Hello and HELP MEEEEEEEEE
 

hi all. I am Lori, and my new dog is Jobi. I have a shih tzu also that is 6 years old, and very calm.

I adopted a chocolate yorkie from a rescue last week. He was great for 4 days, then when i went back to work, all hell broke loose. He barked all day, jumped at the door all day and poo'd in the room and jumped all in it.
while trying to get out of the room Then after dug at the gate and got out of the back yard.

I researched and it looks like he has separation anxiety, since i can't go to the bathroom, or even across the room without him following me. if he can't get to me, even though he can see me, he barks and jumps at the gate.

he won't stop. he does it constantly when i am more than 3 feet away from him. The foster mom who cared for him all august said he will follow you all over and will find a way to gte to you. If only i recognized that then. I just gave him an anxiety med by homeopet. to see if this will help him feel less stress or fear. i read about the amount of repetition i would have to do to desensitize him. i don't know if it will help considering i can't do it all day long, since i work. I hope someone can help me. i don't know his history, just that a rescue took him from a shelter in ohio cause they were going to euthanize him cause he was un adoptable by their standards, they said he is afraid of people. which i don't see, he is cautious, but goes to anyone after he smalls them. I don't know if he was abused or from a puppy mill. He was badly matted that is all i know.ohh and he is male, neutered about 2 years old. the foster mother carried him in a stomach pouch made to help insecure dogs feel safe.


thank you

I can totally see why the foster mom carried him in a stomach pouch. You just need to be patient and try to cuddle him whenever possible until he starts to feel secure. He is just scared. I'm thinking that he started to trust the foster mom and all of the sudden rehomed again. He will have hard time believing you won't abandon him also. Just love him and he will feel it. I applaud you for taking on a rescue dog. That is so nice of you.

Could you have a canine behaviorist come in to your home for an evaluation?

I was always told to ignore the bad behavior and reward the good. That would mean not cuddling or talking to him while he was in one of these panicked states, but waiting until he was calm.

Maybe one of the rescue people will see this thread and have some good ideas for you.

Could you leave music on for him during the day or have someone come in and visit him? It's going to take alot of patience, but in time he'll learn that when you leave, you're also coming back. Good luck:)

It's a shame the rescue didn't place him in a home where someone is home all day since he has separation anxiety.

I agree with the suggestion of consulting a canine behaviorist.

Have you spoken to the rescue? Do they have any suggestions for you?

You could try and crate him when you leave but you have to start off slowly- it takes a little bit to crate train but once he feels safe in the crate it will work. I would also call the rescue and talk to them.

Rescues have typically been traumatized and need a lot of TLC before they can trust someone. Did the rescue not warn you of this and give you tips on how to deal with it? They can take a LOT of time before coming around. I would do my best to make him feel loved. Also, confining him to a small area while you're gone might make him feel safe. It seems like wandering around a strange, empty house might be very stressful for him.

do you think i should get a pouch then also?

i hope i am answering these messages properly, but anyway, i did read the same thing, when i come home i ignore him for 30 seconds, when he stops jumping then i pick him up and hug him ect... but a animal behaviorist paycheck is not in the card before Christmas. maybe after.. maybe mr. milan?

I hope so, the tv is on and the kids take him for a walk during the day and my sister is home and he is quiet when he is with them. but when left alone in my bedroom, that is when it starts. he does not want to be alone.

someone is home all day, he wants someone in the bedroom with him full time.sitting by him. The rescue said he follows the foster mom around and does not want to be alone. but i did not know he would keep it up continuously. i just don't want him to feel stressed like this.

yes, i thought wondering would make him feel scared, so i got him a crate and he just circles and moves around in it before and after my sister walks him. the rescue did not name it separation anxiety, they said he likes to be around people and is shy. the foster mom said he follows her around. but she is at home all day. so maybe they did not get to see what he does when alone???

Try not to get overwhelmed. When I first got Keoki at 6 months old he would panic and freak out when I left. There is an adjustment period that dogs got through when you first get them ( Keoki was 6 months old). I cried the first week thinking I would never be able to leave him and the Cesar Milan saying is great and all but when you are in love with your baby it's hard not to shower them with love when you walk in the door. I do alot that Cesar says but could never do that one- it's usually a party when I walk in the door. That being said once this rescue starts to feel safe and know that you will leave and come back he will start getting better and better- he just has to be comfortable in the space and with you- it's all a matter of time. Also try and take him on a long walk in the morning before you leave if you can to tire him out and if you have to crate train eventually that's what you might have to do for a while. Don't be discouraged- you two are just figuring each other out right now and this little baby has probably been left, etc. Like i said my first week with Keoki was an adjustment period and now he is a dream. I know everything is going to be alright. There is also rescue remedy for pets that is herbal - it's supposed to calm them down- i have never tried it but my vet recommends it. Please keep us posted and let us know how everything is going.

All my pets (canine & feline) are rescues. It has been my experience that the adjustment period can last for about a year and some behaviors will remain. That's what makes rescues special and unique and why we bond with them so strongly.

I would really recommend the book Secondhand Dog. IMO it is a must read for anyone who adopts a adult dog.

Amazon.com: Second-Hand Dog: How to Turn Yours...