A dog with 'Separation Anxiety'.

[juliacornwal]

I have a four year old, female border collie. She is extremely bright and she was a rescue dog who had had a thoroughly bumpy ride for the first eight months of her life. Now that she is a part of 'us', she is loving to the point of needy and fantastically loyal, but the vet tells me she suffers from something called 'separation anxiety' which means she barks every time I get out of the car and every time my husband and I leave the house - tearing up and down the stairs in a panic.
Has anyone any suggestions as to what I can do to make her less hostile to visitors and less dependent on us? I love her to bits, but it can be quite embarrassing at times when she goes bananas if anyone comes near the car, scares the post woman out of her wits and does her best to see off any largish dog who comes up to me for a bit of attention, even if it's a dog she knows perfectly well!

[lankeela]

At home get her a cage and teach her to be comfortable in it for short period while you are there, then gradually build up to leaving her by going into another room so she knows you are coming back, then eventually you will be able to leave the house for a short while. Try not to do the usual things we do when leaving (difficult I know) like picking up keys, putting on coats etc. Go in and out a few times like redhelen says, but DON'T make a fuss of her when you get back! Ignore her for a few minutes till she settles down and then allow her to get a brief fuss. Fussing her immediately on return only emphasises that she should be anxious till you come back. Put a post box outside so the postie doesn't have to actually touch the door. With other dogs make her sit and wait till they have gone past or lie down. Reward any good behaviour and ignore any bad.

[lankeela]

You can use the cage in the car but with a cover over it making sure she has plenty of air round the sides.

[juliacornwal]

Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a try. She is such a love and we're always aware of the fact that at least one of her owners in her first eight months abused her. Whenever you have to tell her off she gives you what I can only describe as big grins and wags her tail like mad, but she's very frightened of newspapers, sticks, umbrellas and so forth, and scared to death of anybody coming up behind her. People can be so awful sometimes, can't they?

[lankeela]

Try to ignore totally any bad behaviour as far as she is concerned and praise like mad any good behaviour. Use distraction techniques to take her mind off anything she is doing that she shouldn't be.