Back to school blues

[sandcastle97]

This is new for me so I was wondering if anyone else has dealt with this. All 3 of my boys went back to school on 8/27. This is the first time all 3 are in school and gone together. Since they went back to school, Ren is heck on 2 wheels. He had loose stools for a day and a half right after they went back. He is back to normal now and is fine. I wonder if it was stress? He now has to be near me all the time or he freaks out. I can't take him to the playground with my daycare kids. Dogs are not allowed on the playground in my neighborhood. So for a 1/2 hour a day he's inside. He's done this forever and has always been just fine. I came into find he pooped on the floor and dug into the wall, in what I can only think was an escape attempt. I cleaned and fixed everything and didn't say a word to him. Can dogs react this way to a new situation like this? It was mild last year, but this year with all of them gone it has hit him hard. All summer he had the entire daycare to play with. Now it is just me and 2 smaller kids. One is 3 and one is 2. I am trying to stick with a routine. This includes and extra walk in the morning. My hope is that he'll adjust to the new routine in time and feel better. Am I on the right track or reading way too much into this? I thought I'd be the one to freak out when my last baby went off to school, but Ren is taking it worse. Maybe he's giving me something else to focus on lol.

 

[manuel]

Maybe because no one is home and Renie is suffering from separation anxiety. I went to the grocery store yesterday leaving Hoshi inside and he cried like you wouldn't believe, "Rooo! Rooo! Rooo!" ^_^ I think that what it sounds like. My mom was in the back yard and Cathy was sleeping in bed. As soon as Cathy came out of the bedroom Hoshi started doing the happy dance. He doesn't like being left alone.

 

[Polly]

Awww poor Ren, I'm sure he just missed the boys.
My Pogo used to have terrible seperation problems. But he's fine now.

 

[karenwalksthedogs]

I'll bet Ren missed his boys. When both my kids went off to college, I think Dylan became depressed. That's when we got Riley!

 

[sandcastle97]

I am home with him all day except for a walk to the bus stop and the playground. He is so smart. He knows when the boys are getting ready for school and he is just miserable. He's all over them loving them until they leave. Poor thing wears himself out and falls asleep after they go. It's hard taking care of kids and sometimes I think he feels he's helping Dave and I raise them. God I love this dog. I would be going crazy with all of them gone if it weren't for him. Don't tell him, but I'm co dependant!