Please Help Me Save My Dog

[Nekhbet]

And i can't wait. We should do a "Lollipup visits Nekhbet" Thread. So that people can see the overwhelmed look on my face

har har har ... should that be Lollipup visits Nekhbet ... and LIVED! We're not crazy, really we're not *cough* Bring a camera. And I'm checking you're suitcase before you leave you can't have Rogue :p oh the fun we will have, oooooooh the fun :

OK - who's going to organise the bus to get all us crazy NSW peeps and dogs down there?

A friend might be having and engagement party in Sydney this year so I might be freighted up to you instead :p As long as we can work it around the viking restaurant and the aquarium I have time

[Lollipup]

And i can't wait. We should do a "Lollipup visits Nekhbet" Thread. So that people can see the overwhelmed look on my face

har har har ... should that be Lollipup visits Nekhbet ... and LIVED! We're not crazy, really we're not *cough* Bring a camera. And I'm checking you're suitcase before you leave you can't have Rogue :p oh the fun we will have, oooooooh the fun :

OK - who's going to organise the bus to get all us crazy NSW peeps and dogs down there?

A friend might be having and engagement party in Sydney this year so I might be freighted up to you instead :p As long as we can work it around the viking restaurant and the aquarium I have time

ohhh there goes my plans. I'm sure Rogue would totally lie still in my suitcase too..........

[tdierikx]

Oooohhh! Nekh is coming to Sydney! Wanna meet Pickles the Spastic Camp Dog? She's a training challenge if you want one... lol!

T.

[Jellyblush]

Oh, yes you have. You've tested her in daycare with the company of other dogs to distract her from being anxious and frustrated.

It's worked brilliantly. Wouldn't have with some dogs with separation anxiety, who are just fixated on their owner,

Madam Roo is having a great time in those pics.

Thanks Mita :)

She is getting totally tuckered out if this one from today is anything to go by

[mita]

Oh, yes you have. You've tested her in daycare with the company of other dogs to distract her from being anxious and frustrated.

It's worked brilliantly. Wouldn't have with some dogs with separation anxiety, who are just fixated on their owner,

Madam Roo is having a great time in those pics.

Thanks Mita :)

She is getting totally tuckered out if this one from today is anything to go by

Oh, gawd! Those daycare shots are getting more & more gorgeous. Look how relaxed she is, next to her little friend. That little dog loves her... look how its leaning in. Good judge of character, that Dachie. No wonder you love Roo so much.

Jelly, she's telling you heaps.

Now I'm not telling you what to do.... you've got enought of that! But is there any way of trying her with another dog for company.

[tdierikx]

Now I'm not telling you what to do.... you've got enought of that! But is there any way of trying her with another dog for company.

I was thinking the same thing myself mita...

Nekh - is there any way to see if Jelly may be happier at home with a friend for company?

T.

[bianca.a]

WnH that clip is hilarious! Zoomieeeeeees!!!!

Jelly, that last pic is beautiful :)

[mita]

Now I'm not telling you what to do.... you've got enought of that! But is there any way of trying her with another dog for company.

I was thinking the same thing myself mita...

T.

I can just see Roo's profile on the Pet Partners' website (made up!).... with that last daycare pic showing.. 'Would you love to cuddle up, like this, all day long, with my gorgeous self? I only see Dachie 2 days a week. There's heaps of me to go around.'

:) :) :)

Of course, there's something to be said for the contexts where habits are formed. The daycare environment only has good associations for Roo. The home environment has things that are associated with being anxious and frustrated. I have no idea if the company of another dog would over-ride that.

It worked with our young busybody sheltie who'd had SA. But it didn't work for our elderly tibbie.

[shirra]

She is loving daycare, and for anyone interested there are HEAPS of pics put up by them each day, Roo is there Tuesday and Thursday, They get some really cute ones of her. So far I have been really impressed with them:

https://www.facebook.com/tailswaggin?fref=ts

I so wish there was a doggy daycare in Sydney's western suburbs! It looks fantastic and Roo looks so happy.

I've been following this thread with great interest and I'm delighted by the recent updates. Well done Jelly, Nekh, and Roo

[StaffSam]

Hear hear!!! Have loved this thread... Reading about beautiful roo, your strength, love and determination jelly and all the advice and support along the way is heart warming to see

[Jellyblush]

Thanks everyone :) Yep I've been really lucky with the daycare, they are great, they are not all this good and Roo has not been as happy at a previous one I tried.

I'm very open to trying another dog..... as I said did try it before but a while ago and it's worth another shot. How would I do this though? I can't send Roo to another home unless it has an absolutely fort knox of a yard due to her Roo-dini escapist nature. So it would have to be another dog at my home ... I don't want to go and get another dog in case it is not the right one..... so how? Could I ask a rescue or shelter to 'lend' me a dog to see if it was a fit?

What would be the best way to try this? Nekh?

Thanks for the comments on the pics too. Yep - Roo is adorable

Edited March 26, 2013 by Jellyblush

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Jelly, when contemplating a second dog, as a rescuer my advice to people is to let your dog pick their friend, this would be especially important for Roo.

It's also important to get the right dog that doesn't double your trouble. I'm sure Nekh can give you great advice on the attributes you should look for to hopefully keep Jelly happy - would she need an older calmer dog to keep her calm - find out about the dog in the pic and how she interacted with them. For her it could be like finding a safety blanket, she really calms down in the presence of such a dog. Or does she need a dog to play tug of war with and snuggle with when they are tired out?

