Today has been the worst day of my life. Rant and Cry – LONG - *warning*

[Lovetodream88]

That trainer is bad and not good the whole alpha thing is crap and has been debunked. Have you tried a play pen instead of a crate? How old is he now.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by SirTeddykins

Not too harsh but irrelevant to my situation - thanks for trying anyway

I don't think what she said is irrelevant. He may need more time with you and trying a play pen instead of a crate can make a big difference.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by SirTeddykins

Thanks for your very comprehensive reply. I can't tell you how grateful I am.

I've tried to address your points above in red for you to comment back if you would be so kind.


The techniques I've used are due to the trainers advice that my dog suffers from separation anxiety which has been caused by over attentiveness and lack of boundaries. I hope that explains things but please let me know if you want any further info which you think will help you to help me!


Thanks again

He could have separation anxiety from being a baby and being taken from his mom and siblings and just not knowing any better.

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

I found SA training actually fun to see the dog change, begin to calm down and accept and assume his ability to be alone and begin to desensitize every time I rehabbed one. It always worked. Want me to share my method?

Hello, I would love for you to share any info with me that you think could help my Teddy!


You mentioned before that you think SA is due, partially, to handler ignorance. YES, I agree. I would love for you to help me be a better owner to my dog. I just don't want him in mental anguish and I surely don't want to be the one contributing to it out of ignorance.


Thank you so much for your help.

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by Cat2861

I'm sorry to hear about all the issues you have but I want to let you know what I have done with my little one.

Remy only goes in his crate at night to sleep and it is on my side of the bed so he can see me and I can see him. (He is very content in his crate at night).

I have a pen for him for when I need to run errands or if I need to keep him safe while I am doing something in the house.

Remy follows me everywhere. He can be playing with his toys and the minute I move to go to another room he does too. It's like he is attached to my hip. He has major separation anxiety. I have been following advice from this forum on helping him out with his separation anxiety and is is definitely working. He has come a long way.

These dogs are very needy, smart, lovable, want to please you, cuddly, etc. You just have to let them know that you are the alpha dog and just be consistent with training them. Training takes a lot of patience but it's well worth it in the long run. I praise Remy constantly with treats and without treats. That is how I got him to use the pee pads, sit, lay down, bring me a certain toy, heel as we walk, etc.

Does he have his bad days....Of course he does but that's just part of life. We all have our bad days.

IMO, I would ditch the trainer. He doesn't sound like a good trainer to me.

I wish you the best of luck!

Thank you so much for this. Your Remy sounds just like Teddy and it sounds like you're doing what I'm doing. Dealing with SA is so very hard but I absolutely adore Teddy so will do what needs to be done to make him happy


Thank you for your support. x

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by gemy

Jeanie/YorkieTalkJilly gives great detailed advice! She will send you much more info if you request it.

If you don't mind a couple of questions from me; was your puppy always this way with a crate? Peeing/Pooing in it or through the crate? he started out in an ex-pen where he paced frantically until his muzzle would sweat - I read somewhere that the ex-pen may be too big for him to feel secure in so put a crate in the ex-pen and that didn't help at all - he then started to pee out the ex-pen and this has all been from day one - I put a baby gate in the bathroom thinking that the ex-pen/crate was a problem - I came home and he'd peed out of the baby gate and pooped even with his litterbox there which he had never done before and his muzzle was absolutely soaked with sweat and he was manic so I put him back into the crate for safety since I also found pawprints on the wall where he'd been pacing back and forth - I was gone for two hours

