Is there such thing as seperation anxiety

Month getting separation anxiety at bedtime. What’s best thing to…?

http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/sleep/688422-16-month-getting-separation-anxiety-at-bedtime-What-39-s

Have you got a comfort blanket or toy? These work really well if you could get your little one to become attached to it. They’re proven to help children deal with being separated from their primary carer. We have a Sleepytot which works fo…

Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

Is there such a thing as a cat shrink?

Q: My cat has severe seperation anxiety. We can hear him cry his heart out when we have to leave the house. He was a rescue cat. Could it be he was traumatized in that way before we got him?

A: You haven’t mentioned his age, how long you’ve had him or if you know anything about his life prior to you adopting him. Is he an indoor only cat too?Sometimes kittens will avoid the traumatic experience of being isolated from the mother cat by transferring all infantile dependence to their human owner. Although they may have made the nutritional break, the normal process of physical rejection and isolation from the mother cat has not been completed due to the availability of a more than willing human substitute. The result is that infantile behaviour and dependence on a maternal figure continues long after it should have been replaced by adult behaviour. Sometimes when a cat has been ill and required intensive nursing, they will develop an over attachment to their owner resulting in the type of over-dependence that can lead on to separation anxiety. Was he at the rescue shelter a long time, as this might have triggered this behaviour. Over dependent cats will often follow the owner everywhere so that they can reach them quickly if they feel threatened and need reassurance. It’s natural to love our pets and they often take on a role similar to small children in our lives. We want to comfort and protect them, but in the case of an emotionally incompetent cat, this is just compounding their insecurities and reinforcing clingy behaviour. There are a few things that you can try to help him. He should be prevented from following you everywhere and encouraged to spend more time developing new interests, preferably outdoors, but if this is not possible, he needs new things to investigate and explore indoors. Cat climbing frames, interactive toys, hiding dry food inside toys so that he has to spend time focused on “hunting” for food, a nice window seat to watch everything going on outside, are all methods to enrich his environment and provide him with new interests. This next suggestion may sound mean, but you have to be a little less available to him. All affection should be initiated by yourself and not the cat. If he likes prolonged cuddling sessions, then I’m afraid you need to gradually reduce the length of those sessions too. The problem with cuddling an anxious pet is that we are teaching them that they will be rewarded if they are anxious. Feeding, grooming and caring duties should be shared amongst all the family members so as to spread his loyalties. This will help him grow up emotionally, become more independent and competent in coping with life when you are not there. Act like nothing is happening while you prepare to leave and exit calmly. (Have nerves of steel for a short period and you will be able to turn things around). Most pets with separation anxiety are very excited when the owner returns. Their greeting behaviour is excessively exuberant. Often we mistakenly encourage this behaviour because we believe it means the pet loves us deeply. Unfortunately, encouraging exuberant greetings cause pets to be more anxious when we are away rather than to reassure them that we will return. Though you may feel guilty, it’s best to ignore him for a few minutes after returning, and greet him when he is calm.Using a Feliway plug-in diffuser or Bach Flower Remedies may be helpful in soothing him too. The web article below advises which Flower Remedies to use and how to administer them.http://www.critterchat.net/bach.htmWhilst the initial idea to adopt another cat seems like a good one, cats from multi-cat households are just as likely to have separation anxiety as those from single-cat households. The company of other cats doesn’t prevent separation anxiety because the significant factor is the relationship the cat has with the owner. Obviously once, you have been successful in lessening the attachment to yourselves, you can then consider the idea of adopting a friend for him as this will provide him with further mental stimulation and take the focus off you as the “centre” of his world.Apologies for the length of the answer, but I hope some of the suggestions are helpful.

My son turns into a clingy wreck when husband is around.?

