Q: I have two Siberian Huskies, a 3-year old bitch and her 14-month old pup. They suffer from separation anxiety anytime they are apart. The bitch cannot be out of sight from the pup without severe reaction from him and vice versa. When they go to the veterinarian, they go together. If one is walked on a leash, the other has to go along. Trying to separate them for any given amount of time leads to a desperate situation with each dog carrying on like they are getting beaten to death.
My husband and I are at our wits end with this matter, do you have any suggestions? They stay out of doors all the time (in a large, fenced enclosure) and have always been together. Even before she had pups, the bitch has always been very high strung and does not like small enclosed areas. I think she may have been left alone for a lot of time during her puppyhood, maybe kept in a basement or small space. We have had her since she was about 20 months old. They are both good dogs in general, very healthy and playful with one another as well as family and friends.
A: When two dogs stay together all the time, this commonly happens. You are right to want to change it, because it is not healthy for either dog. Start with short periods of time, separating them and spending time with each one. Since there are two of you, it will help if the early sessions have one of you working with each dog. You might take one dog away from the house, then switch and take the other. Try to do something with each dog that they enjoy.
No matter how much they dislike this at first, you can build it gradually, and it will work. You have to transfer some of that bond they have with each other into a bond with you. Having them in the house with you would help a lot. Obedience class helps, daily grooming helps, taking them for outings helps--all of these are ways to form a bond between person and dog. Every day, spend time with each dog away from the other dog, and as often as you can, make it be time away from home, too.
Dogs that are this dependent on each other are set up to suffer if and when life brings the separations that inevitably will happen. It's important to build their individual bonds to humans, as well as each dog's ability to spend some time alone. Otherwise, there are many things the future is likely to bring that would be a disaster for them.