jax39 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 All I seem to post on here is for help, so sorry in advance!! But really unsure on how to deal with this issue, so please if anyone can offer me help and guidance I would most appreciate it. I adopted Alfie, a 13 year old JRT four weeks ago. On the whole he's been a smashing little lad, apart from seperation anxiety. I have a lovely neighbour who is home all day and is keeping me informed of any progress made, unfortunately none so far. Any way the main issue here is that yesterday out of the blue, a lady delivered a parcel to me, and as she walked away Alfie ran up to her, grabbed her leg, didnt puncture the skin, but certainly broke it. I was totally shocked, apologised profusely, the lady was very good about it, thankfully, but I couldnt believe it, he had never acted like it before, and now I just dont know what to do when people come to the door. Should I shut him in the living room? How do I let him approach people actually entering the house? I dont have many visitors, but really need advice on what to do now. I bought some DAP spray yesterday,but any other ideas hugely appreciated. Thankyou so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Grose Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Number one - DON'T PANIC !!!!! If he has separation anxiety then he obviously has some fear issues. He has also only been with you for a very short time. What does he do when post arrives, or the door bell rings - does he rush to it barking?? While you are sorting this I would have Alfie on a lead, that way you can control his behaviour and teach him how to behave in a calm way. Personally I would work on this by calmly teaching him that when visitors come to the door he sits quietly while you chat to them and he does that until the door is shut. If you can find someone to work with you by ringing the door bell and you going through the sit, treat, good boy - chat to visitor - good boy, treat - goodbye - good boy, treat - sit - shut door, Good boy, treat. OK off you go scenario, then it will make the strangers easier. If not you are going to have to do your best with strangers. Shutting him in another room is just going to make it worse IMHO especially if he has separation anxiety anyway. DAP is brilliant - did you get the collar because I understand these work the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gremlin22 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 yep advice above sounds good. sounds like maybe the little one is finding his feet and getting a bit settled and maybe looking after his turf. From what i've heard it's quite common with terrier types. unless he doesn't bark at the door normally, then it's maybe just something specific to that person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax39 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Thankyou so much for the advice! Ill certainly try the treat method, though hes not treat/food orientated, but worth a go, thankyou.I bought the DAP spray Anne, do you think a collar maybe a better idea? As so far wherever I spray the DAP hes deciding not to lay!! (On his bed, and a blanket he has on the sofa, usually his favourite spots!) I did buy a jumper for him to wear at home, to spray with DAP, got it home and was wrong size as to what it said on the packet, so will exchange that tomorrow. Another scare today, little monkey ran away from me in the park, again never done it before, ran across 2 roads on his way home, thank god he was ok. Flexi lead walks from now on for a while! I have to agree Gremlin, I do think hes now finding his feet, and is maybe pushing the boundaries, time for some tough love I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Grose Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 The DAP collar is with them all the time rather than having to rely on them lying the right place. That's the theory anyway. I used the DAP inroom diffuser when I introduced my last two rescue dogs and that seemed to work fine. As he is now doing other things I think he most certainly is finding his feet in typical terrier fashion. Work on your relationship with him, so that he knows you are to be looked to for guidance and not to ignore. Use very high level treats with him - cheese, roast chicken or steak. Rather than boring old packet treats from the pet shop. Alfie won't be able to resist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mop Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 First, you need to chill out, the more chilled and relaxed you are the better for this dog so open a bottle of wine and chill. It is still very early days for him, he is still learning your house rules and dealing with the stress of a new home and new people. In all cases of behaviour you must put in very good management first so he doesn't get the chance to do this again, that means having another door or dog gate between him and the front door. What he has done is a classic sign of a dog with fears, he wasn't able to do this when the lady was facing him but as soon as she turned her back it was safe for him to chase her away, in his mind he has succeeded in chasing her. The more he does this the worse he will get which is why you need to have very good management so he doesn't get the chance to do it again. Before you start to work with him for this, how are you dealing with his seperation anxiety? This is relevant because it is all fear. How long is he normally left for, etc. Don't forget that bottle of wine, this isn't a big problem if you don't allow him to get out of the door and it can be sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax39 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Thankyou Mrs Mop!! Firstly