CANT LEAVE DOG ALONE EVEN WITH FAMILY

Question
I have a 10 month old Whippet named Devo. He is a great dog, very sweet
and smart. Not to mention fast. Our problem is that we can not leave him
with alone out of the crate. Thats alright with us. But, what we don't get is
that if one of us leaves the house and the other stays behind with the dog
Devo starts to cry and jump at the door. After about 5 minutes he will calm
down, I guess because he realizes that one of us is still here. If we go running
together with him, and one of us lags behind he will drag the other person to
find the other one. We Can't even leave him in the house with family
members like our parents or he will not stop crying and pacing. what is his
problem? is he just too spoiled? Thanks

Answer
Is he okay in a crate? It sounds like Devo may be developing separation anxiety. People often play into that by being very emotional and making a big deal out of leaving, and out of returning. I'd rehearse the ritual of getting ready to go - get your keys, your jacket, leave and come back immediately. Do this a number of times, gradually increasing the amount of time you are gone. If he's okay in a crate, leave him something to keep his attention - like a Kong (rubber toy) stuffed with food. When you leave, don't draw it out -say bye and leave. When you come home, don't make a big deal out of it, and go about your business for a few minutes (put away groceries, etc) before you acknowledge him. If you are going to crate him, I'd give him brief sessions in the crate while you are home, stopping by the crate occasionally with a treat if he's nice and relaxed. Teach him to offer going into his crate and staying with the door open as a game.
Anxious dogs tend to really benefit from a lot of structure in their lives. Training, schedules, and being able to trust their people to be "in charge" go a long way to decreasing generalized anxiety - and so, also, specific anxieties. If you do "spoil" Devo with lots of petting you may want to think of other ways to interact - games, tricks, lessons, and once he knows a bit of obedience, ask him to give you things in exchange for what he wants (a treat, a pet, throw the ball, etc.) Lavishing attention on our dogs can be more for us than for them. If he continues to have problems, you might talk to your veterinarian about a prescription medication to help take the edge off (though medications don't solve separation anxiety - just give you a better chance to train and desensitize). Patricia McConnell has a good book on separation anxiety called "I'll Be Home Soon." Sandy Case, MEd, CPDT