Separation anxiety

ASokoloff

I think Toshi has it. I have started to let her sleep on my bed at night and she will not go to the bathroom or wake me up if she needs to, nor will she destroy anything while I'm sleeping. She plays with her toys, but touches nothing else. However, if I go outside to smoke for 10 minutes she instantly goes into sneaky mode and will try and grab things off of my desk or grab things she knows she shouldn't have. When I come back inside, she will hide under the bed because she knows what she did wrong. Does anyone else's Kai have this problem/habit? I can't think of a way to break it though. I've tried leaving the room for a minute and coming back in to catch her in the act, but she won't stop doing it.

rikumom

What you describe does not sound at all like separation anxiety. I recommend you get this booklet and see if she exhibits the other destructive behaviors that are unrelated to lack of management or housebreaking. You'll be grateful you aren't going through that...

http://www.amazon.com/Ill-Home-Soon-Separation-Anxiety/dp/1891767054/

Yandharr

How old is she? it sounds like adolescent mischievousness. I know Ciqala steals things if I'm not looking and then does the guilty ears when I come back. Is Toshi really drivey? If so, I would recommend training to inhibit urges to do whatever she wants. though this could screw things up if you're using her for hunting or some type of sport. I implement a sort of doggy accountability measure with mine so that they all eat at the same time or no one eats at all... they usually will check to see if the other is eating before eating because they know I will stop them otherwise works wonders for impulsive Ciqala.

I agree with @rikumom though, doesn't sound like SA. SA is a terrible thing.

sjp051993

Sounds like kai puppy mischief. Kazue use to do that. Tora did it as a pup.

Zinja

Eevee has separation anxiety. She will chew on the door frames, window sills, or crate wires if I leave her alone. In the crate, she pulls the welded wires off so I am afraid to use the crate until she gets really comfortable with it. She also cries when we leave and begins to run at the door when we do "trigger" acts such as grab the keys, put on our shoes, or our coat.

Your case does not sound like separation anxiety though.

Yandharr

@Zinja - Before i got ciqala, Saru used to go all incredible hulk on his kennel too. People come over and are always surprised when they see how badly such a little dog could damage a metal kennel.

NotoriousScrat

Sounds more like what our behaviorist called separation excitement. People think it's anxiety, because it only happens when they're left alone, but it's actually more of a "if the cat's away, the mouse will play" than a "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?!! OH, GOD, PLEASE, PLEASE, COME BACK! I'LL BE GOOD I SWEAR!"

Zinja

@Yandharr When I had Ninja over, Eevee did not chew up the door. That was when I was searching for another dog to keep her company while I was gone.

When I found Mochi, she stopped chewing the door but still pulled down the gate leading to the gate... we're working on getting her used to us leaving. I've read getting a second dog might make things worst because the puppy will learn the behavior from the current dog. Luckily, this was not the case with us.

ASokoloff

Sorry for the delay, Toshi and I went to Texas this weekend. @Yandharr - She is five months next week. It may be that she's still a puppy, but she only does it when I'm not around. I started leaving a bag of pigs ears open so that if she wants to steal or chew anything, she could take an ear instead of chewing on something she knows she shouldn't.
@NotoriousScrat - Yeah it could be that. She has so much energy all the time and anytime I'm home, I play with her, so she might just want to keep playing after I leave.

sjp051993

A tired puppy is a well behaved puppy

mettaz

my kai when she was 4 month old she destroyed my table and some DVD's but then i realize how much exercise a Kai need, and after that she have never done something wrong

CarabooA

I think what every one is saying is very accurate. A tired pup is a well behaved pup and Kai do need plenty of exercise. However, I would also have to agree that part of it is just being a puppy. We've gone thru it with every dog we've ever owned no matter the breed, (destructive phase) as long as your pup is well exercised and mentally stimulated by you plenty when you are home, a lot of the terrorizing they grow out of.
We've lost our whole patio furniture set by having 2 Kai pups back to back, lol. And ours get plenty of exercise and mental games, etc.... but wood is wood and it's fun to chew. So, probably next summer we will get some metal patio furniture and see how that goes... lol.
Patience and just have plenty of safe things for your pup to do when you are gone. I'm also a very big crating advocate for dogs until they are mature enough to be trusted outside the crate while you are not in the house WITH them. We of course also try to set up the house where there aren't things left around that they can chew on if we do step out for a minute... but in all honesty - I had to take about a dozen stuffed toys to the ER for repair due to our 4 year old forgetting something and me not catching it either... lol Such is puppy life!
Kai are also very sensitive, just something to remember when you come back in and find she's done a naughty - maybe just try to eliminate anything for her to chew on that she shouldn't - the pig ear sounds like a good idea, maybe actually give it to her before you go out to smoke so she does have something to do while you are out there. Eliminate the temptation/problem ahead of time? Or, can she come out with you?

ASokoloff

I try to keep her as active as possible. Even when I take her to the dog park for a couple of hours, she still has energy left lol. Even if I give her something before I go out, she still goes after what she shouldn't though. I crate her when I'm going to be gone for anytime longer than a few minutes though. I tried to leave her out while I was at work and ended up losing some carpet and cabinets. I think it will be easier once I have a yard to just take her with me while I smoke or to go outside off the leash and play fetch to drain some energy. Only 2 months until then though, so hopefully she can wait too lol.

shibamistress

I don't think it's separation anxiety either. It's just what Kai Ken do as young dogs. I can't leave Leo uncrated even if I just go to the bathroom, because he'll get into something. They're smart dogs--and they can be opportunistic. Leo sees a chance to get something he wants that I don't want him to have, and he takes it.

tjbart17

I agree it's adolescence not anxiety and leaving her alone is only reinforcing the behavior. She needs to be crated with one of those treats if you are stepping out.

Mika is so like this. She's just so naughty when I leave. Thankfully at nine months old shes starting to grow out of it but she ate my petsitter's whole couch when she left her out in her living room.

Crate her before you lose something larger than you have already.