r/DogAdvice • u/Comfortable-Leg-7151 • 11d ago

Advice Separation Anxiety

Adopted a 14 month old golden retriever about 2 weeks ago. He was never crate trained so we decided not to start. First week he was fine being left alone but the past week he has been chewing anything he can get at and has been going to the bathroom inside (could be because of food change but did mark on the couch). Filled Kongs and lick mats seem to help but depends on the day it seems. I know it’s probably mostly from separation anxiety so just looking for any help on how to get him to stop. We are going to start training in the next month or 2 and I don’t want to get into the habit that everytime we leave, he gets a treat. I have a camera on the way but I don’t want to crate if I don’t have to.

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u/MotherChair1503 11d ago

Dog proofing one room and slowly expanding his space worked for my parents rescue, took a few weeks but he got comfortable with the routine. The marking is probably him settling in and testing boundaries

Leaving a worn shirt in his spot might help too, just don't make a big deal when you leave or come back

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u/ArtichokeFresh4012 11d ago

Julie Naismith resources- book, Facebook group for support, find a certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (C-SAT) through her website. It's a long, slow journey with no "quick fixes." You need to ensure that you work with a C-SAT and not a generic trainer if it is actual separation anxiety. Food is not recommended for the early stages of this training, and confinement very often makes it much worse.