anxious dog after rehoming

Brodiebobs

Hi,

After some advice, we have re-homed a dog for a friend who's circumstances have changed.

Hes a lovely little thing, but since he has been with us s very anxious when we leave him at night.

We brought his cage, bed and blankets from his previous home where he slept well without fuss, but he refuses to go it it at all.

He has been sleeping on the sofa with our existing dog, but as soon as he cant see one of the humans he yaps-loudly!!

We've tried leaving him for 10 mins at a time but he just gets louder, and i'm concerned about upsetting him more plus the neighbours!

We have got him into the cage during both the day and night given him treats and fuss, but he just comes straight out as soon as he finished them.

Last two nights I've slept on the sofa and he has slept on the other with our dog and is fine as long as he can see me- he keeps coming to check! but obviously this isn't sustainable.

Spoke to the vet who suggested anxiety medication while he settles in but I'd rather not go down this route unless absolutely necessary.

Has anyone any ideas of how to help, ive read lots online about the plug in defusers and dont know whether this may help until he settles in.

MovingForwards

Have him in your bedroom at night?
Pay for a dog behaviourist to come out and show you how to deal with the transition.
Peanut butter in a Kong, frozen and the handed over as part of the 'im going out' training.

Brodiebobs

we didn't want to get down the route of dogs upstairs, our current one has never been allowed upstairs, but it might be a short term solution.

Googled the i'm going out training, hadn't come across that before so really useful thank you definitely something to work on.

Fire_Fox

Aaawww bless him, and bless YOU.

Based on searching/ reading various pet forums a few years back: plug-ins like Adaptil or Feliway (both been on the market forever) .... are that they are effective in calming some pets but not others. :undecided There are newer calming plug-ins but I have no info, sorry.

I recently ordered Feliway (indoor-only cat, very wary of men versus burly sparky + metal-munching hole saw).

Visit 1, Feliway ON: My little girl 'hid' behind the curtain as I rearranged furniture. When he arrived she remained motionless on a chilly windowsill for hours. Flinched when I stroked her

Visit 3, Feliway ON: Greedy little minx scrambled from her hidey-hole just as I walk in with freshly fried fish'n'chips. Eyeballs tradesman as she scarfs my cod.

Sparky: :idea:

Me: :rotfl:

Minx :EasterBun from his hand.

Weeks later, Feliway OFF: Old male guest + new male guest. Classic hidey-hole situation.

My little girl saunters about as if newcomer was invisible.

Me :shocked: and :huh:

Old male guest :shocked: and a little :mad:

Brodiebobs

haha fantastic. Hes not that nervous thankfully and loves the visitors we've had. I think he is just a fuss pot and loves attention, and doesn't like it when he hasn't any!

Im going to try a plug in, for the price it would be silly not to if it helps, and start with the training tips for 'im going out'.

Trip to the pet shop after work!

Fire_Fox

Misleading Caregiver Placebo Effects Occur with Cats as well as Dogs

Bias at every level of my N=1cat study. The shame.

I used to be a professional healthcare nut. :j

Now I am just a crazy old cat lady.




Days later: I discover Feliway socket switched ON not OFF. :think:





Please let us know your results, Brodiebobs. Pretty sure you cannot placebo constant barking!

Katiehound

As well as the plug-in there used to be a spray that you could use directly on the bedding- I was concerned about anxiety when travelling in the car, so no plug!!
I don't know how good it was, but worth a try!

There are various tips for you to trawl through on the Dogs Trust & Blue Cross websites.

Good luck

I think maybe you have to build up the separation during the day as well. I've crate trained older dogs and everything 'nice'happened there- such as feeding, kongs to lick......

MovingForwards

Another thing for daytime going out and leaving him at home is to get ready, but not go out.

Then get ready and go out the front door, close it, then come back in.

Repeat above but stay outside for a minute, before coming back in, extending your time until you can go out.

Don't make a fuss before going out / coming home.

It will get easier and there are plenty of guides online / YouTube.

Fosterdog

Definitely try having him upstairs with you to start with, several of my fosters have been very clingy at the start and I've allowed them to sleep in the bedroom for a few nights (their own bed not mine), then their bed gets moved to the doorway for another few nights, then onto the landing with the bedroom door open, then further along landing with door open, then door closed, then gradually moving further away. Some of the stages can be skipped with some dogs, and sometimes you need to go back a step for a few days.

I've had a couple of dogs that only needed a couple of nights in the bedroom then when on the landing have taken themselves off downstairs to sleep, and I've had a couple that have taken several weeks to settle enough to go downstairs.

He will get better, poor thing has been completely uprooted from not only the home he knew but has also lost his owner so is probably anxious that if he lets you out of his sight you will disappear too.

Brodiebobs

Thanks everyone, very good advice.

We got a plug in, and it did seem to make him a bit more chilled out in the evening, and we had done a small amount of training in the few hours before bed and gave him a treat in a kong in his crate and he was ok for an hour or so, but then started getting upset.

We reluctantly let him sleep in our room, in his own bed as Foster dog suggested. His bed had to be at my side or he wouldn't lay in it, but once we figured that out he didn't make a peep all night.

We will do this for a few nights then try to start moving him back down stairs. DH is off for a couple of days now so is going to do some training during the day and hopefully will let him get an attachment there as he seems to very attached to me.

Katiehound

This may sound a silly question, but was his behaviour similar with his previous owner, or has it just started now he has been rehomed?

I am only wondering if this is a new behaviour, or one already well established.

The walking in, out , lead on lead off, keep him guessing rather than predicting is great advice. Dogs learn a human routine very quickly- as soon as I pick up my swimming bag they are ready waiting for the 'I'm going out without you' dog treat!!

Hope you can sort it fairly quickly, but if not, this is a short term problem when set against the (hopefully) many years that you will have together.
Good luck