# Separation Anxiety



## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

I have an Anatolian and Pyrenees. I have to put the dogs in a pen to feed them so the chickens and sheep will not eat the dog food. The Anatolian morns the separation from the sheep to the point she will not eat while she is in the pen.

I keep them penned about an hour to eat. He eats fine. She will eat if I let her out and she is back with her sheep. I can't stay present while she causally eats her food outside the pen. I feed them twice a day.

This really became an issue over the last week or so. They have been with sheep for about two months. Bonded almost instantly. The dogs are 1 year old.

Ideas? Suggestions?

Thank you.


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

I fed my anatolians and the goats at the same time. So while the goats were eating their feed, the dogs ate theirs. That's not to say that a goat would not wander over and try to steal dog food, but honestly, the dogs learned quickly to protect there chow, eat fast, or go hungry. Sorry, that doesn't sound very nice, but honestly, they all worked it out.


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## ShannonR (Nov 28, 2012)

Creep feeder of some sort? So the dog can access the feed and sheep cannot


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

hiddensprings said:


> I fed my anatolians and the goats at the same time. So while the goats were eating their feed, the dogs ate theirs. That's not to say that a goat would not wander over and try to steal dog food, but honestly, the dogs learned quickly to protect there chow, eat fast, or go hungry. Sorry, that doesn't sound very nice, but honestly, they all worked it out.


I would be afraid any copper in the dog food would harm the sheep.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

ShannonR said:


> Creep feeder of some sort? So the dog can access the feed and sheep cannot


I can't think of anything a dog could enter that a sheep could not.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

Why not build a wire cage within the sheep's pen with a one way latch so the dog can see and be close to the the sheep while eating? With a one way latch, the dog will be able to get out after eating and you won't have to go back and let it out.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

I guess I was too impatient. She has settled into a routine now that she has learned that I let he out as soon as she finishes eating.


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## emdeengee (Apr 20, 2010)

I did not have any suggestion as to the feeding and am glad it has worked out. They are supper smart and can adjust to just about anything but they really do have minds of their own and will decide for themselves on many issues. 

The only thing I can say about this separation anxiety is that the Anatolian is just behaving as 6000 years of breeding and work ethic has dictated. Ours is the same. I recently read of an Anatolian that is part of the Save the Cheetahs program in Africa (Anatolian Shepherds given to farmers to protect their flocks by just keeping the Cheetahs away so that they do not have to be killed) where the farmer had to take the dog to the vet but there was no way that he could get him into the truck until he loaded some of the herd in with him. Even then the dog was looking anxious the whole time and when returned to the herd had to check each animal to make sure everything was alright.


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## hiddensprings (Aug 6, 2009)

emdeengee said:


> I did not have any suggestion as to the feeding and am glad it has worked out. They are supper smart and can adjust to just about anything but they really do have minds of their own and will decide for themselves on many issues.
> 
> The only thing I can say about this separation anxiety is that the Anatolian is just behaving as 6000 years of breeding and work ethic has dictated. Ours is the same. I recently read of an Anatolian that is part of the Save the Cheetahs program in Africa (Anatolian Shepherds given to farmers to protect their flocks by just keeping the Cheetahs away so that they do not have to be killed) where the farmer had to take the dog to the vet but there was no way that he could get him into the truck until he loaded some of the herd in with him. Even then the dog was looking anxious the whole time and when returned to the herd had to check each animal to make sure everything was alright.


This is very true. I tired to take my female Anatolian to the vet once. Never again. After that, my vet made house calls to give the dogs their shots. They were much more comfortable being at home, in the pasture with their goats, then in the car driving away from the farm.


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

She is a remarkable dog.


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## oceantoad (May 21, 2009)

My vet has said that he has a number of folks that load their dog into a trailer with livestock. He also works on large animals and has a drive that goes behind his clinic. You drive back there and the vet and tech come out to the vehicle. My Anatolians can not be pulled through a gate to put in a vehicle. Had one that needed x-rays so I penned him on the back porch the night before. He took off one of the gates to get out. Left at the vet for the night and he took the gate off of the vet pen. Mine know if I try to do anything with them that I am up to something. First one I had was easier to work with, the two now are to smart to mess with. Trying to work an ear infection on one right now. Pretty much no luck. Might have to dope him up.


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