huski Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 (edited) This is probably a cross over between health and training, but I thought I'd pop it in here in case anyone can help with the behaviour stuff. Cherry is 12 1/2 and she's lost most of her sight now and I think her hearing is starting to go. She was already a dog that was nervy but this loss of vision has made it worse. We had a two story house and she had a bit of a fall down the stairs (which she was already getting really cautious about going down due to her sight) and now refuses to go down the big stair case. She barks at the top of the stairs when she wants to go out to toilet but nothing I can do seems to work to encourage her go down herself, she is terrified of them. She will go up the stairs and will go down into the garage which is only two stairs. She's also barking at things a lot more because she can't see what they are, i.e. power cords, the fridge, the vacuum cleaner (when it's off). She also gets a fright and cries if you pick her up without an exaggerated warning - which is something that is easy to accomodate, but just another indication of how she is changing now she's getting older. She's had a recent vet check up and she's pretty healthy for her age apart from the lack of sight, she's still quite switched on, but I was wondering if there is anything I can do to help her increased nervousness now her senses are starting to go? Edited May 15, 2011 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zug Zug Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Not sure how big she is, but if you are having to carry her down the stairs then perhaps it is time to put a baby gate across the bottom of the staircase and keep her on the ground floor? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 Not sure how big she is, but if you are having to carry her down the stairs then perhaps it is time to put a baby gate across the bottom of the staircase and keep her on the ground floor? She's only about 4kg so she's easy to carry up and down, but our kitchen/dining/living area is on the upstairs floor, and I don't want her down stairs by herself all the time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 There's a special sub-forum for senior dogs now Huski! I feel your pain. Lily is now 13 and barks to go in and out the dog door when I'm home. I figure responding to her barks is better than puddles so I just let her out. I think all you can do is keep carrying her. Stairs are a big ask on a little oldie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 Oh doh PF, I didn't even see it! I don't mind carrying her and I'm glad she barks to let me know she needs to go downstairs instead of just peeing upstairs but the barking is getting on my nerves a little bit. Sometimes she sits outside on Micha's bed and just barks at nothing. We're probably moving house in a couple of months and it's partly to get a more dog friendly house Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I think you just have to try to accommodate them. They are annoying sometimes, and it's easy to get frustrated with them, but it's probably not going to get any better. When we were going through all this with Penny her vet was very sympathetic and told us how often the dogs will start vocalising a lot because they don't really know what's going on. Penny would just stand there and shake and look increasingly anxious. She became grumpy and a wee bit volatile and would startle if you cast a shadow over her of a sudden. We just did our best to accommodate it. Someone suggested to me when her eyesight started to go that we teach her scent signals to help her get around. But then, if they start to get dementia they can't necessarily smell very well anymore, either. At the end, I just wished I taught Penny touch cues. Maybe it wouldn't have helped, though. She was sore, so a bit angsty about being touched along with everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I think you just have to try to accommodate them. They are annoying sometimes, and it's easy to get frustrated with them, but it's probably not going to get any better. I agree. I constantly reminding a friend of mine (who gets frustrated with her old girl) that she's living with a geriatric dog. They need routine, understanding and lots of love. I love the oldies. I can live without being woken twice a night EVERY night to let Princess Lil out to the loo but I'll make the most of her while she's still here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 (edited) I can't really complain too much as generally Cherry is an easy dog to live with, she gets along well with all the other animals still despite getting grumpier with age. The barking is the only annoying thing which I think wouldn't annoy me so much if I wasn't concerned about neighbours complaining, especially as Cherry barking can sometimes set the other two off as well Edited May 15, 2011 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyStar Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) Understand your pain, huski. My maltese is 17 now and has no eye sight left, and only partial hearing. She is constantly bumping into things, despite knowing her way around the house, and is often just barking at nothing. She very rarely takes herself out to the loo anymore, and doesn't let us know either so just pees on the floor (come to think of it, she never poos inside, just wees, so I give her some credit ) She stayed with my parents when I moved out (she was my dog as a teen) but I still see her several times a week and feel my parents frustration with her. Apart from her eyes and hearing, and her slight "dementia", she is still a healthy little thing. Not sure how long