Sudden Onset Sa

[ChiliDog]

We got Pepper on June 1st and he is an all-around fantastic hound. Our perfect "Walmart Greeter" and given that we do Meet & Greets, home visits and adoptions he's just what we wanted/needed.

 

He gets along fine with Joe T. and Buffy. He got along fine with us going in and out of the house up til last week!

 

Last week Tuesday we took him to a home visit. Wednesday morning he was prancing and bouncing with us as DH and I were walking out the door. We got into the elevator (we're in a 12th floor apartment) door closed and on the way down we could hear a HOWL. We reached the garage and I went back upstairs (only to the 11th floor) to see if I could still her him. Nope seems like he settled.

 

This past Monday we went to the kennel to do an adoption (we leave at 6:30 am) and upon our return our doorman tells us that our neighbors were complaining because a dog was howling from 6:35 through 10AM.

 

Yesterday we figured we would feed him and sneak out quietly for the 20 or so minutes it takes for me to get dropped off at work. DH came back and the doorman tells him that the neighbors are calling the police for us "disturbing the peace".

 

So... what to do what to do??

 

My first plan of attack is to rule out anything physical - besides the regular check up and blood work are there any other tests I should ask for?

 

Secondly we have enrolled him in a "doggie daycare" for the days that DH (who is retired but does a moderate amount of computer fixing on the side) has to go out. Or else our very good friend will come and stay until DH comes back. But this, to me, is just putting a band-aid on the situation, not really treating it.

 

And, as I mentioned, he lives with 2 other hounds - so that rules out our "well maybe he needs company and you should get another hound" spiel I usually give to adopters who have SA prone hounds....

 

We can try the crate again but after about 3 - 4 weeks of it he had started to dislike it....

He IS food motivated but I don't want to "kong" him and not the others, nor do I want to baby gate them all apart (I know Pepper does not do well gated alone in a room). I suppose I can slip him one of Buffy's Xanax , but again - band-aid solution....

 

 

So - any suggestions would be MOST welcome!

[GeorgeofNE]

Interesting!

 

Sounds like someone has gotten used to being the center of attention and doesn't like it when he's not!

 

I'd spend time doing the alone training.

 

I happen to believe there's a difference between true anxiety "Oh no oh no oh no where did they go where did they go I am alone I am afraid!!!" and "Hey! Come back here right now! How DARE you leave me!" I'm GUESSING it's the second.

[ChiliDog]

Interesting!

 

Sounds like someone has gotten used to being the center of attention and doesn't like it when he's not!

 

I'd spend time doing the alone training.

 

I happen to believe there's a difference between true anxiety "Oh no oh no oh no where did they go where did they go I am alone I am afraid!!!" and "Hey! Come back here right now! How DARE you leave me!" I'm GUESSING it's the second.

 

Hmmm - center of attention - could be, could be.......

 

I will start alone training again (and also have to advise the neighbors to expect some noise)

Oh and I will also insist that anyone who handles Pepper do the whole Alpha thing with him and not let him get away with anything - NILIF and all that....

 

Never a dull moment

[greysmom]

I vote for alone training too.

 

You just got back from a month or so vacation where he was basically never left alone without "his" people. He needs to get used to the home routine again and learn that he doesn't have to do that.

 

After Dude had his surgery, we went through the sme thing. We NEVER left him and the others alone. Either DH or I were always with them. So when his medical condition allowed us to think about leaving home, we discovered he was the ring leader in 20 minutes of barking and rooing every time we left. This escalated until he was starting it as soon as the door closed behind us and continuing for quite a while.

 

I finally ended up "breaking the rules" and going back into the house right away and speaking in harsh tones to him! Telling him to lay down and shut up! (I know, I'm a mean mean Momma who abuses her dogs.) Once he got the idea that what he was doing was not a good thing, he settled down and stopped barking when we left. It took a week or so of re-training him. Fortunately, we have a house and neighbors who think it's funny rather than ones who call the cops.

[ChiliDog]

Yeah - I see we're going to have to have a bi g LONG talk with the neighbors (on the 11th, 12th and 14th floors) explaining what is going to happen and let them know that there *may* be some noise while we work things out.

 

Oh and last night when the gal showed up at our door (!!) (and told me "oh no we NEVER said anything about calling the cops" yeah, right...) she also asked if they have a very heavy toy that they play with that goes THUNK on the floor. Don' t know what that's all about.

 

All I know is that when the situation with Pepper is over and there is no more howling I'm gonna buy myself a pair of wooden clogs.........

[GeorgeofNE]

I vote for alone training too.

 

You just got back from a month or so vacation where he was basically never left alone without "his" people. He needs to get used to the home routine again and learn that he doesn't have to do that.

