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#1
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I think I'm in trouble
Ok here goes,we moved to Quebec 5 months ago,my husbands nephew got us a dog (Molly our Chocolate Lab) she is 1 1/2 was chained in a garage and beaten bad.She listens to me very well,have taught her the basic,sit, heal,come and such,but when I try and go out she freaks.She has chewed our door,yes chewed it a good 6 inches trying to get out,she is so freaked,she whines and is panting so bad,but will not drink or eat till I come back home.She gets lots of exersice all day as she is with me when I ride the horse or snowmobile(we have 27 acres for her to run).It is so bad that I cant even have a shower without her being in the bathroom with me.Any suggestions(please)
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#2
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Welcome to Quebec I am happy to hear that Molly is finally safe. She feels safe with you and maybe when you leave she goes through some seperation anxiety. There are herbal remedies available that can calm dogs down. Would there be a homeopathic vet in your area. You may need more than herbal remedies but its a start. I remember a book mentioned some time back... I’ll be Home Soon: How to Prevent and Treat Separation Anxiety by Patricia McConnell
( Sorry I can't remember which member on this site mentioned it ...but I looked it up and will be getting a copy for my yellow lab) |
#3
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I found it,it was Lissa...I hope you don't mind Lissa..and I hope I can do this..If its not allowed feel free to delete
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#4
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Though he's grown out of it now, my dog Max also went through separation anxiety when we first brought him home from the SPCA at 6 months of age. He tried to dig a whole through the FLOOR and today, the floor behind the front door is slanted with grooves.
There's a ton of info on this site about how to deal with separation anxiety and very knowledgeable pet owners on this board will certainly help you out. Good luck and don't give up! |
#5
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Ohh that's fine - especially since it is going to be helping!!!
Getting Molly into some sort of training should help raise her confidence level...would leaving interactive toys be of any help!? Or maybe an old shirt of yours? I wrote this in another forum so you may need to modify certain parts since Molly's SA sounds pretty bad... SA is all about desensitization...you need to desensitize Molly to your comings and goings...The first part is to do it so often that Molly is bored with the whole coming in going out (by the sounds of it - this will take a long time)...the second part is to go out and come back BEFORE he starts getting upset...You want to be able to leave for longer periods of time without Molly barking and getting all upset... You should set aside a couple of hours to work on it. Start small. Go out your door, shut it, wait a few seconds, and go back in. Don't greet or acknowledge her in any way... just be very matter of fact. Immediately do it again... try to increase the amount of time that you are gone. If all goes well, repeat the exercise and continue to increase the time as long as she shows no sign of stress. If Molly gets upset, you are moving too fast and you need to back up. Eventually, she'll become so used to your coming and going that she'll get bored. At this point, add in your routine that you normally do when you really are leaving... put your coat on, grab your keys, etc. Start the pattern of "fake" leaving, extending the time periods, until you see he's bored. You can start making sounds that you are walking away or slamming the car door. It is labor intensive but if you do it right you can make a HUGE difference in one session. Molly will start to look a little differently at the concept of you walking out the door, and if you continue to immerse her in your comings and goings she'll learn to accept it as a normal part of life.
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"Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to." |
#6
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You also want to perform the triggers to your leaving throughout the day without actually leaving. Pick up your keys and put them down, get your coat out, pick up your purse/backpack - things you would normally do before you leave so she gets desensitized to the triggers too. Do them randomly and without drama.
At first when you go through the 'fake leaving' she will panick but you must keep it up until you see that she barely lifts her head when you are leaving or coming in. Then you know she has changed. Even then you might have set backs and this doesn't get cured overnight. Loving patience on your part will be the ticket.
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Love Them & Lead Them, ~Elizabeth & Doug www.TenderfootTraining.com Dog Training the Way Nature Intended |
#7
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Thanks for the welcome to Quebec,cpietra16.I have tryed leaving her with the neighbour who has a old collie,and no luck,she tryed digging under the fence,I have left her with toys,food and water and my old blanket from my bed and it does not help,I will try the coming and going trick and see what happens.Thanks for all the help,I will keep you updated on how she is doing with this
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