[yorkietalkjilly]

If Tibbe is feeling bad or is having a panic attack from a strange sound he hears, he wants to isolate, too. If it is his tummy and I hear the loud tummy noises, I just let him be alone for a while with check-ups from time to time. If he is shaking in fear, I bring him in the den or wherever I am and we work through it, doing obedience or taking him outside for a walk, food, rock music and dancing - whatever works that day.

The last time he had one, I held him like a baby in my arms and wouldn't let him up despite his struggles. Now Tibbe HATES - that is HATES being held in one's arms like a baby on his back. You know how you hold a dog - on their back, tummy, legs all facing up and you talk to them sweetly. My little macho man would rather run through a room of groomers brushing, clipping and spritzing him with perfume than be held on his back in your arms. He stares daggers at you when you do it!!! Is the one sure way to start me laughing - seeing his mad, determined little face staring back hot coals of fire into my eyes when I talk babytalk to him in my arms. So funny!

Well, that panic attack, I'd tried several things and he was still shaking and looking about wildly, little tail and ears down. I didn't feel like getting up to do obedience or take him for a walk so I got him, held him like a baby, good and firmly as he struggled some - finally he gave up and just stared at me hard. I laughed myself weak at his mean looks! Finally, after a couple or three minutes I put him down. He snorted about 3 or 4 times and stalked off completely done with me! But he was over his panic attack. Even now if I say, "Tibbe, do you want Mommie to hold you like a baby???" - he will stare hard daggers at me and turn his back to me. He loves being loved, cuddled and baby-talked to, just don't put him on his back in your arms to do it!

Anyway, some say let a dog isolate and after time, it will come out on its own and I agree if they aren't feeling well, gums, temp and other checks are okay, breathing and heart rate are regular, no obvious problem needing a vet, etc. I will let Tibbe be alone for a while if he's feeling poorly but I check his gums, etc., often. Others say letting them stay there in fear for long periods reinforces the state every time they go through it and is cruel to let an animal stay scared and worried for that long. That is how I feel so though Tibbe is over 90-something percent of his old panic attacks he had when he came to live here, a strange or unusual sound can send him into one and then we go into our redirection phase. I've done and still do regular desensitization training sessions to odd sounds and it has helped him so very much. But he still will have a bad time every few months just out of the blue.

Alternately, maybe Mikki did just prefer some alone time if she wasn't shaking and her tail wasn't down, ears down, etc., and no signs of feeling bad. Tibbe recently has found he likes to go lie on the big bed alone in the master bedroom these last few months. I know Jilly used to do that when she got to be about his age - enjoy the big bed all to herself for a while. As long as they are not acting weird when they go back there, I let each of them do it - Jilly when she was alive and now Tibbe. He seems to enjoy it, will come trotting in the den after his nap with his ears, tail up, trotting with a little lilt in his step as if to say "I'm a big boy - I can nap by myself sometimes without my mommie in the room if I want to!" He's always doing different things to keep life interesting.

I'm glad Mikki is back to being herself!