More gitdog suggestions please.

elsien

Gitdog has had the snip, so this week has always had someone with him, (including me sleeping on the settee overnight) to make sure he didn't chew and bollix up my holiday next week - couldn't crate him with the collar on, and wasn't going to leave the beggar unattended to wreak havoc out of his crate.
I was worried that after a couple of days of less exercise he'd be climbing the walls, but he's been really good (- well, good for him anyway) and noticeably calmer.
Until this morning when life returned to normal and I stuck him in his crate for half an hour to go out. After which he was a little sod - barking and attention seeking.
He's always seemed happy enough to be left and snoozes in his crate till I get back, although when I'm in the house he has to either be in the same room as me or if I'm upstairs, he's waiting on the stairs for me to come back down.
So I'm wondering if as well as sulking because of the loss of attention there's a bit of separation anxiety going on and what do realistically do about it. I absolutely do not want him in my bedroom at night, and when he is left at other times it's not for long, mum goes to fetch him and take him to hers when I'm at work and she has great difficulty prising him out of his pit.
It's just the difference in his behaviour this week has been so marked, and it can't all be down to the snip or doggy tantrums.
Comments and/or suggestions anyone?

krlyr

I would think the unsettled routine may be contributing. He's suddenly got someone with him all the time, so your absences would be especially noticable. I would start trying to give a bit more alone time - could you try a fabric type cone? These can be folded back to allow the dog to eat but still tend to restrict a dog's access to lick at wounds. I'd give him something like a Kong and leave the room for a minute or so, and gradually build up the time you're leaving him

Have you tried any calmative products on him before? Zylkene, Calmex, DAP plugin, Pet Remedy plugin, valerian and/or skullcap, or anything like that?

elsien

Never tried any calmatives, as for the few months I've had him I was working on getting him into a consistent routine to settle him. Which has helped but now he's just been so calm with the new 24 hour company routine, and the permanent company seems the obvious reason and I'd quite like to work out how to keep it that way. Except without actually being there 24 hours. He doesn't normally fuss or whine when I leave the room, just scoots out to follow me as soon as he realises.


Can't really blame him - we worked out he'd had a home, then the pound, then a foster for a couple of weeks that didn't work, then me, all in the space of less than a month.

meritaten

he has been out of the crate long enough to think he now has the run of the house. he is seeing you crating him as punishment now! he wants to be out and WITH you! well, that's my take on it!

elsien

That's definitely part of why he's been a sod today.
So now I'm after capturing the zen like serenity of the last week without the aid of anaesthetic or being joined at the hip!

meritaten

give him a chance to prove he can be a good dog - even after he recovers from his 'snip'. unless you need to crate him to go to work or something - can you not use it unless you need to confine him? because he has obviously taken against it now. it may become the equalivent of the 'go cwtch' when Welsh dogs were sent to their beds or under the table, and not allowed out until they (or their owners) calmed down?

elsien

I'm not sure I'm explaining myself properly.
I can manage how he is now, that's not the problem, it's just that I hadn't realised how important company/not being on his own must be to him, given that having someone around all the time has had such a positive impact on him.
But as it's not manageable in the long term, is there anything else I can do that might help him that I wasn't doing before?

minimad1970

You could get him a girlfriend

meritaten

aw Elsien - you are painting a picture of a dog who craves human company and attention and is willing to misbehave to get that! when he DOES have your undivided attention then he is more 'amenable'. my guess is that he will 'settle down' a bit more now. I have never had a male dog 'snipped' or 'unsnipped'. so cant really say what the effect on him will be. he doesn't like the crate so if I were you I would use it like the naughty step/Time out! others may disagree. but you know his previous 'unsnip' behaviour and his 'snipped' behaviour.
my gut feeling is - he has had your complete attention and loves it - it may well make him more trainable rather than less - as he now knows how nice it is to be approved of. I am no 'expert' elsien. people psychology is my area of expertise.
You have a 'needy' dog and in people terms that means treading very carefully and drawing clear boundaries. this past week the boundaries have shifted. he has had an op, YOU have suddenly been his 24/7 companion. obviously you need to move on - my advice is to do so very slowly.

elsien

Minimad, I did suggest that to my dog sitter (aka mother) who got a somewhat panicked look and reached for the brandy before vetoing in no uncertain terms, I know not why.

krlyr

I wouldn't underestimate the effect of anaesthetic though. When I had a sinus operation, I was so unbelievably tired in the first week, I think I slept most of it! The second weak took its toll too, with my body healing from the surgery. Although a neuter is a fairly simple procedure, it's still a surgery, and the anaesthetic in his body

I would think of your options realistically in the long term. These could be things like

- another dog for company. Great, but it's an expense, it can be hard work when one dog has a behavioural issue (I know you struggle with Gitdog at times), it may not work with your mother helping out

- more human company. If you can't change your work routine or you can't take him to work, that means finding someone who can stay with him, someone he can stay with, or employing a walker to pop in and take him out in the day. These may not be practical or affordable, but worth thinking about

- accept that his day routine has to be as it is. Consider seeing if he's OK to be left out of the crate - perhaps with babygates or puppypens to restrict him to certain areas. Amusing him when he's gone with things like a frozen Kong, treats hidden around the room, a 'destructo-box' you fill with toilet roll tube inners, scraps of paper, etc. with treats hidden in it. Interactive toys and food dispensers. See if you can adjust the time you do spend with him to provide more stimulation - extra walks, extra training, taking up a hobby with him (if he can't go in group classes, look at 1-2-1- classes..agility, tracking, HTM, etc. are all physically and mentally stimulating)

I personally think it's great that my two have each other for company in the day, and would probably not have a solo dog again. But I did, and I made things work. You can only do what you can do - I'm sure you personally are aware of how difficult it can be to find a home for a dog like Gitdog, and I'm sure the love and care you give him is more than adequate