I need Help and FAST

Ellie'sMama · 11-08-2010

I am 23 years old currently doing what I can to keep the cash flow in I or my baby are not suffering at all but money is still tighter than I would like it to be. I am living alone. Just me and my Sharpie Chow mix of 15 months. I got her when she was 8 weeks old only was separated from her for two months while she lived with my x-boyfriend I am not going to get into details about how I got her when she was 8 weeks old. My I had her for 3 months than my x for 2 than we both lived together with her for another 3 almost 4 months and than he left us both. That was almost 4 months ago. Before we got together she had never been left alone because he was able to take her to work with him every day but than he changed jobs and was no longer allowed to do so. I believe that before he left us my baby Ellie had a mild case of Separation Anxiety. But now that he is gone it is REALLY REALLY BAD. Everything that I have tried and been told to try by friends and family has not worked AT ALL. I just tried Kennel training her but the ppl around me are saying that well I am gone she barks Constantly as in not resting her throat at all no matter how long I am gone. I live in an Apt my lease is up in 4 months but if I dont find a way to get her to stop barking tearing up the apt and going to the bathroom inside when she knows not too it will be up sooner and I cant have that. Ellie is my baby I want what is best for her (I know a yard would do wonders it is a work in progress) but I also cant stand to give her up. What else can I do?

The over the counter calming things did not work
Sock collar burnt her skin
Kennel not working AT all
Tv/ Music No Go
Other pets for her to play with is a no
Toys that she can chew on for hours and play with is a No (this includes Knogs, and raw hides)
Old clothing that I have worn recently is a no
Calming words when I leave Nope
leaving her alone when I get back is a No
She knows Sit and Stay Lay and Stay (still does not work)
Long walks to wear her out is a def no
putting her in a more confined area of the apt with a window is a no
treats laying around the everywhere is a nope

I am at my wits end I dont know what to do anymore.

Lunareclipse · 11-08-2010

Doggie Day Care.

cigwyllt · 11-08-2010

It sounds as though you are running out of options - and time - to sort this problem out. I think Lunar is right - the only choice you have is to find someone to care for her during the day while you are at work.

Ellie'sMama · 11-08-2010

I work nights mostly at the moment and cant afford to pay someone to dog sit for me. or I would be more than happy to do so.

nobodyhome · 11-08-2010

watch the dog whisperer with ceaser milan the things he does good for any issue...it can realy help you.

Lunareclipse · 11-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobodyhome

watch the dog whisperer with ceaser milan the things he does good for any issue...it can realy help you.

It says at the beginning of his shows not to try his techniques at home.

angiesample · 11-09-2010

Ceaser would recommend what we've already suggested. How long did u try these different techniques? Crate training alone can take a long time. U can look up crate games online that might help. Honestly i started crate training when i was potty training, so i really started focusing about 8 weeks old and it is just now getting to the point where my dog goes into her crate just bc she wants to... My dog is a little over a year old.

How did u use these techniques? I combined many of these techniques.. i have always used a crate.. with a blanket that smelled like me, i always play music when shes in her crate, i cover the crate. I take her for at least 2 walks a day. I feed her dinner in her crate. I randomly put a treats in her crate. I also would put her in her crate even when im home and i wouldnt let her out until she was quiet. In the beginning when i would leave i wouldnt say anything she would go into her box with a cookie and i would leave. This whole process took a LONG time!!

I also did obedience class with my dog. We participate in agility 2-3 times a week adn we recently joined a volunteer k9 unit, so it keeps her mind active so shes tired when i go somewhere with out her.

lange · 11-09-2010

Agree with all the above.

Like Angie said, you didn't mention how long you've worked at crating or how you're going about it. It can take time to get them comfortable with it. You need to build her confidence with the crate.

You shouldn't calm her with your words before leaving. You should be ignoring her long before you go. Be relaxed because dogs can sense your mood, if your anxious, she will think there is something to be nervous about.