Q: My 16 month old son is going through some issues, he has chronic ear infections and is scheduled to have tubes put in plus he is cutting teeth and has a pretty good cold right now so I know he is ging through alot but when my husband comes home he will just start bawling and hang onto me for dear life, if I leave the room he bawls, if his dad tries to pick him up to give me a break he loses his mind and cries and kicks and tries to throw himself out of his arms, I know there is such thing as seperation anxiety but this is awful. And please no responses that maybe he’s afraid of him because something he did to him because its not like that, my husband has never so much as smacked his hand. But when I leave the house I guess he’s fine, he will play and play and laugh and run around crazy with his dad but if I am there he has a total fit if his dad even walks toward him. Is this a phase?

A: Aren’t you the same person who posted about issues with your husband? This may be part of that problem. I would imagine your hubby is pretty stressed out working long hours and then coming home to that.In any case — your son is YOUNG and I’ve seen that before. It’s a safety thing and kind of an “ownership” thing. He’s used to being with you and around you and looks to you for everything. Talk with your pediatrician. I urge you to go with your husband to the appointment.

Is it good for a dog to follow his or her owner everywhere?

Q: My gf’s dog will stop whatever he is doing no matter what it is to follow her out of the room. Even if he is doing his favorite thing, such as chewing on his favorite toy or, being petted and such. Why does he do this and how can we stop it. It has caused some problems, for instance yesterday when she left the room he jumped up and bounded to go with her and she almost had the door shut and he tried to squeeze through and knocked a table over that had drinks and other items on it and broke them. She told him to stay(he knows that command well by the way) and still he bounded after her and broke stuff. Also he follows her to inapporpriate places such as the bathroom. Also we think it contributes to his seperation anxiety. Help me please. Only suggestions that will help, please no smart alek answers. I have heard enough of them on this site. By the way he is a 17 month old collie/heeler mix and is about 40 lbs. so he can bump things and scratch you when he is running after her.He will stay most of the time, I would say 90% at least. I just want him to become more independant. It seems like he thinks he wont be ok without her. If she leaves the room sometimes and he doesn’t make it out with her he whines or lays at the door untill she gets back. It just doesn’t seem mentally healthy for him to be that way. My gf did no training what so ever with the dog I have done it all and have only been in the picture for a few months. She always let him follow her because it was “cute” now it is becoming a problem. I want to know how to fix it, before he breaks anythig else or scrathes me or the kids again, while trying to go with her. It just seems like he HAS to be with her, and I don’t think that can be good for him or his seperation anxiety. Is it because she always let him follow her everywhere before and it is habit or because he has an obsession with her, and doesnt feel like he can survive without her. he lft hs mthr as sn as he 8 solid food, cd ths b y

A: He is a working breed in need of a job. His job is apparently to be her dog. I had a heeler that made her job to be my shadow. I liked it, but she wasn’t neurotic about it either. The dog is young, and sounds like a rambunctious teenager. He should not be corrected in anger for this. I would suggest a positive training method such as clicker training. He should be very smart with his genetics, and will pick up on it quickly. Look into clicker training websites, and read the book “Don’t shoot the dog” by Karen Pryor. Most libraries have it. To begin with, work with him on ONE separation item at a time. His owner could teach the dog to stay in 1 spot while she moves across the room. He could be given a towel in each room to learn to stay on unless she releases him. Start with short periods of time that she moves further away from him, increasing the time as he progresses in his understanding. Make it fun, and make it easy for him to succeed by making it a game and not a punishment. After a while he will get better about it. Another thing that you can do if it is truly a bother in the house and you need to keep your furniture in one piece is to get eyebolts and attach them low in the wall or by the floor and tie him (rather short) to the eyebolt. Make sure of course that he is comfortable and is only there for brief times, but that will allow her to accustom him to her leaving the room, and coming back. I would also be sure that the dog is getting enough exercise during the day. Walk him for 1/2 hour at the very least, and if he fetches, be sure that he gets a good 1/2 hour of running after something during the day. Collies are high energy dogs, and the collie heeler mix is an excellent working animal. He can learn to be calmer, but will succeed best in a positive, attaboy environment. I applaud you in not just getting mad and putting him outside. This dog needs the company of his person and home environment desperately.