Please Enlighten Me

[Kaffy Magee]

Ok, my 17month old male dobe is doing my head in. I dont know if he has anxiety issues or if he is just a PITA.

If i put him in his wire crate in his room on his own, he barks and bashes at the crate the second i walk out the door. The front of the crate is all bent because of his bashing about. I have to lock the crate with dog lead clips or he gets out and his barking is relentless. He is ok when I put Keisha my old bullmastiff girl in her crate in the same room.

Same goes for the dog trailer. Hes fine if the girls are in there with him but once left on his own,the barking/whining/howling starts.

If he is put in a dog run he barks relentlessly, and chews/pulls at the wire. I have shifted him once as he made a hole in the wire of the first run. This is chain mesh wire too, not chicken wire or something just as flimsy. He gets all worked up pacing and whining,barking and chewing. I have tried putting a dog in the next run so he is not alone but it does not help.

He has blankets all over the place because he likes to suck them,i think he does it when he is really worked up and it helps calm him for the time being.

When he has full run of the yard with Keisha and my 2 little dogs he is fine other than the constant running around, dragging around anything he can , he doesnt stop. This doesnt bother me.

If I go and spend time with my young bullmastiff girls in a separate yard, he goes beserk. Whining and barking and running backwards and forwards like a lunatic.

I cant let him in to play too as he is far too rough and makes them squeal which excites him even further and he wont respond to me once he is caught up "playing".

And yet, if i bring him indoors with me or take him out, to a show or anywhere else for that matter, butter wouldnt melt in his mouth. He is an angel,perfect and everyone loves him and wont believe me when i say he is the devils dog,lol. When we are one on one he is wonderful,responsive and very good at obedience and tracking. I have 5 other dogs and 2 kids though, i cant devote my whole spare time to just him.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what is going on? My husband hates him and Im fast losing my patience.

Edited March 23, 2009 by Kaffy Magee

[poodlefan]

Sounds to me like he has issues with being alone?

Fine with you on his own, fine with another dog around. My lay person opinion is that he has a form of separation anxiety triggered by isolation from you and/or his packmates.

[Kaffy Magee]

Thank you for your response Poodlefan. I dont know what to do about this. Do you have any suggestions on how to overcome this? Anybody?

[poodlefan]

Thank you for your response Poodlefan. I dont know what to do about this. Do you have any suggestions on how to overcome this? Anybody?

Behaviourist.

Just out of interest, was he gradually accustomed to being left alone (no dog or human company) as a youngster? Reason I ask is I have a friend with a younger dog who has never been left alone - and he freaks if he is.

ETA: How much exercise and mental stimulation does he get daily?

Edited March 24, 2009 by poodlefan

[MonElite]

How much training does he get?

How much training in drive does he get?

off topic - are coming to the NSW dobe Specialty with him?

[Nekhbet]

When he has full run of the yard with Keisha and my 2 little dogs he is fine other than the constant running around, dragging around anything he can , he doesnt stop. This doesnt bother me.

He should not be exhibiting anxious behaviours all the time. Having to drag things around, running like a loon etc are all anxious behaviors - he needs to learn how to relax or if he has a serious problem start a combination of medication and behavior therapy. Have you ever used a no bark collar on him?

I cant let him in to play too as he is far too rough and makes them squeal which excites him even further and he wont respond to me once he is caught up "playing".

He needs to be taught what is allowed, what is not and that you are the supreme authority. at 17 months yes he is still a puppy but he should be controllable in your house.

as poodlefan said has this dog ever learned to be by himself? He sounds like a very demanding uncontrolled dobie boy who has now worked himself into a permanent frenzy. What would happen if you put another dog IN the run with him? ALso when did this behavior start or did you gradually see it get worst from a young age

[persephone]

as poodlefan said has this dog ever learned to be by himself? He sounds like a very demanding uncontrolled dobie boy who has now worked himself into a permanent frenzy.

I would concur.

This needs the attention and help of a professional- so hopefully he can be rehabilitated and become a calmer and more solid dog as he matures.

[Kaffy Magee]

Ok. He came to me at 6 months from his breeders and he had numerous dogs around him. I have 5 other dogs,the only 2 he doesnt get to run with are the young bullmastiff girls.So I guess he hasnt really ever been on his own. He is in a run on his own when im at work. He did have run of the place with 3 other dogs(old bullmastiff girland 2 littlies) but now is in a pen while im out as he has been going out far into the paddocks and bringing back dead animal carcasse(yummo). I dont want him to go out one day and decide to venture further. My 2 young bullmastiff girls(and bullmastiff male, hes come back for rehoming) are also in runs as they too will wander if given half the chance. He used to be next to them(and still carried on like a loon) but needed a stronger mesh to contain him as he would just rip big holes in the wire. So now he is in a chain mesh run away from the others, which is also proving not to be strong enough. He doesnt have a hammock/trampoline bed in his run,i have given up buying them,he just destroys them, he has a kennel and a couple of blankets, which are his favourite things. He drags them ,shakes them, sucks them and lies on them. He digs holes, chews the wire, barks,paces and spills his water in the meantime, like one big protest.