we'll have her for and I know things can turn over night from a healthy senior animal to death's door (my cat lived til almost 20 and went from perfectly well to keeled over in pain overnight). Just enjoy her while she's still here and accommodate her best you can, it's all we can do really! Edited May 16, 2011 by RubyStar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigsaw Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 It's hard to see them diminish in vitality as they age. For me it was making my old dog (toy poodle) comfortable and safe. As he lost sight and hearing and his arthritis worsened and pain increased he became unpredictable in his reactions to other people if approached suddenly. He was treated as a respected elderly member of the family, which he was and thus accorded leeway in his behaviour. Keeping him safe from falls etc was paramount. It was only when his dementia worsened dramatically and he lost weight rapidly that I pts. I still miss him and I still have his favourite and only toy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 RS, sometimes old dogs become incontinent. Penny would soil her bedding fairly regularly, but the vet gave us some pills to control it and it did the trick. She only needed a low dose. Penny's old yard mate from our sharehouse days who was the same age as her just this week went downhill and is no longer eating. I don't know what's sadder, that he's nearing the end or that my ex-housemate is going to loose her best pal. The world won't be the same place without him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Cherry I know Charlie is still 2 but he reminds me so much of having an old dog. I can't do stairs either (and we did move house to accommodate him) and he is taught to bark to let us know. We also have a command for him to "Stop" walking and "Up" and that's when he has to prepare his body for us to pick him up. He also needs to have a warning when we pick him up, so he doesn't freak out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 She's lost her sight, has frightened herself severely a few times and now has an anxiety - it's not annoying it's something that is part of a dog getting older. Give her a routine and comfort. Set areas that are safe for her and stick to them. Put up gates on the stairs so she cannot fall down or get stuck on them, dont move furniture and encourage her to sniff around. If you have to rub her favourite treat food around on things to get her using her nose now her sight is going she will learn to cope. I wouuld not leave her outside, put her out then inside again with a radio on so she has stimulation. She would be even more on edge outside hearing everything yet not being able to see whats going on. If she's going deaf she may not realise she's causing a ruckus either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC4ME Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Have you thoght about getting Cherry and doggy toilet, they are great for people who live in units or highset houses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted May 16, 2011 Author Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) Thanks everyone for all your ideas and feedback! Maree I hadn't thought about a doggy toilet, that's a great idea I will definitely look into it She's lost her sight, has frightened herself severely a few times and now has an anxiety - it's not annoying it's something that is part of a dog getting older. I didn't say she was annoying, I said her increased barking gets on my nerves a little bit, I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who didn't find a dog barking annoying. I know it's not her fault and I don't blame her for it or anything like that. Give her a routine and comfort. Set areas that are safe for her and stick to them. Put up gates on the stairs so she cannot fall down or get stuck on them, dont move furniture and encourage her to sniff around. If you have to rub her favourite treat food around on things to get her using her nose now her sight is going she will learn to cope. I wouuld not leave her outside, put her out then inside again with a radio on so she has stimulation. She would be even more on edge outside hearing everything yet not being able to see whats going on. If she's going deaf she may not realise she's causing a ruckus either. Just to clarify, I don't leave her outside ever for extended periods, just while she goes to the toilet or wants to sit in the sun when I'm home. She enjoys sitting outside and it is part of her daily routine to steal Micha's bed outside so she can sun herself Rubbing treats on things is a good idea, thanks Edited May 16, 2011 by huski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Miss Em is a little in the same boat as your Cherry. To be honest I just work around her. When I could tell she was starting to lose her vision I started teaching her some useful commands for walking ('crossing", "step", "careful"). And now due to her recovering from her pneumonia she needs to stay inside every day (something she is not at all used to), and barks! I'm hoping it's not too bad during the day, but I think she misses being outside with Kenzie during the day (but if I leave her out she sleeps on the concrete and gets cold - just can't let it happen). So I pretty much just work around her, it makes life a bit less stressful for me and I think lots less stressful for her!!! I just wish I'd had her since a pup, I want as much time as possible with her!!! I got her when she was 9yo and she's already 12.5yo, time goes too fast have to make the most of it! I like the pet loo idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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