She is breaking my heart

[wookie]

Originally Posted by marcerella02

For about the past month Layla seems to be scared of us... but only at home. She cowers away, tail and ears down when we go near her... she won't take a treat out of our hand.. she seems to scared... today when i fed her.. she has to sit and wait until i say "ok".. she started to get up and i said.. ah ah Layla and put my hand in front of her to signal "stay" and she backed away like she was expecting me to hit her. I almost cried. I breaks my heart that she think I would do that to her. But this only happens at home. When she is at work with us she will take treats and comes up to us. I don't know what to do . I know i've posted about this before but it seems to have just gotten worse and other than to say my heart breaks i don't know how else to discribe how i am feeling. Any suggestions?

Has there anything in the past month that you can think of that has dramatically changed Layla's normal routine? Has she been going to the sitters more often in the last month? What about her sitter, do you think they have harmed her in any way?

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by spydergurl

Maybe something is happening at the sitters' house. You never know what people do behind closed doors. Does she shake or whimper when you take her there? Mine used to shake when we got to the groomers....I now do my own grooming. I hope you can figure it out....poor baby.

She has just started making a crying noise when she goes there but it is an anticiaption thing.. she is litterally pulling me up the drive way to get in the sitter's house. I've wondered this myself. Her sitter said about two months ago they were outside and a garbage truck made a loud noise and Layla was a mess for the afternoon but that's normal,,, she always freaks out at loud noises. Her sitter loves her as much as we do.

[blueeyes_jd]

Originally Posted by marcerella02

For about the past month Layla seems to be scared of us... but only at home. She cowers away, tail and ears down when we go near her... she won't take a treat out of our hand.. she seems to scared... today when i fed her.. she has to sit and wait until i say "ok".. she started to get up and i said.. ah ah Layla and put my hand in front of her to signal "stay" and she backed away like she was expecting me to hit her. I almost cried. I breaks my heart that she think I would do that to her. But this only happens at home. When she is at work with us she will take treats and comes up to us. I don't know what to do . I know i've posted about this before but it seems to have just gotten worse and other than to say my heart breaks i don't know how else to discribe how i am feeling. Any suggestions?

oh Im sooooooooooooo sorry! that would BREAK my heart too! I wish I could help but I have no idea... Im sooo sorry sweetie! hugs!

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by CupofDog

So it sounds like your brilliant little angel needs more training!

Since she did so well with training and loves other dogs, it sounds like your little lady needs a job. How about formal obedience, like with a local obedience club? These are everywhere, just do a search online.

Then, it sounds like she would be the perfect candidate for obedience competition. Start with going over all her training each day outside...Lots of rewards and praise...Build that into her structure.

What about walks?

There is no chance anything traumatic happened at the baby sitters, right?

there is ABSOLUTELY no way anything has happened at her sitters. She is a dog behaviouralist and loves Layla as much as we do.

Layla isn't crazy about walks.. she usually has to be coaxed into going but once we start she loves it.

I really like the idea of practicing more of her obedience.. especially outside. she LOVES to be outside.

[wookie]

Originally Posted by marcerella02

you know, funny you should mention this. SHe will take anything from my dad. it is only my mom and I she cowers near. Layla used to spend her evenings next to my mom on her chair. In the past two weeks (since our Long weekend when there were fireworks- which she HATES) she goes into my parents bedroom to hang out iwth my dad. My dad has just started spending his evenings on his bed on his laptop (due to his bad back it is easier than sitting on the chair in the family room). Now every night she asks to be picked up and put on the bed with him.. and she just hangs out there. She has never donet his before but he has never been in there before. Any other time throughout the day she is happy to be where we are.

Perhaps the fireworks she heard while she was in your house is making her insecure, so she always wants to be protected. I'm guessing also that she may not like or is feeling insecure around females. I'm still trying to work on Wookie on this, so I don't have much advice in this area.

The only way I can get Wookie near me is when I tell the hubby to tell Wookie to come to me. Or when the hubby is not home, then Wookie is a complete momma's boy. Try this to Layla when your dad is not around and she how she reacts.

[vasivla]

Home is where all dogs usually expose their acqired behavoirs.
If this is the place where they are never offended and are only loved
then there should be nothing than happiness about dogs comming home.
I would test her blood first at the vet.
The sooner is better.
She has been expossed with many dogs lately.