Have you tried having him in the crate - when you are in the same room cleaning etc? yes, this is exactly what I did yesterday, I wasn't clear because I was so upset but I had him in the same room with me and he howled, dug and barked for four hours straight!! There was not one single lull in his behaviour which meant that I could release him or treat him in order to show him that barking was not the thing to do in his crate, I was terrified that if I 'gave in' to his barking etc, he'd see that as a reward for all of this barking so he was in his crate for four hours, again sweating etc and I almost had a nervous breakdown hence my rambling initial post and desperation which led me to contact this trainer I hate! I know you said at night you transferred his crate to your bedroom and the barking stopped. But not the peeing etc... his crate is no longer in my bedroom - it's downstairs and open but he sneaks in my room at night and I let him come in to nap with me sometimes with the crate door open and closed - he never pees during these times

My other question is have you taken him outside with you in his crate. In your car to go to a fun place - like a park for walks - or a pet store etc. Or on the bus or subway. yes, he loves his crate when he's not shut in it - he goes there at the end of the day on his own and 'nests' with his blankets and toys - after yesterday's craziness, the kong and carrot he'd ignored with the door shut was sought out, he actually dug to open the crate door to get into his crate! For safety, any time we take him 'bye-bye' we bring the crate and he's okay with it - never pees, whines or barks in the car THis is more to also associate his crate with wonderfull fun things in life to do with you.

Another question is have you thoroughly cleaned his crate with an enzymatic cleanser which gets out the smell of urine? yes, the peeing seems to have gotten better (almost a non-issue) but the barking is worse By now you may have to buy a gallon of the stuff and soak the whole crate in it for a few hours. Think of it as starting "fresh".

When I have puppies I pick up all rugs that are not easily laundered until they the pups are housebroken. It makes it much easier to clean up after accidents.

I agree never have your dog off lead until you can train a reliable come! There is absolutely nothing wrong with treat based training! And nothing wrong with paying a whole lot of attention to your dog, any dog of any breed. The right attention - boundaried - loving - firm when needed - exciting - relaxing - structured - then some free form attention.

And your "trainer" is an idiot!

Hi Gemy,


Thank you for your reply.


I've responded above in red. If you require further clarification to assist, then please let me know. If you think I'm doing something wrong or could do something better, again, please let me know.


I really appreciate it. x

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I don't think what she said is irrelevant. He may need more time with you and trying a play pen instead of a crate can make a big difference.

Hello lovetodream,


Thanks for your reply.


I have tried the ex-pen and it doesn't work. He's just as manic in an ex-pen as he is in a crate.


He seems to have an issue with doors or barriers from what I can tell and only when I'm not around.


The only thing I felt was irrelevant was the assumption that I'm trying to take the Yorkie out of Teddy. That couldn't be further from the truth. I am, however, dealing with a dog with major SA and do not want to contribute to it from ignorance which is why I sought professional help to no avail.


I know shelbysmom was trying to help and I'm sorry if my post came across as though I didn't appreciate it - I do. I appreciate all the help more than I can say
x

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

That trainer is bad and not good the whole alpha thing is crap and has been debunked. Have you tried a play pen instead of a crate? How old is he now.

Hello again! Yes, I agree with the alpha thing and sought this trainer because he said he didn't agree with it, either.


Teddy will be a year old in one month.

[Cat2861]

Originally Posted by SirTeddykins

Thank you so much for this. Your Remy sounds just like Teddy and it sounds like you're doing what I'm doing. Dealing with SA is so very hard but I absolutely adore Teddy so will do what needs to be done to make him happy


Thank you for your support. x

You are so welcome! I understand what you are going through. I believe Remy got his SA because I am home with him all day, every day unless I have to run errands. He doesn't follow my husband around like he does me. I guess it's because I am the main caregiver of him.

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by SirTeddykins

Hello again! Yes, I agree with the alpha thing and sought this trainer because he said he didn't agree with it, either.


Teddy will be a year old in one month.

Well what he was doing was the alpha thing. Have you thought of getting a vet check and if everything checks out ok trying an anxiety medicine? Mine had some issues and we tried everything and I finally had to talk to the vet about it and we put her on some medicine and it was for about a total of three months. After she did better for about two months or so we slowly weaned her off and didn't have anymore issues and it's like it never happened. I know lots of people don't want to go that route but after all else fails sometimes it's needed and doesn't have to be forever.

