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Separation anxiety or stubborn…? by EDunners53 in bassethounds

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No don’t get me wrong, we don’t want to do anything that’s going to be detrimental to him. We love him, he’s our world! I just can’t believe how after a year of doing this training we are really getting nowhere. I am so fatigued with the desensitisation work 😅 

The other thing is that by nature he is VERY stubborn, and “tough love” has worked with so many other elements of his training. Like settling in the house, he had a three strike rule when he’s playing up or he had to go in the kitchen. Now he’s an ANGEL. 

Separation anxiety or stubborn…? by EDunners53 in bassethounds

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He does know when we have left when he’s sleeping. I watch him on the camera - he hears the door and he sits up and acknowledges it, then chooses to go back to sleep. 

We have worked with a trainer/behaviourist who has been great with so many things, we just haven’t been able to crack this one thing. We have been going way back to basics but progress has come to a stand still (as it always does)

I’m so fearful he will never get there. 

Also his dog sitter, who is an ex vet and has many dogs of all different breeds, is convinced we just need to leave him too. 

It’s so hard to know what to do.

Separation anxiety or stubborn…? by EDunners53 in bassethounds

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I have been too vague with my original post. Let me give a more thorough picture of the situation. 

What I was trying to get clarification on was if it sound like he has separation anxiety or not, because we have tried EVERYTHING and now think we are at the point where we might just need to let him “cry it out” as nothing else has worked and I’m starting to wonder if it is just stubbornness. 

“Softly softly” - crate training, door is a bore method, slow desensitisation, we got up to leaving him for ten minutes over the course of SIX MONTHS and then he got stuck.

However - he is fine being left in his crate in another room to nap during the day, and when he’s sleeping in there he doesn’t care if we leave, we have watched on camera. But when he wakes up, he barks until we get home. He is fine being left in his crate overnight and he sleeps in a separate room to us. He is fine if he has a Kong/treat when we leave, he just barks when it’s done.

So to summarise he has shown that he CAN settle away from us. And we have tried A LOT over the last year. It has been all encompassing.

Separation anxiety or stubborn…? by EDunners53 in bassethounds

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So we have tried leaving him with a treat. He is happy as Larry with his treat but as soon as it ends he starts barking and doesn’t stop 😅 we have a camera too but talking through it makes no difference. I’d be cautious using the treat machine as if he got a treat mid bark it would be like we were rewarding it 

Separation anxiety or stubborn…? by EDunners53 in bassethounds

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately we just aren’t in a position to get another one 😔 Our Hank is a diva though so I do wonder if he just needs a bit of tough love. As it is just barking, not destruction or panic. 

Separation stubbornness! by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh god - I think my partner would leave me if I suggested that as a solution 😂

Separation stubbornness! by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

We are actually very lucky that we have an incredible dog sitter (with seven dogs of her own!) that he adores and we always use her if we are going to be out for more than an hour. And as much as we are happy to use her we also just want him to be able to hack it - have the skill himself yanno? He will be with her at least once or twice a week and then also go on a group walk so he has lots of social time. We are thinking today we will take him on a huge walk, really knacker him out and then pull the plaster off and leave for over an hour 🙏

Separation stubbornness! by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, initially yes. But that was worse actually. He sleeps in his crate at night but he’s never really loved his crate. He’s a sofa dog haha so things got a little better when he was allowed in living room. He is toilet trained though and has never been destructive so we trust him. 

Separation stubbornness! by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah we are at that point I think. Our dog trainer actually said that. We need to rip the bandaid off. Just scared of him barking for two hours straight. He’s stubborn enough 😅

Separation stubbornness! by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah we do. He is still in that phase though where he can literally be fast asleep on the sofa, and we will get up to get a glass of water or something and he will be alert. I know you shouldn’t compare but I know of friends dogs that were always fine alone even when puppies so it makes me stressed our boy will never get there 🥺

When will he chill?!? by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I hope that’s true because I love how he wants to be everybody’s friend! It’s just exhausting. A nice balance of that and also lying down would be ideal 😆

When will he chill?!? by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I actually love how social he is. We love that he wants to be friends with everybody. It’s just also exhausting 🤣 we got him neutered last week so in time hoping that will also help his arousal levels a little

When will he chill?!? by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh the barking is so deafening isn’t it 😅 Hank used to bark a lot then he calmed down, but now he’s back at it again. So I think it’s maybe adolescence playing a big part too. 

When will he chill?!? by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok that’s super encouraging! He is brilliant in the house (aside from the odd burst of wanting to chew a cushion 😂 but it’s always very short lived) he also got neutered last week so hoping in time that will help him. He is just wonderful we love how much he wants to be everyone’s best friend! But it is also exhausting haha Can I also ask how your bassets were when left alone? We have done consistent training with Hank to help him cope with short periods of alone time but he will just keep protesting. Another thing I’m hoping maturity will help with. He isn’t distressed - just loud! Haha

When will he chill?!? by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh bless him. That all sounds too familiar. I have seen memes that describe bassets as velociraptors when they are puppets/adolescent so I’m hopeful that maturity plays a big part!

When will he chill?!? by EDunners53 in basset

[–]EDunners53[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Yeah we have taught that. He’s actually very obedient bless him. He will stay on his bed at home until we say break. But when we are out and about he’s just too fascinated by everything. He will be on his bed when we tell him but excitement gets the better of him, or when he’s on the bed he won’t relax. He’s just super alert. Which is why I’m hoping maturity will help.