# Supervised Separation -- Help!



## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

We're still working on the CGC. 

I have no doubt that Camper can pass all of the requirements easily, except the 3 - minute supervised separation where I leave him with a friendly stranger. 

He doesn't have separation anxiety. I can leave him at home, in the car, etc and he's fine. He can walk away from me at the vet's and he's fine. But when I walk away from him and leave him with someone he doesn't know well, he initially lunges toward me. Then he remains in place in a down, and whines. 

Obviously, this behavior won't pass. 

We've practiced with trainers in class. I've taken him to the vet's office and left him in the lobby with a tech he knows rather well. We've practiced here and there with friends. It's not helping much. (We are taking classes specifically on pack leadership at another training facility. I don't know if that will make any difference. But we're doing that as well.)

Our CGC class trainer suggests that all of us in class just go to Starbucks and leave our dogs with a stranger while we go in and get a cup of coffee. Uh, no. Camper can pull someone off their feet and drag them.









How have YOU worked with YOUR GSD on supervised separation? I kind of feel like our big guardian dogs can't just be tied to a light post outside 7/11 while we go in an buy a slurpee, you know? Or am I being entirely too cautious? 

help!!!


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## AbbyK9 (Oct 11, 2005)

I know exactly what you're going through - I went through the same thing with Abby. If I left her with people she knew, she was just perfectly fine. If I left her with someone she didn't know, she would act like an idiot, bark, white, pull on the leash, etc.

I did do the 7-11 thing. We have a 7-11 just down the road that has big glass windows in front and, where the trash can out front is located, there is nothing blocking the view from inside. I would tie her to the trash can, go inside and grab a bottled water, and stand in line. I could see her from there but I don't think she saw me. Then I would come out, praise her for not barking, and give her a treat.

I also asked strangers to hold her while I went into a store, to the restroom, etc. One place I did practice that was on base. I figured the chances of someone stealing the dogger on base would be a lot slimmer than if I just handed her leash to someone random in front of Starbucks or the grocery store or something.

What you could do, if you're worried about Camper knocking someone off their feet, is to tie him to something - lamp post, pillar, etc. - and ask a person to "watch him" or "stay with him". That way he would be supervised during separation but he wouldn't be able to pull them. 

Would that work?


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