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...

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

He is absolutely gorgeous! I can't believe he was deemed unadaptable!

I have a girl who has anxiety issues as well. It takes lots of time, patience and love...and time (oh I said that already).

Building their confidence, by teaching them commands (tricks) helps them to focus and have a "job". Make it fun, so he wants to "please" you. Peanut Butter Chips from the baking isle are terrific! They are small and yummy and will get him to focus on learning commands to please you.

There are also alot of great books to help as well.

intro and help
 

[QUOTE=keokis mom;3266106]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 do tend to freak out easily..:) i just reached the shelter today and they said he was owner surrendered, they people had him for 2 weeks and gave him away. he is 2 years old, so who knows where they got him from. his age is questionable also. he can't lift his leg very long to pee and my experience is a younger dog does that for a while. or maybe he was crated all his life and messed in his cage? who knows. I do see a small improvement. he just kind of whined low when i went shopping today. i left him in the bottom hallway, he had access to the two bedrooms and basement and hallway. he say by the door and whined low. but no barking or jumping. maybe crating is a scary issue for him from his past?

thank you for your words:)
:)

i know, can you believe that? yes, i want to put him into agility classes cause he can jump really high and is so funny. i should post a link up to his videos, he is silly.

ohh thank you, i will order that right now lol

Update on jobi
 

ok, so it has been three months now. Jobi no longer wjines and barks all day when i am at work, he does still follow me everywhere. he is funny and has chewed my watch, my neices doll and my socks. he is a food stealer and loves to go for walks, he also loves the snow. I discovered he knows how to "sit" and i taught him how to stay "down" and "up".He chases squirells now and steals people's food. He has gained 3 pounds and sleeps on my bed.

He is a bad likkle dog lol and is trying to tear apart my pajamas as i write.

thanks guys. Agility classes will have to wait, he is going to obedience after christmas.


see him here:

So this is Jobi

cherry, jobi and kyia

So cute! Glad that he is doing better! Bless him and you too!

My little Peyton does not like being alone. Today I got him a heated bed and a heartbeat pillow and it seemed to work really well when I had to leave him this afternoon.

heated bed? sweet, where did you get that? online? i am still looking for abed, he sleeps under the chair or on my bed.

Petsmart. it was about $50 I think. A little pricey, but when I saw him all curled up and snoozing happily it was worth it! It has a cord that is not easily chewed. I put it in the crate and he has no access to the cord at all that way.

The little pillow was about $10. He rested his little head on it. So sweet!

I should mention that he sleeps with me at night and is usually in my lap when I am home. I just needed something for when I am away.

petsmart
 

i love petsmart, especially since they stopped selling animals..i will look this weekend:)

thanks

I too have a rescue Yorkie (mix-he's a Schnorkie) whom has separation anxiety, among many other issues-rescues are hard-I never shame people for shying away from them, neither should anyone whom doesn't know you can get a really messed up bundle of love-they are worth all the hard work, but the hard work is NOT for everyone! After MUCH trial and error here's what I found through research (hours and hours) and what also actually worked for us...
1. Mellow Mut by Dogswell Use this in conjunction with #2 & 2 1/2 MELLOW MUT® It is homeopathic, organic and the chicken is free range-plus it is the cheapest safe alternative. Scoobers ate an entire bag by accident) I called the vet they said to make sure he gets plenty of water, eats like normal and then laughed and suggested I put on some cartoons for him-too much will only literally make them "stoned" like from the chamomile in it.
2. GET A PLAY YARD-NORTH STATES SUPERYARD XT~ 6-PANEL PLAY YARD BABY GATE is an inexpensive one you can find at Costco, Target or online and is just as comparable to expensive ones specifically for dogs-I also like these on eBay-search soft play yard for-Pet Dog Cat In/Outdoor Tent Soft Exercise Pen Play Yard- they have them in green, pink, blue and red...but they can be escaped from with relative ease for some dogs.
2 1/2. GET A CRATE, if the play yard fails get a crate-sorry for those who don't like them but safety can be a serious issue for dogs with separation anxiety-they can harm themselves scratching, biting at the door, or just running around frantically, etc. Make sure the crate is SUPER LARGE-often being in a smaller area eases anxiety as it creates a den although, I would really recommend a play over a crate if you can though. Crates can be a cage for a dog that is not accustomed to them-but they are much safer for dogs whom escape play yard and have anxiety issues. Make sure you get a really super comfy pad for the crate, but again if you have potty issues a play yard would be best as you can fit a potty pad (even news paper) in a play yard better than a crate.
3. In conjunction with the above, consult a behaviorist-I also love to watch Cesar Milan and Victoria Stilwell, ( I know cheesy right but hey they're on national TV so you can watch them too, and if I quoted the behaviorist I worked with here you'd be like who huh?) but they both leave out the above advice in specifics, like they touch on medication not SAFE alternatives and they show themselves using play yards and crates but when questioned they only talk about behavioral adjustment practices...
Dogs with Separation Anxiety, Ask Victoria Stilwell : Animal Planet
5 Tips for Separation Anxiety | www.cesarsway.com

It is wonderful to hear that he is doing great.
I love his videos and it warms a heart to see how far he has come since you first posted.. Hes a lucky guy that you saved him. I think hes adorable.

I know that separation anxiety is hard to cope with.
Leaving the house and coming back in a little wile is a nice way to let him know that you are not leaving for a long time. You can do that when you go shopping or when you are taking the garbage out. Go out and again in the house without making a big fuss about it. Gradually he will learn to feel safe. Don't feel sorry when you go out, he can sense that. Just act casual and be patience.
You need to make him independent and not more attached to you.

Maria

thank you, he has come far, thank God. he is a total ham! :animal-pa

[QUOTE=concretegurl;3351926]I too have a rescue Yorkie (mix-he's a Schnorkie) whom has separation anxiety, among many other issues-rescues are hard-I never shame people for shying away
hello,

thank you for your advice, i am not sure if you saw my "update" letter. he has mellowed out, i did buy a crate and a fenced in play area in the beginning, as well as limit his movement in the house ect. but now he does not need any of that. i wanted members to know his update since coming on here and feeling totally crazy in the beginning.:animal-pa