# Miserable Dog



## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm about at the end of my rope with George. He's been just one huge pile of anxiety since this move.

While I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth etc before bed just now, he tore the lid off a box in my room and was pulling out all of the contents. Wednesday night while I was out and he was home with my roommate, he got into another box that had a bag of kibble in it and devoured at least a pound of that, which I was unaware of.. so took him to the vet for a set of x-rays the next day worried that he had a foreign body and we were going to be looking at a couple grand for surgery.

He's also blown the door off his crate, twice (no longer have that crate since it clearly wasn't going to contain him anyway), the day I moved in and got into SO MUCH of my stuff that was in the room and hadn't been put away yet. And when I was in the shower not too long ago, I came out to find that he'd grabbed my work bag, torn it open and devoured an entire pack of Halls cough drops.

He's a mess in public, constantly stressed, and has started losing tolerance for other dogs. I take him with me everywhere I go because I'm afraid to leave him alone. When I put he and Corona in the bathroom on Thursday so I could go to my interview, he was thrashing around so badly that I was worried he would get hurt, so I ended up taking him with me.

Last night I took him over to my boyfriend's place with me. We were going out, so I sedated him and put him in the bathroom. That seemed to work ok actually, but that's hardly a reasonable long term solution.

My stress level is through the roof, so I have no doubt he's feeling that, but he IS the source of some of my stress, so it's just a vicious circle.

Training/boarding etc are out of the question at the moment since I just lost my only measly source of income. I have a friend who I would ask to take him for a little while (until I get SOME stability of some sort in my life, since at this point I am strongly having to consider the possibility of moving again), she's a great dog person and I'd trust her with him.. but she has 4 active dogs of her own and a full time job. Sending him to stay with my folks for a bit would at least be a low stress environment where someone is home nearly 24/7.. but my dad is not a dog person at all, and my mum is really a dog noob and not at all equipped to handle a dog with issues.

At this point, I'm going to try really hard to incorporate more activity into our days, despite the crap weather. Exercise would do us both some good. But beyond that, I haven't got a clue what I can do for this boy, and it's killing me. His quality of life is terrible, and that falls squarely on my shoulders.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Poor guy. There are natural calming products you can try like Comfort Zone Dog appeasing pheramone. There is a spray and a plug in that disperses calming pheramones into the air. I have used it and I liked the effects and many people have told me it worked for them too. 


You need to give him more to do and have a steady schedule. More exercise and more thinking toys too. I have tried puzzle toys. They get expensive though. On rainy days or days that I can see Sarge starting to lose his mind, I either hide small treats in a rolled up towel or in an empty box of cereal (he knows not to eat the cardboard). If he is opening your stuff and removing all the contents, you should try one of those thinking toys to keep his mind busy.


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## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

I have tried DAP in the past.. did not seem to affect George, but it does make Corona crazy. I've also used Rescue Remedy and it made no difference. He is on Clomicalm long-term.

Treat games are tough, as Corona wants in on them. Hide and seek (for treats) is no good as he does not use his nose at all.. if he doesn't see it,it doesn't exist. also don't have much for treats that are raw diet appropriate, and can be hidden. He really liked the atomic treat ball and Kong Wobbler, but those are both for kibble.

Sadly, a steady schedule is not going to happen at the moment.. looking for new job(s), possibly moving again, spending time with friends and my boyfriend..


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## Deaf Dogs (Apr 10, 2012)

One of the things I dont know much about is separation anxiety  So I cant help except to suggest the thundershirt? It's supposed to help with anxiety. I mostly just wanted to say: That sucks.

Sorry, not much help.


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## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

What type of crate did you have him in? Perhaps invest in another type. ProSelect Empire Dog Cages | PetEdge.com He definitely has Separation Anxiety and by you taking him every where so he doesnt hurt himself isnt helping. I would look into a Thunder Shirt, purchase a new improved crate and start the crate training process over again. I realize this is probably not going to happen soon since you are now jobless and any money you do have needs to be stretched but I hope you do find a solution that works for you.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I'm sorry you are having so much trouble. I've heard amazing things about Thunder shirts. We sell a lot of them at the pet store I work at and I've even thought about getting a couple. Customers and friends who have used them swear by them. 

I too have a dog with separation anxiety. Annie was terrible. She got to the point that if I wasn't home. She laid in one spot. She wouldn't get up. She would pee and poop there and if anyone tried to bother her she would bite them. As soon as I was home she was fine again and being her normal self. When I left her some where she wouldn't eat/drink or use the bathroom. Only lie in the corner. 

