Many of you guys know that sunshine is a rescue dog. She's perfect in everyway, almost. She has tremendous separation anxiety. She somehow hurt her foot Wednesday. My neighbor told me last night that when I was gone on Wednesday that she sat in the window screaming for 6 hours non-stop while I had to go to a meeting in PCB.
I take her everywhere I can but this is the third time a neighbor has told me that she screeches when I'm gone. I think she probably hurt foot falling off the window sill because that night is when the foot swelling and hopping started.
I have bought her a doll, a blanket. The cat is here with her when I'm gone but she just freaks when I leave her in the house. We don't know much about her history, so I'm beginning to think she was left in a house during the storm or maybe abandoned by the roadside when they couldn't take their pets on the bus during Katrina.
Tonight I went out and my friends brought their pug to babysit her. when we got home we got out of the car at the end of the street so she wouldn't see the car drive up and we could listen to see if she was yelling. While she wasn't screaming, she was sitting looking out the front door when we walked around the corner. Then we go through the "she's home" freaking out, running around me wanting to be picked up and it doesn't stop until I pick her up and hold her close until her little pounding heart stops pounding.
I really don't feel I can commit to another dog right now and have resisted putting her in a cage when I'm gone. Has anyone else had such problems with separation anxiety and found a solution without drugging the pet? I just dont know what to do and now she's getting so upset that she's hurting herself. Any suggestions would be great.
Cork On the OceanCork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challenged
Cork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challenged4,698 views
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audieaudiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossom
audiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossomThanks guys, got a question. I was going to use a travel crate that i have that';s plastic. It's for medium size dogs and she's very tiny but John and others have indicated that she might want to use it in the daytime while I'm here so will that be adequate. I hate to have one of the big metal things in my living room. She now does quite nicely in her carry bag when we go out which is about 1/3 the size of the crate I have in mind. How much room does she need in there? I think she could stand up in it.
Audie, I think that this crate thing will give me peace of mind if it works and maybe someday I can leave the choice of going into her crate up to her. I'm sure we'll be walking around or if we put that sowal hunt together, sunshine can sniff them out :floor:
i think as long as she had enough room to stand and stretch out when laying down she should be fine. not been an issue here, we just bought the largest size available. it is actually larger than she needs, but it works. we put hers in the bedroom because of its size.
audieaudiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossom
audiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossomexcellent tip about the dog collars and removing them. i only put dory's on when we are going outside because if i leave her collar on it gets all tangled in the long thich hair around her neck and it is a huge mess...
Cork On the OceanCork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challengedAuthor
Cork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challengedAuthorYou may want to set up her new house tonight- put it in the same place that it will be in tomorrow, with her toys, blankies, etc. in it. Leave the door open while you are home tonight so she can check it out on her terms and while she is relaxed. Give her a special treat when she is in it.
Done! She went right over to it when I put it out to look at it but didn't go in yet and I've been upstairs in the office all day working on taxes and of course, she's up here with me. Going down to make dinner now, maybe I'll put a treat in it - Great idea. If she doesn't go in it tonight, I'll spend some time downstairs with her in the morning before testing it out. You guys have really put my mind at ease about this. I know it sounds crazy but I feel so much better with all these ideas of making the crate introduction less stressful for her. Thanks again to all of my sowal friends :clap_1:
SheilaSheilaSoWal InsiderSnellville, GA., Seacrest/Seagrove as often as we 5,781 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
SheilaSoWal InsiderSnellville, GA., Seacrest/Seagrove as often as we 5,781 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal InsiderDone! She went right over to it when I put it out to look at it but didn't go in yet and I've been upstairs in the office all day working on taxes and of course, she's up here with me. Going down to make dinner now, maybe I'll put a treat in it - Great idea. If she doesn't go in it tonight, I'll spend some time downstairs with her in the morning before testing it out. You guys have really put my mind at ease about this. I know it sounds crazy but I feel so much better with all these ideas of making the crate introduction less stressful for her. Thanks again to all of my sowal friends :clap_1:
Let us know how it goes.
Cork On the OceanCork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challengedAuthor
Cork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challengedAuthorOK guys, what next? I put the treats in the crate and she stuck that skinny neck in to the crate and pulled the treats out and jumped up onto my lap to eat them :wub: This is going to be a tough one :roll: . Since she's OK in her carry bag as long as she knows I'm there, how bout if I stick her into the crate and carry her around in it for a walk tomorrow rather than leaving her alone in it? Then I can drop her off at the house and leave for a little while :idontno: . I tell you guys, she just sits here looking at me all the time! My pets have always been very independent so this is a toughie for me. She melts my heart :(
SheilaSheilaSoWal InsiderSnellville, GA., Seacrest/Seagrove as often as we 5,781 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
SheilaSoWal InsiderSnellville, GA., Seacrest/Seagrove as often as we 5,781 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal InsiderOK guys, what next? I put the treats in the crate and she stuck that skinny neck in to the crate and pulled the treats out and jumped up onto my lap to eat them :wub: This is going to be a tough one :roll: . Since she's OK in her carry bag as long as she knows I'm there, how bout if I stick her into the crate and carry her around in it for a walk tomorrow rather than leaving her alone in it? Then I can drop her off at the house and leave for a little while :idontno: . I tell you guys, she just sits here looking at me all the time! My pets have always been very independent so this is a toughie for me. She melts my heart :(
Cork,
You're a Mom. Let your heart be your guide here. Go with the plan to take her out in her carry bag and then leave her. If the builder is there working he can let you know if she sounds distressed and go from there. That's what I'd do. It's tough I know. We are all rooting for you :wub:and Sunhine. please let us know how it goes. I'm headed to bed now if my 2 will spare me a few inches to wiggle into. ;-)
audieaudiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossom
audiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossomtuff love corky, tuff love - you are doing it for her own good ! keep us posted...
