are a puppy or kitten, which do not challenge the dog's relationship with its owner. The introduction should be done carefully. I suggest putting the puppy or kitten in a cardboard box in a far corner of the room and then bringing in the dog, ignore the box, and sit fondling the dog at a distance. Allow the dog to discover the box and satisfy his curiosity before you go over to look. Don't touch the newcomer but give all your attention to the dog and leave with him. When you have to attend to the young one always first invite the dog to go with you and talk to him as you feed or clean the new pet. This inclusive approach will remove any resentment the dog may feel. You have to read the dog's reactions to your handling the youngster and be ready to immediately put it down if the dog is not happy. It should not take long until the dog accepts and shows an interest in its new companion. Hopefully a friendship will develop to dilute the fixation on the owner and to provide companionship when the owner is absent.
see also
Anxiety and fear
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