Separation anxiety in older dog

[MrsBooks]

So, we have an 11 year old Yorkshire Terrier. He came to live with us around 3 years ago after his elderly owner (DH's grandad) passed away. At the time we had another dog (a lab) and the 2 were very close, they would always sleep downstairs together despite Yorkie being used to sleeping on his owner's bed). After our other dog was PTS last year, the SA set in with the Yorkie. He cut his paws scraping at the stair gate to get upstairs the first night by himself so we took it down and put a bed in our room for him. Within a few weeks we had a comment from a neighbour that DDog was howling during the day when he was home alone (they'd never heard him before this). We got a webcam to keep an eye on him when we are out and can see that he does settle but not for long before his is pacing, whining and howling. It can be quite upsetting to watch when I'm at work and can't do anything about it. He will stop briefly if we talk to him through the camera but I think it just confuses him more. We leave the radio on for him and he has access to the garden via the catflap if he needs to do his business. He is alone for around 6 hrs x 3 days a week at the moment but my hours may be increasing soon and I am worried about him. He gets a walk each day before I leave. Is there anything else I can do? I've considered a walker but to be honest he displays this behaviour even if we only go out for 15 minutes to nip to the shop so I don't think it will help. Short of getting another dog (which I don't want to do for many reasons) I is there anything else you could suggest? When he was with his previous owner he was very rarely left alone, and never for more than a couple of hours, and when he came here he had our other dog for company and we don't think he got upset then. We've looked at boredom breaker toys but he doesn't have teeth so doesn't really use any of the ones we've bought him over the years. The only thing I've thought of would be a licky mat thing but I'm worried the cat will pinch it!

Didn't realise it would be this long, well done if you read it all 😂

My old girl who I inherited could never be left alone for a second. We ended up getting her a cage which she absolutely adored and would lie in there quite happily. Could be worth a try?

You need to get qualified help to help with this and it may not be easy.

It will be very very difficult to sort out if you continue to leave him for 6 hour periods. Is he unsettled the whole time?

A licky mat will not keep him occupied for 6 hours and if he is too distressed it will not occupy him at all unfortunately.

Is there anybody who could dog sit either in you hourse of theirs for the days you are out?

Poor thing, my dog has terrible separation anxiety and it’s getting worse the older she gets, nothing works for my dog unfortunately and I have had to change my work to revolve around my dog so she is pretty much with me all the time, fortunately I am in a position to accommodate this, it sounds as though your dog would do well in doggy day care or do you have an elderly neighbour who would like to dog sit a couple of days a week to ease the boredom/anxiety?

Is your dog particularly attached to you or is it they just need company in general?

Thanks for your responses. He is more attached to me than anyone else but as long as he knows someone is in the house he's OK. I will bring his travel crate into the house over the weekend and see if he will settle in that. I might also try giving him access to the kitchen and garden only, as it might be less stressful than the whole house? He would be at the back of the house so less disturbance from people coming and going outside too.
Just thought the lickimat may not work anyway as he doesn't seem to eat or drink much when he's on his own - he will often go to his (full) bowls once we're home and have a good drink and some food.

I feel your pain, I have had a look at the borrow my doggy website, if you could find someone who you could trust to look after your dog it may be worth a look? Also my vet suggested CBD oil to ease anxiety (but must be prescribed by them for animal use) might be worth having a chat with your vet about it.

At that age I am afraid to say separation anxiety will probably be impossible to cure. It can take months (if not years) to deal with it in a young dog.

Could he stay with someone during the day? A neighbour or friend or something who might like some company?

He’s obviously always had company, his past owner & then your other dog & is desperately missing it. Yorkies love being with people & hate to be on their own.
I think the best suggestion, as others have said, is to find someone if possible to be with him when you can’t. I don’t think doggy day care would really work though you could try it as a last resort. Have you an online neighbourhood site? Many places do. An elderly person living alone & lonely with all this isolation could be an ideal solution. He’s used to an older person so would be glad to just snuggle, it would give the person something to look forward to on the days he stayed there without them having the full responsibility of ownership like vet visits etc. My dad would have loved this. He died last year in his late nineties. He’d had dogs all his life but the last few years was housebound & not up to having a dog full time but he did so miss having one around.

Thank you for all your suggestions. I will look into finding someone who might enjoy his company on the days I work. That would be an ideal situation I think 👍