CilCilBeach FanaticAmelia Island, FL1,491 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
CilBeach FanaticAmelia Island, FL1,491 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticCil, is your crate for the mastiffs? You could use that for a dining room table I bet!Yeah, maybe for a breakfast table.
Back in Denver, when we had an addition built onto our house, we designed a spot just for the crate.
Mastiffs are pretty mellow, so after the first 18 months/2 years, we don't much bother with the crate. They do love their dog beds, though, which we seem to have all over the house. I don't think we'll ever make it into Southern Living. ;-)
Cork, let us know how it goes. I agree with Audie about tough love.
audieaudiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossom
audiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossomYeah, maybe for a breakfast table.
Back in Denver, when we had an addition built onto our house, we designed a spot just for the crate.
Mastiffs are pretty mellow, so after the first 18 months/2 years, we don't much bother with the crate. They do love their dog beds, though, which we seem to have all over the house. I don't think we'll ever make it into Southern Living. ;-)
Cork, let us know how it goes. I agree with Audie about tough love.
we have them all over too - it's called the furniture !! she loves to lay on the couch all stretched out. she like her doggy orthopedic bed though too, with the fan blowing on her of course..
JdargJdargSoWal Expert18,040 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Expert
JdargSoWal Expert18,040 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal ExpertI think in my next life I want to be Audie's dog. I want to lie on my VERY OWN orthopedic bed with a fan blowing on me!! Sounds like a nice way to relax!😀
audieaudiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossom
audiefartblossom10,946 postsJoined View profileMessagefartblossomI think in my next life I want to be Audie's dog. I want to lie on my VERY OWN orthopedic bed with a fan blowing on me!! Sounds like a nice way to relax!😀
i would like to be my dog too !
MKHMKHBeach FanaticMemphis, TN/Seacrest Beach, FL267 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
MKHBeach FanaticMemphis, TN/Seacrest Beach, FL267 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticOK guys, what next? I put the treats in the crate and she stuck that skinny neck in to the crate and pulled the treats out and jumped up onto my lap to eat them :wub: This is going to be a tough one :roll: . Since she's OK in her carry bag as long as she knows I'm there, how bout if I stick her into the crate and carry her around in it for a walk tomorrow rather than leaving her alone in it? Then I can drop her off at the house and leave for a little while :idontno: . I tell you guys, she just sits here looking at me all the time! My pets have always been very independent so this is a toughie for me. She melts my heart :(
Does she like to chew on things, like bones or toys? She's so tiny, I don't know how strong her teeth are. Anyway, there is a dog toy called a Kong, and they come in different sizes. I have 2 for my Halle Sue baby. I got Halle when she was 4 weeks old :wub: , and she was pretty dependent on me for everything. I got her a Kong to play with it. It is a hard rubber toy with a hollow space in the center where you can lodge treats. Then the dog spends as long as it takes trying to get the treats out. They come in different sizes, depending on your dog. Halle grew up to be a big girl, so it just takes her a minute or 2 to get the treats out, but when she was a puppy girl, it would take her an hour to work out the treats in the Kong. I called it her pacifier. I would fill the Kong before I left, and then she would be preoccupied with it rather than worrying about where I went off to.
You can even get a Kong machine, with 4 kongs in it, and they are disbursed one at a time, every 2 hours. So baby dog is entertained for 8 hours, waiting for the next Kongful of treats to be dispensed.
SheilaSheilaSoWal InsiderSnellville, GA., Seacrest/Seagrove as often as we 5,781 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
SheilaSoWal InsiderSnellville, GA., Seacrest/Seagrove as often as we 5,781 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal InsiderI think in my next life I want to be Audie's dog. I want to lie on my VERY OWN orthopedic bed with a fan blowing on me!! Sounds like a nice way to relax!😀
Bet she gets tummy rubs too! ;-)
Cork On the OceanCork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challengedAuthor
Cork On the Oceandirectionally challengedSeacrest Beach2,450 postsJoined View profileMessagedirectionally challengedAuthorDoes she like to chew on things, like bones or toys? She's so tiny, I don't know how strong her teeth are.
You can even get a Kong machine, with 4 kongs in it, and they are disbursed one at a time, every 2 hours. So baby dog is entertained for 8 hours, waiting for the next Kongful of treats to be dispensed.
She only has 5 teeth so chewing is tough. It's a crested thing. They lose their teeth very young - hence the tongue always sticking out. I certainly could put a soft treat in the middle I love that Kong idea. Where do I get one?
Here's todays update: I've had her in and out of the crate all day. Sat the crate on the comforter that she LOVES and sat next to her on the computer to work. She has wined, she has whimpered. Then she started rolling around in it and I thought she was going to turn it over. A few minutes ago, she FINALLY became comfortable enough to take a nap and she's now resting nicely. Didn't leave her today cause I wanted her to get comfortable with the crate. She was in it a total of about 2.5 -3 hrs today. When she wakes up which will be as soon as I move, I'll let her out for the night. Then tomorrow we'll try putting her in the cage while mommy leaves the house. that ought to be a treat.
I feel like such a heal - especially with the whimpering, whining and sad eyes - but I know that you guys are right and I really don't think I could have done this without your support:bow: . Update tomorrow!
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