"pack seperation"- any special tips ??

Anyone got any extra-ordinary tips for this one???

Zelda (new rescue) seems to be developing quite severe, but only vocal (no damage, racing or messing) "pack seperation" anxiety. We've not had her long... but here's what's happening.

Whenever either of us leave - means that the other of her keepers AND Bonnie stays in with her - she gets pretty upset.
She is consolable and responsive, but when left for just a minute will recommence crying and whining and howling -- like a human baby -- really upsetting to listen to -- and be pretty hard to distract, and fixate on windows waiting for the "missing person" to return.... looking distant.
I know greyhound types are known for seperation anxiety, but Zelda is not an ex-racer and has been wild -- I'm guessing its because she's now 'at home' (we've had her approx 3 weeks) and doesn't want anything to break the pack.
She is older and has obviously had a hard time, still very nervous but gaining confidence slowly - we know nothing of her background other than she is probably about 4 years old and has been wild (was enticed into a local shelter by a rural home owner). She seems thoughtful and deep, and I sense she's worried her new home might be temporary.

What surprises me is that whichever of us goes out she has a similar reaction -- for 30-40 mintues or more (the longest we've tested it)! We did leaving her 'home alone' for a short while but we could hear the crying down the street.

I know all the normal tips about building-up slowly, making a den in the house etc (she and Bonnie have several), making no fuss on exit but lots on return etc --- a crate is not going to happen here and is not an environment one of these dogs is used too....

So, any special ideas other that time & patience ???? We both work at home and usually take the dogs on trips so this has only really been noticed recently - Bonnie is fine to be left but even when with her Zelda starts the noise!

When you leave there should be no fuss and when you return there should be no fuss

ahhh who can blame her..you are her hero..she will settle after time has shown her your not going to leave forever..she must be such a dear. Mary had seperation anx for no reason at all. and leaving her with Mum and DAD or even her pups didn't help. Finally this is what i did..i would sit on the other side of the door..shut betwen us for just a minute..and tell her what a lovely girl she was and i wasnt leaving even tho she couldn't see me..i stretched that out to 5 minutes..then i would walk around the house..and come back and talk to her thru the door..then open and praise..each day i did this several times and lengthened the stretch of time i was gone by just a little bit never long enuff for her to panic. I kept her with a sitter when i knew i was going to be gone for a long time..Mary really did have a grandmother in GG...but still we did our little lessons until she finally was desensitized to my being out of her sight/smell and hearing..and knew that just any minute i might be right back..that was what i had to show her was to have faith. Hug that beautiful girl for me ..how truly frightened she must have been..i could see it all in her eyes the first time i saw her..no one should ever feel like that.

maybe that would do for an average dog that has simple anx but i believe this sweetheart has post stress truama at the very least..it is a whole different story..she needs healing of her heart and mind before she could ever if ever see the world as other dogs do. Victor too had so much pst to work through. Not only had he the kill shelter and the rescue one to make up his babyhood..he had obviously been teased into a frenzy by whomever owned him first, he had night terrors, he was deathly afraid of a teenage girl that had come to visit..Now i can leave him home for hours no prob..but i wouldn't even have dared the first 6 mths let alone the first year. Healing takes time.

Thanks sheplurv, and smike, smkie I think you are right - this dog seems to have almost human emotion, really - and is trying to build her confidence and feel at home but sometimes seems to worry it will all end... goodness only knows what happened to her.

I do know that no fuss on out+in is typical, textbook advice but this one got me as it happens when people and our other dog are left with her- she wants the complete 'pack' at all times, even in other parts of the house - just not away outside. Having said that she is better today already (the sun is out, and it was near feeding time yesterday), we have all the time for this lovely animal so - of course - will keep on with patience and care....

maybe the canine pack was what she had before..but not the human bond of love to complete her life and make it the home she so desperately needed so when you go out the door..so do all her hopes that it will stay as good as it is when you are there. I imagine each day will get a tiny bit easier as her confidence grows. I will never know why Mary was so frightened. She was born in my living room, had never known anything else, had never been abondoned or mistreated in anyway. The first time i tried to leave her with her canine family i found that she had even fallen into the 50 gal fish tank trying from one window to the next (you could follow the water trail) to get outside and follow me. She was just a little girl then only a few months old.Everyone else in her family was just fine..including her sis. EVen to be shut in one bedroom while the cable guy was there gave her the tremours and she would shred anything near at hand..then when i opened the door she would rock from foot to foot with her eyes squeezed shut as if saying " im sorry im sorry i didnt mean to" and to this day as a grey haired old woman she still does this when she is "busted" for getting into Victor's food. I hope what i wrote works as well for you as it did for her. Your new girl is so pretty with such sensitive eyes..! A year from now she will be a confident woman..that is about how long it took Victor to have the last of his worries drop from his dreams. He really had some nightmares. I would wake him up and pull him over to me, wrap my arms around him and we both would return to our sleep. He hasn't had one of those in a long time.
post stress symptoms ..we had a kitten that got out and somehow found her tiny way down to the end of the street without our knowing it. a long way for such a youngster. SHe entered a house where a man had commited suicide while the people were there dealing with the tragedy and got herself locked in when they left. We looked for her..put up signs, my son was so desperate he went from door to door. A week later someone came in to work on the house so it could be sold and found her weak but still alive. They saw our signs and returned her to her home..She was text book compared to people that have been in similar situtations.. she horded food. EVen tho her bowl was full she would take mouth fulls and hide it, she worried constantly about where it was. She would panic and meow loudly and with fright if a door was shut between her and the rest of the house..all doors had to remain open except for the outside one or she was stressed for months to come. EVentually the food hording stopped,she stopped having anx about shut doors except for if she was shut in a room alone, that she never got over.

I was not going by "textbook" alone. I had a dog with seperation anxiety. I adopted her at 6 yrs old and I was her 4th home not including the shelter she was in. She was extremely tramatized and afraid of her own shadow....I was just adding what worked for us. What ever works for you is great. Some methods work for some, different ones for others. I hope you are able to releive her stress soon. Good luck

For sure, thank you. I know its common advice but one of the main reasons the dogs get left as we work at home is food shopping - and it can be pretty hard to ignore friendly, inquisitive dog when you're carrying then unloading bags of meat and groceries!! - well my two anyway - who are doubly pleased to see you wonder if they think we've been hunting?

victor is always been a package checker..especially if it comes from the thrift store..he just KNOWS there is a new toy in there for him