Italian Greyhound separation anxiety help

Trembling and vomiting when left even briefly — that's not just mild distress, that's a dog in a full physiological stress response, and Italian Greyhounds are genuinely one of the breeds most prone to this level of anxiety. Separation anxiety is one of the most distressing things for both dog and owner, and I want to be straight with you: products can take the edge off significantly, but at this severity they work best alongside a proper desensitisation programme. Before I point you anywhere specific — how long has this been going on, and have you tried anything yet, whether that's calming products, crate training, or working with a behaviourist?

The vomiting escalating is a sign that his baseline anxiety has risen — the stress response is now hitting his gut, which is common in sighthound breeds whose nervous systems are genuinely wired differently. The ThunderShirt and treats are reasonable first steps but they're not addressing the ambient anxiety that's building even before you leave. Can I ask a couple of things: does he start showing signs before you even pick up your keys — pacing, shadow-following, that kind of thing? And is he left completely alone or is there sometimes another person or pet in the house?

That pre-departure anxiety kicking in at the shoes stage tells me his stress arc starts long before the front door closes, which means you need something working continuously in the environment, not just at the moment of leaving. Given everything — the breed, the severity, the pre-departure cues, the vomiting — my clear recommendation is the Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser. It releases a synthetic version of the pheromone a mother dog produces to calm her puppies, and it works around the clock in the room where he spends most of his time. It won't sedate him or change his personality — it just dials down that constant background threat response. Studies show it reduces anxiety-related behaviours in about 60–70% of dogs within a few weeks. The key is placement: plug it in the room he settles in most, not near a window or fan, and leave it running continuously. It genuinely won't work as a one-off fix, but as a foundation while you work on desensitisation to those pre-departure cues, it's the most evidence-backed environmental product available.

Most people notice a difference in two to four weeks, though some dogs respond within days. The diffuser covers roughly 50–70 square metres and one refill lasts about a month. Alongside it, I'd strongly encourage starting departure desensitisation — this just means picking up your keys and sitting back down, putting shoes on and not leaving, so the pre-departure cues stop predicting your absence. Do that dozens of times a day until he stops reacting. It sounds tedious but it's the single most effective thing for dogs like yours. Given the vomiting, it's also worth a quick call to your vet — not because anything is necessarily wrong, but they can rule out a gut component and some vets will refer you to a clinical animal behaviourist, which at this level I'd genuinely recommend. The diffuser, the desensitisation work, and a behaviourist consultation together give you the best realistic chance of real improvement.

That's exactly the right combination to start with. One practical tip: when the diffuser arrives, plug it in a day or two before you begin any desensitisation work so it has a chance to build up in the room. And keep a simple log of his symptoms — vomiting frequency, trembling duration — so you have something concrete to share with the vet and to track whether things are improving. Italian Greyhounds can make really good progress with the right approach; they're sensitive but they're also very responsive once the anxiety load drops. Good luck to both of you.