Help Needed Desperately :(

[Wundahoo]

Does she suffer from anxiety? If so, I have missed that as well

OP has said this......

"I have to address her separation anxiety from me as she will not stay outside unless I am there, she will not stay in any room that I am not in I have had her on Canine Tranquility meds from the petshop, but as this anxiety appears to be getting worse, it's time I think to talk to my vet."

The behaviour is average and to be expected :) Some people put it down to SA.

I dont think that it is "average". I know this breed very, very well. As well as working in general rescue, I am a cocker breeder of over 40 years experience, run Cocker Rescue for our club and act as a referral point for Club members with adult dogs to rehome. Over the years I have seen this pattern in many cockers that have been rehomed from a multiple dog and kennel raised situation to an unfamiliar environment and new rules which have perhaps not been fully or adequately explained to the Cocker. Initial uncertainty soon becomes anxiety which can unfortunately be reinforced with inappropriate responses from the owner.

Please remember that this dog is not a "rescue" but a rehome and having been a kennel dog, this cocker is likely to have a very strongly developed pack bond, which now is not being satisfied. Being from a kennel environment, there can be issues with a different form of socialisation which can modify a dog's response to its situation. This dog is clearly not suffering from the sort of lapsed house training that is seen in some rescue dogs. It also has possibly never had access to such an intensity of human attention if she has come from a large breeding establishment or even from one with a moderate number of dogs. Her new-found human attention and the break in her pack bond has probably resulted in initial uncertainty which is now on the way to becoming anxiety. The owner certainly perceives the dog to be anxious, to the point where they have sought to medicate her.

Many cockers, particularly those in this situation, are prone to develop separation anxiety and will insist on being with their person. This can happen quite quickly and the OP has already stated that the dog's level of "anxiety" is increasing. I feel that the OP is seeing a problem that will escalate in intensity and duration unless they are able to get some expert intervention.

This dog's behaviour, although it may seem "average" to some under the circumstances, is probably the beginning of separation anxiety and for the sake of the dog and the new owner, needs to be addressed adequately and quickly. Simple patience is often not enough. Medication, without behavioural modification training also rarely works.

Edit for spelling.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Wundahoo

[mita]

Wundahoo, I thought your post was excellent. Your point about the behaviours that may show in the new pet home.... after a dog comes from a mainly kenneled environment (rather than lots of access to house living) ... matches our experience.

The sheltie & tibbie who came from environments like that, showed clingy rather anxious behaviour when they got into a pet home.

I hasten to add that these dogs had been treasured & beautifully cared for by their registered breeders & long lives proved them to be outstandingly healthy. But I had to seek professional advice when the sheltie came, as she'd be so anxious when I wasn't in her sights... & specially when I wasn't at home. I got excellent.... & easy to follow.... guidelines from a vet behaviourist at UQ. They worked very well.

When later we got a tibbie from a similar background, she showed similar anxiety when I wasn't home. I applied the same guidelines to her... & they helped enormously.

Funny you should mention the issue of coming from a situation where the 'pack' was so important. Both these dogs, apart from the training ideas we had to put in place.... did specially well, when later we got dogs that they seemed to gell with in a special way.

The dogs we've got from registered breeders where they've had access to everyday life in the home & with the family (tho' kenneled at night) seemed to make the transition to full attention on them in a pet home, very easily. They seemed to have already experienced that kind of socialisation already so there was nothing unusual to challenge them.

Edited July 15, 2013 by mita

[Darien]

The behaviour is average and to be expected :) Some people put it down to SA.

I dont think that it is "average". I know this breed very, very well. As well as working in general rescue, I am a cocker breeder of over 40 years experience, run Cocker Rescue for our club and act as a referral point for Club members with adult dogs to rehome. Over the years I have seen this pattern in many cockers that have been rehomed from a multiple dog and kennel raised situation to an unfamiliar environment and new rules which have perhaps not been fully or adequately explained to the Cocker. Initial uncertainty soon becomes anxiety which can unfortunately be reinforced with inappropriate responses from the owner.

Please remember that this dog is not a "rescue" but a rehome and having been a kennel dog, this cocker is likely to have a very strongly developed pack bond, which now is not being satisfied. Being from a kennel environment, there can be issues with a different form of socialisation which can modify a dog's response to its situation. This dog is clearly not suffering from the sort of lapsed house training that is seen in some rescue dogs. It also has possibly never had access to such an intensity of human attention if she has come from a large breeding establishment or even from one with a moderate number of dogs. Her new-found human attention and the break in her pack bond has probably resulted in initial uncertainty which is now on the way to becoming anxiety. The owner certainly perceives the dog to be anxious, to the point where they have sought to medicate her.

Many cockers, particularly those in this situation, are prone to develop separation anxiety and will insist on being with their person. This can happen quite quickly and the OP has already stated that the dog's level of "anxiety" is increasing. I feel that the OP is seeing a problem that will escalate in intensity and duration unless they are able to get some expert intervention.

This dog's behaviour, although it may seem "average" to some under the circumstances, is probably the beginning of separation anxiety and for the sake of the dog and the new owner, needs to be addressed adequately and quickly. Simple patience is often not enough. Medication, without behavioural modification training also rarely works.

Edit for spelling.

Thank you Wundahoo for understanding the anxiety problem. I had a great talk to my vet today and Misty is now using a collar with pheranomes, that will hopefully take the edge off her anxiety. She is used to having a pack of dogs around her and not necassarily a lot of human contact and sadly my BC is recovering from cruciate ligament surgery and tonight has hurt her leg again I have taken advise and have crated Misty, so far so good.

Sadly I will not be able to call dogmad tonight Hopefully tomorrow. As for photos, I can't seem to work out how to add photos like I used to be able to do. Not to worry, I'll sort it out.

I am starting from scratch with my little girl and she will be toilet trained and anxiety free, I worked hard for years on my Kiska, who was a rescue, but Misty is not a rescue, a totally different environment is all. The breed and intelligence can and does make a difference to their 'sensitivity' of a situation, cockers are people dogs, which is another reason I wanted her. I grew up with cockers, so I am not entirely ignorant of their temprament :)

[Wundahoo]

Best of luck with her Darien, I'm sure that she will become a wonderful companion for you.