I’m looking for some advice / practical tips to help deal with my new rescue dog’s separation anxiety.
Background:
Adopted him 2 weeks ago. He’s 8 months old and we are his 4th home! Spent only 2 weeks with the family before us until circumstances meant they couldn’t keep him. Prior to that he had been bought from the breeder at 8 weeks (obviously far too young) by a young lad who clearly didn’t know what was involved in raising a Belgian Malinois. The dog was getting very little exercise and interaction, being left in his works van on his own during the day. He’s clearly had no proper socialisation- is petrified of getting in cars, pulls like a train on the lead, had no idea how to play with other dogs and had no doggy manners when first interacting with my two (quickly corrected by my two other dogs; a female Malinois and a male Kangal). Eventually the owner’s mother realised the dog was not having his needs met, so she arranged via a breed specific facebook group, for him to be rehomed - to the people I got him from. It was via this group that I first saw him being rehomed and how the previous owner contacted me to see if I was interested in adopting him.
The issue.
I WFH most of the time, but approx 1 to 2 times a fortnight have to travel to London from the North West for meetings. I will leave the house at 5.30am and won’t be back until around 7.30pm.
My DH works M-F out of the house, usually leaving around 5.40am and back around 5.45/6pm on a typical day.
When I’m due to be working on London, my parents will call in on the dogs to let them out, feed them, play with them etc at lunchtime which has always worked perfectly for my two (and a previous dog no longer with us). I had arranged for the same this past week, with them meeting the new fella before hand to start building up a relationship with him.
He sleeps in the living room at night along with my other two and was given freedom to roam all of the downstairs, same as my other Mali. The Kangal is crate trained when we go out the house, as he is a prolific chewer.
This Tuesday, after myself and DH had left the house, new dog would not stop barking.l (seen and heard on the Ring cameras we have set up in the living room and kitchen/diner).
As we didn’t want to annoy the neighbours, I had to get my parents to go round before 8am and sit with them all day.
Obviously, this isn’t sustainable, so am looking for advice on how best to deal with it. For example, should we crate train him?
When I’m at home with him he’s really good and I’m conscious that he’s still settling in after only 2 weeks with us. We’re his forever home, so will do whatever it takes to sort this.
Pic for attention and so you can see the handsome chap! Second pic is him with his big bro and sis (he’s in the middle).