I wish I had answers, but it does sound like Post-traumatic stress. All animals will pick up on our anxieties as well, so if you are anxious because his behavior has changed, maybe he is sensing that? Keep giving him that TLC and with all the thoughts and prayers you will get from YT, hopefully he will get back to normal soon.

You were mugged?????? :eek: Poor you and poor baby, i'm so sorry this happend!
I don't know what to say other then, keep reassuring him like you are doing? You are a GOOD Mommy and no you are not boring us with anything, you are concerend and we feel for both of you.
I hope your baby will get over this very soon, please keep us posted on how he is doing.

Good luck :thumbup: Hugs to your little one.:aimeeyork

Wow!
 

I am so sorry that what should be such a happy time in your life is now so difficult for you. Please hang in there - it sounds like your little one has such a loving mummy that things will work out with time.

Only thing I can think to suggest is to stay open and not draw too many assumptions about his behaviours just yet (meaning that he likes your husband more at the moment because he reacts in such a way when he arrives home) - what I'm trying to say is something along the lines a DW might tell you - such as don't attibute human reactions to dog behaviours.

One of my dogs and I both came through a shared traumatic experience and it took a long time for things to turn around. Looking back, I think it was my intense need to have things back to the way they were before the event that the dog sensed - and it made him anxious. As I learned to stop waiting for the other shoe to drop and my own skin stopped crawling around on my bones - my dog responded better to me.

I found that it was best to tackle one obsticle at a time. Maybe try reaclimating the pup to loud noises by carrying him in a blanket in your arms a bit each day to get use to the cars. When it's time to go pee - find a corner with two walls and bend down to encourage him.

Be patient. Talk softly and maybe just lie on the floor next to the closet, glancing every so often at little boy in a reassuring manner. When you are both ready - try to gently stroke his back with light firm strokes.

I currently have a pup that is not a cuddler - she was three weeks ago when she first arrived but now is growing very self assured and prefers to sit near me rather than on me. Honestly - my initial reaction is to feel rejected (isn't it everyone's dream to have a little furbaby to cuddle!) but I am happy she is a confident little devil with a will of her own. Ruby lies at my feet too and won't lie on my pillow as she once did - so I just grab my pillow and switch ends and lie with my head at the foot of my bed! Thank-goodness my husband is on the road most weeks as he thinks I'm nuts!

I'm not sure if any of this is any use to you but I wanted to reach out because I've been thinking about you all day. You and your family are in our prayers!

Ruby and Roxy send yorkie kisses!

thank you all and also to 4dogs for the wonderful advice. i think things will work out in the end. since yesterday i just drive him to the park to do his business because he wont poo or pee anywhere there are cars and lots of people so i am trying to make it a bit easier on him by driving him there and running a long with him. he seems happy in the park but the minute we get to the parking lot and he sees cars, he refuses to move (i think when i got mugged and he got lost, he may have come to see lots of cars (he was found by a highway net) so i can understand his fear.

i am hoping things will improve in a few weeks just in case we are taking him to france by the sea so he can calm down :) i will keep you posted. thank you all!

Try Cesar's Book
 

According to him dogs live in the present not the past and usually they are very in tuned to thier owners emotions and energy. could he be picking up on your fears since it has only been a week since this happened to you? How are you feeling? Usually our feelings get projected onto our dogs.

He will get better in time..
 

but becareful for too much coddling although it is soo hard because you want him to love you, but it might just make him feel more unsafe and insecure. He might think that there is something out there to be afraid of if he sees you acting totally different and worried ever since the accident....He needs to see you as the alpha strong leader, that things are back to normal and ok. Just my opinion, I hope it helps..time will make things better. good luck:D

I am so sorry you and your little boy had to go through this experience. I think the fact that he got lost and seems to be afraid of cars makes me think that he hates going outside now because he thinks he is going to get lost all over again and be around all those "scary, noisy things." I wish I had advice for you but I just want to commend you for getting through such a traumatizing ordeal and being such a good mommy and taking care of your little boy. While we all hope your little boy gets through this, I wonder how YOU are doing? Are you ok? I know this must have been scary for you too. Please take care of yourself and continue to be the caring and doting mommy you are to Agapi. Both of you will be just fine, its just going to take some time. Nikko and I send hugs and doggy kisses your way.:)

I really think that he will adjust with time, the same way you probably need to take some time. Are you feeling sad or anxious? Because he WILL pick up on that as well. No matter how sad you may feel encourage him with some playtime, some happy fun time with treats and maybe some playdates. If I was you, I would take him OFF the medication. He is really just trying to adjust and in my opinion the pills are a big set back because when he comes off he might drop even lower. I would just take him off of them, and allow him to adjust naturally. He will eventually. Just my opinion though, because I don't believe that medication will help for the emotional trauma, he will just naturally get over that over time. He is still a young pup, and it's not good to get his body used to meds already. JMO. He will resist but try to take him to busy areas with cars and people and give him treats and lots of positive reinforcement so that over time he won't be as afraid. He may even associate it with treats and positive things.

hey! well everyone said that i am doing remarkably well and i do feel almost normal except at night, so at night hubby walks agapi. even though i got mugged at 3in the afternoon, i do go to silent parts of the park where i dont see anyone , i dont feel afraid to go in there, now though i dont wear even a watch while walking him. i play with him. i dont think he is picking on anxiety because when i feel anxious he isnt with me, (this happens a lot when i am at shops where he isnt around) but 70 percent of the time i feel like nothing has happened. even i think that is a bit weird , i should be a bit more shaken but all i feel is a bit more cautious.


i do feel responsible because just before i left that day iwas about to leave him home but decided to take him because i was going to see the da vinci code and didnt wanted to leave him that long alone and look what happened :(

i dont know if dogs live in the present or if they remember anything but i do know one thing: my dog was not like that a before the mugging.... he was happy and curious to be outside and now he wants none of it.

i am working on being patient as much as i can and giving him a lot of love, but sure enough a vacation in france (next week) will do the two of us a world of good i think :)