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by wookie

Has there anything in the past month that you can think of that has dramatically changed Layla's normal routine? Has she been going to the sitters more often in the last month? What about her sitter, do you think they have harmed her in any way?

There is just no way anything happened there intentionally and she always tells me about her day. She goes to the sitters about twice a month , usually overnight... they spoil her like crazy and she loves being there. When she was a puppy she was upset that i left her there but now she could care less that i leave her.. she never looks back once she's there!

The only thing that happened that has really bothered her was the fireworks two weekends ago... she was a mess.. hiding behind the bed... and i think that was kinda when all of this started.. after that she HAD to be wherever grandpa was at night... but that was two weeks ago... and had nothign to do with treats... but might be why she insists on being on the bed with my dad every night.

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by vasivla

Home is where all dogs usually expose their acqired behavoirs.
If this is the place where they are never offended and are only loved
then there should be nothing than happiness about dogs comming home.
I would test her blood first at the vet.
The sooner is better.
She has been expossed with many dogs lately.

she had a full blood panel done in April. Nothing was out of the ordinary. I still don't get what you are getting at tho....

The only dogs Layla sees are the two at her sitter house and she hasn't been there since May 6th.

[CupofDog]

Originally Posted by vasivla

Home is where all dogs usually expose their acqired behavoirs.
If this is the place where they are never offended and are only loved
then there should be nothing than happiness about dogs comming home.
I would test her blood first at the vet.
The sooner is better.
She has been expossed with many dogs lately.

I agree. A drastic change in behavior could signal a health issue. I am sure she just needs some behavioral modifications and obedience work, but to be sure, I'd try and get her into the vet's asap for a complete blood count and checkup. Never hurts to rule anything out.

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by wookie

Perhaps the fireworks she heard while she was in your house is making her insecure, so she always wants to be protected. I'm guessing also that she may not like or is feeling insecure around females. I'm still trying to work on Wookie on this, so I don't have much advice in this area.

The only way I can get Wookie near me is when I tell the hubby to tell Wookie to come to me. Or when the hubby is not home, then Wookie is a complete momma's boy.

i am so confused tho why she goes to my dad. I do EVEYRTHING fo her and my mom watches her mostly during the day. Grandpa is just the guy who plays with her! my mom and i do everything. why woudln't she want to come to us when she is upset?

[CupofDog]

On the off chance she picked something up between April and now, I think its worth it. Also, walking is super super important. You must train her to walk with you every day. It will help!

[AprilLove]

Originally Posted by CupofDog

So it sounds like your brilliant little angel needs more training!

Since she did so well with training and loves other dogs, it sounds like your little lady needs a job. How about formal obedience, like with a local obedience club? These are everywhere, just do a search online.

Then, it sounds like she would be the perfect candidate for obedience competition. Start with going over all her training each day outside...Lots of rewards and praise...Build that into her structure.

What about walks?

There is no chance anything traumatic happened at the baby sitters, right?

If she suddenly started doing this, and it is only with you and your mom, is it possible there is a female where she is babysat at they she may have had an issue with? Have you had anyone else in your home, both female and male adults, and has she reacted the same with them? Is she comfortable only around males now (your dad)? Just throwing out questions for you for other possibilities.
Maybe have some people over and see if she is still the same way with you or them, maybe that can give you something to work off of. It is heartbreaking when they act fearful, when you have no idea what or if, anything caused it!

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by CupofDog

I agree. A drastic change in behavior could signal a health issue. I am sure she just needs some behavioral modifications and obedience work, but to be sure, I'd try and get her into the vet's asap for a complete blood count and checkup. Never hurts to rule anything out.

i could understand this being a health issue if it wasn't situation specific and if she hadn't JUST had a blood panel done.

[sullysmum]

Originally Posted by spydergurl

Maybe something is happening at the sitters' house. You never know what people do behind closed doors. Does she shake or whimper when you take her there? Mine used to shake when we got to the groomers....I now do my own grooming. I hope you can figure it out....poor baby.

That was my first thought too!

[vasivla]

I was trying to explain that kind of fear is the first sign of Rabie.
Just a beginning.
Hope, that I'm wrong about your baby and she is okay.