 

After Dude had his surgery, we went through the sme thing. We NEVER left him and the others alone. Either DH or I were always with them. So when his medical condition allowed us to think about leaving home, we discovered he was the ring leader in 20 minutes of barking and rooing every time we left. This escalated until he was starting it as soon as the door closed behind us and continuing for quite a while.

 

I finally ended up "breaking the rules" and going back into the house right away and speaking in harsh tones to him! Telling him to lay down and shut up! (I know, I'm a mean mean Momma who abuses her dogs.) Once he got the idea that what he was doing was not a good thing, he settled down and stopped barking when we left. It took a week or so of re-training him. Fortunately, we have a house and neighbors who think it's funny rather than ones who call the cops.

 

 

I admit it--my REAL answer (not GT approved!) would be to wait in the hallway, and the second he started up to slap the door with my palm and say in my best VOG "Knock it off!"

 

Only 'cause this doesn't sound like "real" SA to me Donna.

 

The thunk is probably Buffy dragging food off the counter again!!!

[Batmom]

Respectfully disagree.

 

If he howled from 6:35 to 6:40, that would be "Hey! I wanna go too!"

 

Howling from 6:35 to 10:00 is some type of separation anxiety.

 

Best luck in getting him straightened out again.

[GeorgeofNE]

Respectfully disagree.

 

If he howled from 6:35 to 6:40, that would be "Hey! I wanna go too!"

 

Howling from 6:35 to 10:00 is some type of separation anxiety.

 

Best luck in getting him straightened out again.

 

You make an excellent point!

 

Hopefully Chris is right and that he'll settle back down having just had his hoomans around for a month of vacation!

[ChiliDog]

Well since we had no way of doing "alone training" during the day these past 2 days we've sent Pepper to "daycare"

 

The gals there said that yesterday he ran around from 8AM til 3PM non-stop

 

Klaus went to pick him up and he said Pepper hardly noticed him....

 

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing tho (because it kind of reinforces his want to come with us) but until the weekend it's the best we can do to avoid eviction.....

[GeorgeofNE]

Well since we had no way of doing "alone training" during the day these past 2 days we've sent Pepper to "daycare"

 

The gals there said that yesterday he ran around from 8AM til 3PM non-stop

 

Klaus went to pick him up and he said Pepper hardly noticed him....

 

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing tho (because it kind of reinforces his want to come with us) but until the weekend it's the best we can do to avoid eviction.....

 

You know, the exercise is probably EXCELLENT for him.

[Jackandgrey]

Well since we had no way of doing "alone training" during the day these past 2 days we've sent Pepper to "daycare"

 

The gals there said that yesterday he ran around from 8AM til 3PM non-stop

 

Klaus went to pick him up and he said Pepper hardly noticed him....

 

I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing tho (because it kind of reinforces his want to come with us) but until the weekend it's the best we can do to avoid eviction.....

 

It is fine Donna. You have to do what you can do until you can address the issue.

Separation anxiety can pop up at anytime remember so it isn't always the initial first home time when you have set aside the time to that sort of thing. So doggy day care is fine until you can do the intense and tedious alone training needed. And although I think any obedience training builds a wonderful bond, and may give him more confidence in your personal bond, which may help, I really don;t think this has anything to do with alpha/dominance stuff.

 

[BatterseaBrindl]

We've been thinking about you guys...

Any change in Peppers behviour this week?

Or is he still going to daycare?

[ChiliDog]

We've been thinking about you guys...

Any change in Peppers behviour this week?

Or is he still going to daycare?

 

He didn't go to daycare (even tho' they are giving us a great rate as a rescue group it still gets $$) this week

 

Klaus really had no appointments so we were ok.

 

He DID go on a home visit with Klaus yesterday - he got into the house and pooped on their rug (and yes, he was "emptied out" before he went in), then peed in a corner.

 

This is the 2nd time he pooped during a home visit...

 

I'm not a animal behaviorist but it almost sounds like he gets so nervous because he thinks we're going to leave him there

 

And tomorrow Auntie Gail is coming over at 6:15 am (bless her heart) because we've got adoptions to do and a kennel board meeting afterwards....

 

Oh and Pepper is at the "torturenarian" right now to make sure there is nothing physically wrong with him.....

 

 

<sigh>

 

Thanks all....

[Charlies_Dad]

Donna, can't really give a lot of advice as luckily we do not have a SA pup....Charlie though does think he is going everywhere every time we put a coat on or grab a set of keys. However, as soon as we take out the muzzles, all movement stops, they go back to their beds and they know the party is over. Okay the reason for my response is the 'poop' episodes Pepper is having on home visits. Our Jack does something similar however it's whenever we take him for a ride...every time! I believe for our Jack it's excitement but perhaps for Pepper it's nerves???

Edited October 21, 2011 by Charlies_Dad