When i get home from work i take the bullmastiffs for a short walk with out Luka, as its much more easier and relaxing without him. I put them in a big yard for free play when i get back and let Luka out. We go for a walk/run, sometimes off lead, sometimes on. We go out in the paddocks and i kick the footy for him/throw a ball and hide toys for him to find. Which he loves doing. We also do some obedience training and he focus' on me and responds really well. Yet he still has all the energy in the world to just keep on going. I'll do it as long as i can and he'll be panting and look exhausted but he still just goes an goes and goes.

I come back home and let the girls inside while i prepare dinner,clean up etc and Luka has free running out side. Then we swap over. He comes inside and is pretty good but gets up from his bed every five minutes to come and be close to me. But when i tell him bed he goes back stays for a bit, then repeats the process. They go to bed anywhere from 10-12pm. I put him in his crate first,so i can go and get the bullmastiff boy without them clashing, of course luka is carrying on at this stage as hes been put in his room on his own. The 2 young girls sleep in their runs, old girl and littlies inside our house.

I have a no bark collar, works wonders when the battery is not flat,lol. I cant find it at the moment, have put it down somewhere, but cant remember where. It still doesnt solve the issue though.

Like i said he is an angel if i take him anywhere, extremely well behaved, relaxed and gentle. Thats what i dont get, why is he a loon at home but perfect when he is somewhere else? Is it because he is with me the whole time when i take him somewhere, so he is happy?

Ive put my old girl in a run with him before, it helps for a little while then he starts up again, when he realises she is no fun.

Yes Monelite, I'll be at the specialty with him, Julie will have him on the sunday(might need a handler) as i'll be at the bullmastiff specialty, but i'll be there on monday.

ETA: Yeshe has always been like that since he has been with me. Im just finally starting to lose my patience. Im always defending him to OH, yet i know how OH feels. It makes me sad that OH is always going on about how he cant stand him, its depressing, but i cant blame him. Hes put up with it for so long.

Edited March 24, 2009 by Kaffy Magee

[PAX]

IMO Dobes are are high maintence until at least three years old, maybe four with an entire dog.

I honestly can't imagine owning a young Dobe in a multiple dog household, they demand attention and are very naughty if they don't get it.

I know that doesn't help your problem, sorry. Is there any way you can make him more part of the house hold without upsetting the other dogs?

One of my Dobes is a blanket sucker, she has always done it, and from my research it does seem to be a Dobie trait. She will greet me at the gate with her blankie, too cute. She is seven now and has never let up on the blankie sucking, pillows are her favourite but settles with a blanket. She even has 'get your blankie' on cue, i thought it was better than her becoming a flank sucker as so many Dobes do.

Dobes really need training that keeps them thinking, short bursts of obedience do wonders IMO for their busy brains. My Dobes have loved seek back exercises and retreiving games that burn off the zoomies. Training tricks is also great to wear them out, my Dobes have a great array of tricks, fetching a tissue when I sneeze was one of their favourites as was turning off the light switches and hopping on a skateboard. Getting slippers or car keys or any thing you can think of keeps them happy.

There are dozens of ideas for training on You tube and I'm sure Monelite will give you some ideas if you can meet up with her.

Try and hang in there, you are in the worst Dobie time ......teenagers...grrr.

[ozjen]

Perhaps you could start by giving him short spells on his own with a filled kong or other interactive reward toy to keep him occupied/distracted making sure you return before he starts to get anxious. Gradualy increase the length of time away but try to continue to give him something special to occupy him while you innitially leave. Forming a routine with him may be helpful too, so he learns that you always come back. Establishing his position in the pack may be needed too, so that he doesn't need to feel responsiable for you. Is there any way to make his kennel enviroment more stimulating, like hiding some of his food around for him to search out even if you have to add a clamshell full of sand for him to play and dig in. If going to his kennel by himself becomes a rewarding experience( finding treats hidden for him) then he may learn to relax. He does sound like a very stressed dog rather than a naughty dog. It may be worthwhile to not give him as much attention when he is with you, let him be around you but don't do alot of interacting with him for abit until he is more relaxed about you comming and going. I would speak to the vet or a behaviourist as he may need medicaited while you establish a new routine with him. While most of it sounds like stress part of it will also be that the behaviour has become established and so will take time to overcome. JMO but I don't think the bark collar will solve the issue, as the barking is only a product of the real issue and this is what needs to be addressed.

TTouch or axietywraps may be helpful initially too in helping him to relax. Hope you resolve the problem as I'm sure he would be happier too if he could relax about being left on his own. Good luck.

[MonElite]

KM - looking forward to meting up with you, Im going to be there on Monday too, doing WAE and obedience with Divani.

Luka is great, I met him as a pupp and he was full of beans, Divani and him got on like a house of fire.

I think he has never learned to be n his own, Divanis breeder recomended to me when I got her to keep her separate to Rex untill she grows up (when I go to work) and I did that for about 9 months. I never have problems now, but I did have when she was a baby.

She learned quickly tho.

And it sounds like he is just a drivey young dobie, try to do some sports with him, he sounds like the ideal candidate!