Once you've identified the traits you are looking for, then find some dogs that you like the look of that seem to fit all your criteria (they need to be in foster care with a good rescue group who has them inside, housetrained and properly assesses the dog) and then take Roo to meet them, more than once perhaps.

You also need to think about how you would cope with walking both at once so perhaps size comes into it for instance.

[Nekhbet]

I think personally unless Roo is more comfortable in her own home and when she's off, or at least almost off, try a new dog. Personally I don't think it will make that much difference to her at the moment, and the problem is you're going to get a dog to suit Roo, not necessarily yourself. I say wait - daycare and your own home is two very different things, and Roo is not always open to liking other dogs near her when she's stressed.

[tdierikx]

I think personally unless Roo is more comfortable in her own home and when she's off, or at least almost off, try a new dog. Personally I don't think it will make that much difference to her at the moment, and the problem is you're going to get a dog to suit Roo, not necessarily yourself. I say wait - daycare and your own home is two very different things, and Roo is not always open to liking other dogs near her when she's stressed.

Thanks Nekh... you've met Roo and know what should work for her at this time.

T.

[mita]

I think personally unless Roo is more comfortable in her own home and when she's off, or at least almost off, try a new dog. Personally I don't think it will make that much difference to her at the moment, and the problem is you're going to get a dog to suit Roo, not necessarily yourself. I say wait - daycare and your own home is two very different things, and Roo is not always open to liking other dogs near her when she's stressed.

Note I did not recommend a new dog .... as in ownership.... in the first instance. That is too much of a leap of change ... known as 'flooding' ... for both Roo & her owner. It also risks adding double trouble (as I've already said).

I suggested considering a 'day' comfort dog .... that only kept company during the day. That is something which is open to testing, in incremental periods, not 'flooding'.... and not locking in.

I've also pointed out the role of 'associations' with the habitual behaviour. Triggers for relaxed behaviour are seen & smelled at daycare. Triggers for the chronic anxiety/frustration behaviours are in her home. There is no way of predicting if the company of another dog would over-ride the latter. Again, it's open to testing, incrementally ... and not locking in.

I'm interested in your aim for Roo to be first 'more comfortable in her own home'. Which has been tested for some months now. Jelly has just reported there's no change in the actual targeted behaviours. What are the strategies which are aimed at achieving that level of comfort, apart from the passing of time. And what are the actual behavioral changes that will indicate a level of 'more comfortable' has been reached.

Jelly's made an interesting observation that Roo was not as happy at the first daycare she tried. But is happy at this one. Some variables make Roo more or less relaxed around other dogs. Interesting to tease out. Actually Jelly's observations have always been spot on. She's a joy for behaviorists to work with, especially given the 'stubborn' and complex nature of 'home alone' problems. Have been there myself, with 2 'home alone' problems.

As I've posted before, a furniture ripping young sheltie benefitted greatly from another sheltie for company ( after a behaviour modification program put in place). Her problem never emerged again.

But an elderly tibbie was unchanged when another tibbie came. Nothing tried could modify her problem of pitifully howling.

Edited March 27, 2013 by mita

[fbaudry]

I've been following these thread from the beginning and would just like to say I really admire your commitment and dedication Jelly! SA has got to be one of the toughest issues to deal with...

To those suggesting getting another dog, I'm just wondering if Roo (being very social) is happy to hang around other dogs as long as humans are around, as is the case in day care. She could possibly freak out if the attendants were to leave them unsupervised (not that they should do that anyway)

[Panto]

Hey Jelly, perhaps there is a foster carer or rescue who may benefit from daytime company at your place too? Roo will have company and so will this other dog. This would involve a fair bit of research, phone conversations etc to find the right person/dog match so that it may also be of benefit to the other dog, a long shot but a shot nonetheless.

[JulesP]

I have 2 dogs. Poppy still howls when I leave. A second dog did totally fix my first border collie who was quite destructive in the garden, talking eat apple trees level of destruction! He was obviously just bored. Poppy likes her doggy friend but wants me. I am lucky that she doesn't do anything bad about it all apart from some howling when I leave. Ok she also resource guards me when out and I can't tether her. But no damaging of herself or property. And luckily I also work from home!

[Jellyblush]

To those suggesting getting another dog, I'm just wondering if Roo (being very social) is happy to hang around other dogs as long as humans are around, as is the case in day care. She could possibly freak out if the attendants were to leave them unsupervised (not that they should do that anyway)

Thanks everyone for your perspectives. This is my concern - that it is the human element that causes Roo to relax properly - but I take from this discussion the great tip to really sit down with the daycare people and chat about Roo's behaviours. Thank you.

In terms of strategies to improve things at home Mita, Nekh and I have a plan, it involves work with the new crate (untested) further work by me in line with strategies discussed with Nekh - this is constantly improving as there are so many triggers that there is always a new one to work on, professional assessment of Roo in home environment. Plus monitoring effect of reduced meds. So we have lots to do - and still lots to try. The details and specifics are really for Nekh and I to discuss but they are the broad things.

The idea of a dog during the day only is an interesting one - I had never though about this.

Thanks for your continued interest and thoughts everyone, so interesting and especially great when I hear a few similar perspectives as it is very encouraging.

Daycare pic from today.Can't wait to get home and see Roo's little paintbrush striped snout.

[trinabean]

Oh a lovely pic there Jellyblush! :)