the seperation anxiety, the time Im leaving him varies, but never more than 2 hours. being a dog walker, youd think i could take him out with me all day, but unfortunately I cant. My first dog of the day is a half hour walk, but this is actually an hour out of the house with the travel time added on. My second and third dogs, Alfie comes with me, xometimes I have a fourth and fifth, depending on which dog, depends whether he comes or not, so that could be another hour left, then last dog is always a half hour walk, again Alfie cant come, so thats an hour left. Its unfortunate in that my day is never the same, so Im guessing hes very confused. Ive been leaving an item of my clothing in the hall for him to lie on, tried a crate, but he seemed terrified so didnt dare leave him in, tried leaving back door open for him, but he just sat in garden and howled, now trying the DAP spray. (Would just like to add, he showed none of these symptoms while in rescue, they knew he would be left for periods, I would have probably not have adopted him had I known he would have seperation anxiety, not fair on him! But it just didnt show itself.)Admittedly I panicked yesterday after the nip, he will Im sure have picked up on this, and again after he ran from me today, so Im not doing too well at the moment am I!! I have a fold away type trellis that I will now in future use as a barrier to the front door. Unfortunately myself or the rescue know very little of his background. He's great with other dogs, and cats, and people when were out on walks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mop Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Look on him as a learning curve and not a problems, now that does take some doing at times. 2 hours isn't long, he should learn to cope with that. If you are like me you can rattle off information to others but when it is our dogs I forget most of it so do a check-list of what you would say to owners and see if you are doing them. TV or radio on, frozen stuffed Kong or juicy bone etc. We are constantly told not to make a big deal of going out but I find with my dogs they are better if I tell them I am going, were I am going, what for and an estimate of how long I will be. No wonder people think I am crazy but it seems to work. Every dog I have came with SA but are fine now. Not sure about the trellis, I had it as a gate in the windbrakes round my caravan, my dogs learnt how to open it, the result, 4 big dogs running round the camp site, thank goodness for gready dogs. Work on making him feel secure, the SA will go then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax39 Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Right here goes!! Tried a kong, he had no interest in it at all, but maybe if I can find something he absolutely loves, worth another try. (tried it with cheese spread,, and again with liver.) TV is left on, though I think he has very little hearing, so not sure how effective that is. I do exactly as you do, tell him where Im going, how long etc, but he probably doesnt hear a word bless him! Ill see how we get on with the trellis, if hes able to figure out how to open it, then Im happy to invest in a stair gate. Im planning on getting some rescue remedy, maybe some other sort of calming tablets also, not sure? Dont want to bombard him with too much, will try one thing at a time. In my naivety I thought he may have been getting better in time, guess we still have a way to go, and he has only been here a month, so still early days isnt it. But thankyou so so much,everyone, for all your advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mop Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 Deaf dogs know when we are talking, they can feel the difference in the air pressure and vibrations, add that to our body language and they can usually understand what we are saying. One thing I tell people to do when taking to dogs is to smile, when we smile it softens our body language and dogs can understand us easier. Was the cheese spread nice and smelly? Dogs seem to like smelly things, never could understand why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReikiAnge Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 I give my collie the Scullcap & Valerian tablets from Dorwest Herbs - they are intended to help reduce anxiety, nervousness, excitability etc. He doesn't suffer from SA but he can get rather freaked out about things and I really think they help. He is having more at the moment in preparation for fireworks night. They can be given long-term. I think finding a way to stop him having contact with people at the door is definitely a wise move, thank goodness the lady that got nipped was reasonable We have a porch so mine stay behind the internal door if I answer the door and if we need to have anything brought in, then I shut them in the kitchen so there's no danger of them running out of the front door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackmagic Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 The DAP spray can be put on a bandana or if he has a fabric collar you could spray that. Someone that used it for walks said they sprayed it 15 minutes before going out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax39 Posted October 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 Thanks again for all advice. Feeling really downhearted today, as was hoping the DAP spray may have worked. Came home to my neighbour on the doorstep saying hed been howling constantly. Im wondering if maybe Im not the right home for him. He needs company, or a canine pal, neither of which I can provide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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