Separation anxiety?

[Horsefeathers!]

I'll see if I can make this make sense.

Perry and Pauly (the Standard Poodles) are velcro dogs... with each other. Since the beginning, they've both been allowed to go with me to work each day and they usually go with me when I'm running errands. They are both "my" dogs and stay right with me. They are believed to be littermates, but were separated for a year when they went into rescue and I adopted Perry and someone else had Pauly for that year before I got him. Still, I don't know how dogs recognize other dogs, or what their memory is like, but they seemed to recognize each other immediately and it's like they've made a pact to remain inseparable.

The problem... Perry is actually pretty stable. He adores Pauly and acts like the big brother. He'll leave his beloved bed to let Pauly have it, give up toys and such, and Pauly is the ONLY dog he'll do that stuff for. However, Perry doesn't get all freaked out if Pauly is out of sight. He's quite content to know that Pauly is off in another room, or outside. Pauly, on the other hand.... ack! Pauly will NOT be away from Perry, no way, no how. I took Pauly with me to work one day and left Perry home. Perry was ok with it. Pauly spent the day at work pacing in his kennel and throwing himself against the gate and whining and howling. When they are together, they just sleep all day. The same thing happens at home. If Perry were to go outside without Pauly, Pauly will throw himself at the door or window. ONE TIME I took Perry with me to town for about an hour to give Pauly some time alone at home. Bad idea :-? . Pauly is also extremely possessive of Perry.

What do I do? Just say screw it and keep them together? If something ever happened to Perry, I don't know what I'd do with Pauly. He seems really distressed without Perry. We tried from day one not to let them become dependent on each other, but Pauly didn't buy it. I mean, they are not just close friends. I think Pauly does suffer from extreme separation anxiety if Perry isn't nearby.

Suggestions? Is it worth worrying about?

[imported_Cassie]

Hey, owning multiple dogs should prepare you for these situations :lol: :wink:
With my dogs, Cassie is my oldest dog...she is 9 years old...so, I have gone through other dogs within her life time. My last group before my current 6 dog group consisted of a an older Standard Poodle, and 2 older Newfoundland's, and an older Dobie. My Cassie grew up in a kennel and when I took her in was a velcro with the other 2 Newf's I owned...my Dobie and poodle where momma's girls :wink: when I lost my Dobie and Poodle within a year of each other I still had my other 2 Newf's, no big adjustment Cassie didn't even seem to notice ...but, when I lost my 2 Newf's within a month of each other :( my Cassie could not handle it...she self mutilated herself and chewed her leg apart...wouldn't eat etc. I rescued my Rottie which didn't help at all Cassie loved her, but, she wasn't a Newf ...then my friend gave me 2 more Newf's...then later another Newf...as soon as I got those 2 Newf's my little Cassie was back to her old self...I do want to add that while this was going on I was taking her to work with me and every where I went she went...but, the moment she had a few moments of alone time she would self mutilate herself...during this time period I knew it was stress which was causing the self mutilation, but, I did switch her food (in case of allergies), bathed her in special shampoo's, the Vet prescribed antibiotics etc. we went the whole route of making sure it wasn't a medical issue. Cassie did not feel secure with just my Rottie, although they get along famously...she did not feel secure until I got the other Newf's...they are not related to each other at all.
My feelings on this tend to be that where Cassie grew up in a kennel with other Newf's and was housed with at least 3 at a time she felt secure with them...and she needed them to give her the security she needed (I have dealt with alot of fear related problems with her) no other breed of dog gave her the needed security she required.

So in answer to your question, I would just go about things as you are currently doing...keep the 2 dogs together. Even when one has to go to the vets office :lol: we have had quite a few customer's who will bring in both of their dogs when one is going through surgery just so it will be there for the dog when it wakes up :o If some thing should happen to one of your Poodles...god forbid...I would probably go out and get another Standard Poodle (same color as well :lol: ) I don't think its so much that they remember each other as litter mates...but, perhaps its the association of the same type of dog which they grew up with as pups...who knows :roll:
I swear though that all of my friends who breed dogs will tell me that ALL of the pups they have ever whelped remember them...I don't know if they are joking or truthful...I can't figure them out at times :roll:

[imported_Cassie]

One more thing I forgot to mention. I chose the same personality types for my 2 Newfoundland dogs to replace the ones which passed away. Where Cassie has always been a fearful dog she clings to strong minded, uppity (not dominant) dogs...these 2 Newf's where self assured, have no fear of any thing...quite the same as my Newf's which passed away. It would have been a disaster if I had gotten 2 more fearful backwards Newf's to replace my deceased ones...I adopted them as adults and could judge their personalites.
Another quick note, my Rottie is a very self confident self assured dog...but, Cassie does not cling to her...only the other 2 self assured Newf's...and my other Newf I have is a little fearful as well...he chooses to cling to my Dobie mix which is a male as well...they are joined at the shoulder.

[courtnek]

I tend to agree with Cassie....

While Freebee is not in any way a velcro dog (she was raised with just the cat from a puppy) she became very attached to Alex. When he died, she started getting listless...whiny....kept looking for him and such. Which sent me off on my search for another dog, and ended up with Laurel.

The one doesnt like to be outside without the other. But the really funny part is that Freebee will get very anxious if I take the cat anywhere, like to the vet, and will whine and pace while he's gone. (The cat, of course, couldnt care less) and she will check him over extensively when he comes back. SO I think a certain amount of bonding does happen there, especially from puppyhood....and in my case, since they keep each other company all day while I'm gone.

:wink:

[kendalyn]

I would keep doing as you have been and keep them together. It's going to be hell trying to get Pauly to change his mind and it may not even work.

I would just hope that when the time comes, Pauly is the one to go first. If not than you can cross that bridge when you come to it...

[Guest Anonymous]

*Deleted*

[Horsefeathers!]

kendalyn napisał(a):

I would just hope that when the time comes, Pauly is the one to go first.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way :oops: . We say that all the time around here, as bad as it sounds. :-?

I don't think we'll be trying any medications. I'm not adamantly opposed to medicating a dog that needs it. We did have a dog on Clomicalm at one time, but I didn't think it was all it was cracked up to be, at least not for her. I reckon as long as I'm able to keep Perry & Pauly together, it's a safe, "natural" alternative. Pauly is perfectly serene as long as Perry is nearby. :)