I started dropping her off with friends and family that I trusted. And taking her hardly anywhere with me. I introduced Nothing in life is free. When she was home alone, she was crated. I took her crate and strap tied between every bar so she could not collapse the front or back walls in and escape. I even had to buy a bunch of those mountain clips and use four on her door (top, bottom and two on the side) as well as strap tie the other side of the door. It took months of pretty much ignoring her and leaving her alone for her to "get it". Eventually I was able to start taking her with me places again. Also completely ignoring them for about 1/2 hour or so before you are going to leave and leaving while ignoring them helped with Annie.


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## xchairity_casex (Oct 8, 2011)

have you tried doggy massage? also if i were you i would work on teaching him to teach himself how to be relaxed and calm by only rewarding him when he is relaxed.

try putting him into his crate with the door open and not allowing him out of the crate do this right after some vigorous excercise when he is naturally going to be tierd if theres nothing like a blanket or a bed in there already put one in and leave it in there.

lead him into the crate and leave the door open but if he tries to get out use your hand or arm or foot to just block him dont use any sound dont yell no at him or even use a firm voice at all as this can cause more stress. grab yourself a good book or magazine and expect to sit by the crate for a while.
just keep blocking everytime he tries to get out.
eventually he will settle down and go to sleep it could be 10 minutes could be 30 but he will. once he does let him sleep and you can move to a chair or somewhere more comfortable. after he wakes up again block him he cant come out block him untill he sits down and relaxes and doesnt try getting out himself for a few minutes then call him to come out gently 9as in dont call him out excitedily the whole idea of this excercise is to keep him calm)

try doing this excercise every single day always when he is natrually tierd and wanting to rest. keep the crate door closed when he isnt in there.
the longer you do this the quicker he will learn that when you ask him to go into his crate you want him to calm down and go to sleep eventually you will be able to invite him in the crate with the door open and walk away while he just settles down and goes to sleep. then you can leave the house and close the door but you must do all of this in steps
take a good 2-3 weeks of having him go in with the door open then take atleast 4 weeks for him to continue sleeping in the crate while your moving around the house then you can move onto closeing the crate while your home walking around then you can move onto closeing the crate while you leave.

and also once he understands that the crate is ONLY for relaxing in you can leave the door open and he will go into their on his own when he wants to be calm.

this is a good stepping stone to teaching him how to be calm in other areas like when guests arrive if he goes crazy barking or hideing you can lead him to his crate in another room and leave him there to relax and go to sleep.
but this wont happen untill much much later.
once you begin teaching him crate=relaxing you CANNOT put him into his crate when he is upset and you CANNOT put him in to the crate and walk away allowing him to let himself out if you cant do these things dont put him into his crate at that time and wait untill you can.


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## StdPooDad (Mar 16, 2012)

CoverTune said:


> so I sedated him


I have a few suggestions for this as opposed to using drugs.
1. Thundershirt, it's great for calming dogs. Thundershirt | The Best Dog Anxiety Treatment
2. Calming mists, such as Calm or Comfort from Home Page

Joe


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## StdPooDad (Mar 16, 2012)

Makovach said:


> I've heard amazing things about Thunder shirts. We sell a lot of them at the pet store I work at and I've even thought about getting a couple. Customers and friends who have used them swear by them.
> 
> .


I have one for Seamus, some friends have them for their dogs. They ARE amazing. It's really hard to believe how well they work until you use ones. Seamus for example, we're always at my sisters house for a 4th of July agility trial. She has a laundry room with no windows. When the fireworks start (I HATE fireworks), the poor guy would go and cower in the laundry room. 
I got a Tshirt for him, he was stretched out snoozing in the living room when "the rockets red glare" were bursting in air.

Joe


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## SaharaNight Boxers (Jun 28, 2011)

I'd be careful too. Stress can make their immune systems a lot more fragile and more digestion issues can occur. I've been reading about HGE, scary stuff. Make sure that after they eat everythings kinda calm at least. That would be the major thing for me.


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## StdPooDad (Mar 16, 2012)

Makovach said:


> I've heard amazing things about Thunder shirts.


Thundershirts ARE amazing! I have one for Seamus (he's terrified of fireworks) Friends of mine have them for all their dogs, Pre-Thundershirt, their Australian Shepard would go so far as to crawl in the toilet and curl up in the water to get away from the noise. They put him in a thundershirt, he crashes in the living room while the rockets red glare is bursting in air. 

Also, scents from thescentproject.com are very effective! I use Calm and Comfort. 
Joe


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## CoverTune (Dec 20, 2011)

I have a Thundershirt for him. It can help a bit, but it's not something he can wear all the time, and he is very uncomfortable (physically) in it.

Can't remember if I mentioned, but we've also tried DAP and Rescue Remedy to no avail.

He actually chooses to squeeze himself into Corona's crate pretty regularly, so I'm going to see if I can find one that's maybe just one size up from that, for him. Failing that, he can't throw a fit if he can't even stand up!  (j/k!!)


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