Ideally, you'd want her as tired as can be before you go to work. You need to find out what works her out mentally & physically so that she'll sleep while your gone. One of my dogs gets warn out with car rides, going new places, meeting new people. She also focuses hard on a blocking ball game I play with her. The more intensity you see in the dog the better. Hopefully you already know what it is for your dog.

Ellie'sMama · 11-09-2010

She does not get tired ever.... no matter what it is I have done it she has been acting up for 4 or 5 months and I try things for a few weeks at a time right now I just started the crate training 4 or 5 days ago but 3 days after I started I got complaints from the ppl that live around my building and pet control saying that she was barking all the time. I dont feed her in the crate because I dont want her doing EVERYTHING in her crate. She does go in there by herself a good number of times a day I put a blanket that smells like me over her crate when I do go the only time I believe she should be in there is when I am not at home. I tried leaving the music or tv on for a couple of months and it did not help keep her calmed down. I would love to keep crate training her but when I go I cant leave her in there because she barks for about 15 mins every 20 mins and that is why I am getting complaints from the ppl around me. If I was one of them I would complain too. So I understand where they are coming from.

nobodyhome · 11-10-2010

maybe try leaving her for a few minutes everytime to show her that when you leave you always come back and when you stand outside and dont hear her barking go in and give her a treat. and like someone said here she can feel if you are worried so before you leave just put her in the crate with no baby talk and nothing just put her in and go,i think she's acting like that because she didn't alow you to go so show her that you not asking her if you can go or not...you just do. be assertive.

angiesample · 11-10-2010

My sister in law has a dog who has severe seperation anxiety and she took him to a behaviorist. The behaviorist put Cliffard, there black lab mix on prozac and focused on crate training. It has been an extremely long process for them. They started with just feeding the dog in the crate... they did just this for about a month. Then they would have the dog go in the crate everyday about 5-6 times while they were home for about 5 minutes.. this was done for about 2 months. Next they would put the dog in the crate and leave for about 10 minutes. VERY SLOWLY they increased this time.. its been a year process. But, it was well worth it because now the dog actually enjoys his crate. They always take him on 2-3 walks a day. Also he still takes his prozac and he always will.

Also they take him to the dog chiropractor about every 2 weeks. Not sure why but this seems to help him.

Just to clarify this was EXTREME seperation anxiety, the behaviorist has been practicing for 30 years said she had never seen a case this badly. Cliffard had broken out of 5 cages. One of which had 3/4 steel bars and he still got out of it. My sister in law has spent several thousand dollars on this dog but she says it is all worth it to have a happy dog and he really is the sweetest dog.

lange · 11-10-2010

I know the crying is the biggest problem since you live with neighbors all around. They sell a barking citronella spay but if she was still barking w/a shock collar..It probably won't work. You can give it a try & return it if doesn't stop her.

It's hard to know what might be going wrong without being there. Since your pup is over a year old, have you tried putting a backpack on her and taking her for a speed walk? The way to best exercise a dog is to challenge their mind along with their body. You want to see focus on their face not necessarily playtime.

Otherwise, the only other advice I can give is to find a friend or family member who you could drop her off with for the night. They'll be sleeping anyway so it may be workable for someone you know. If they're dog knowledgeable, the better.

Good luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by angiesample

Just to clarify this was EXTREME seperation anxiety, the behaviorist has been practicing for 30 years said she had never seen a case this badly. Cliffard had broken out of 5 cages. One of which had 3/4 steel bars and he still got out of it. My sister in law has spent several thousand dollars on this dog but she says it is all worth it to have a happy dog and he really is the sweetest dog.

I'm always amazed when I hear a dog can escape a crate. That is crazy.

angiesample · 11-10-2010

Lange- i know! The first two were the plastic once. He broke out of those in 1 week for the first one and it only took him a few hours for the second one. The next two were those wire cages he actually bent the bars!! It took less than a day for both of them. The last one was a $500 steel cage!!! Supposedly it was impossible for any dog to break out of it.. but of course Cliffard did!! It only took him about a week.. he literally has nubs for teeth bc he has worn them down so much. Luckily they refund my sister in law for that steel cage.

This is Cliffard, he really is the sweetest dog ever... Hes only 40lbs..