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

Well what he was doing was the alpha thing. Have you thought of getting a vet check and if everything checks out ok trying an anxiety medicine? Mine had some issues and we tried everything and I finally had to talk to the vet about it and we put her on some medicine and it was for about a total of three months. After she did better for about two months or so we slowly weaned her off and didn't have anymore issues and it's like it never happened. I know lots of people don't want to go that route but after all else fails sometimes it's needed and doesn't have to be forever.

Hello,


He's been checked but I never mentioned behavior cuz I thought it was training issues which were causing him to act the way he did


I certainly wouldn't rule out using anti-anxiety meds if everything else fails. I know that they are a temp measure to be used with behavioral training so if they make him more receptive to training - then, yes, - I'd def consider.


Thanks for letting me know they worked for you and your dog. It's nice to hear about something that HAS worked as I feel like everything has just failed so far and I feel utterly useless.

[SirTeddykins]

Originally Posted by Cat2861

You are so welcome! I understand what you are going through. I believe Remy got his SA because I am home with him all day, every day unless I have to run errands. He doesn't follow my husband around like he does me. I guess it's because I am the main caregiver of him.

Yes, I think this is the same thing with me and Teddy and I worry about when I have to go back to work. It won't be within the next year but it will be eventually and, at the minute, I can't even leave the house for a few minutes so it's unbearable.

[lisaly]

I'm very sorry you for such terrible advice from your trainer. Jeanie is such a kind, compassionate person whose love for dogs and kindness oozes out of her beautiful heart. She is very dog centered and listens to her dogs' emotions. They speak to her, and she so willingly helps others. I have learned a lot reading Jeanie's posts and have enjoyed them immensely. I'm sure she can help you and your pup. Gemy also is someone with a huge heart who has extensive knowledge about training and such a deep bond with her pups. Like Jeanie, her training helps to develop an even deeper bond with her pups, and when I've spoken to both of these wonderful women, it sounds like they are having so much fun, not only with playing with their pups, but also training them, as well. I have learned so much more about compassion and training from both of these women. I hope their advice helps you to help Teddy. I know you are very committed to him and love him dearly.

[yorkietalkjilly]

So I can get a better handle on what you've tried, do you mind my asking for just a brief description of the SA training that was so stressful to you both?

[gemy]

Originally Posted by SirTeddykins

Hi Gemy,


Thank you for your reply.


I've responded above in red. If you require further clarification to assist, then please let me know. If you think I'm doing something wrong or could do something better, again, please let me know.


I really appreciate it. x

You are more than welcome. I am going to bow to Jeanie here, as I mentioned before she is much much more detailed and thorough with her instructions. And I am old-fashioned in that, I think you should listen first to one trainers advice and methodology, implement it, and see how the response is. I don't want to how-ever inadvertently confuse you, by offering up a different methodology.

I will also offer the idea of pheromone sprays for anxious dogs, there are CD;s music that also can help relax a stressed dog. There are also prescription drugs as LovetoDream shared, as well as there are homeopaethic remedies for same.

The good news is that the actual crate is not the issue here, but SA sure as heck seems to be.

I have not had a dog with SA, although have had fear-aggressive dog and plain aggressive dogs. The remedy I used with the fearfull dog, Rescue Remedy did help somewhat to alleviate part of her symptoms. For her fear of sounds I used CD;s for thunder, and put on cop shows with loud car noises etc. Like all de-sensitization programs, you start with short bursts of time, at low volumne, and with you in the room with the dog. It did help her out. We used the same walking route at low traffic times, and then I gradually built her up to walking during rush hour the same route. And always during the walk at various points we did fun training.

Ball chasing, (on long lead), go over and under and on top of things in the playground. The usual standard obedience commands, Come, Sit, Down.

Keep us up-dated, for sure we will do our best to help out, long distance wise