Lonely dog problem

(Mother of Puppies ) #1

You guys have solved my Keto and fasting issues, quickly and easily, so I’m bringing you my puppy problem.

My wittle girl is a rescue from a mill-type situation. She had me to herself (WFH) for four years. Now I’m in a different work situation and she’s home alone all day.

I tried daycare, but she started “resource-guarding” the workers so she could get all the pets. She got expelled for fighting. (13-pounder :joy:)

She used to be afraid of people, but now she loves strangers!!! Every time I try to take her somewhere in the car, she hangs back, waiting and looking for a stranger to come by and pet her. She’ll even approach cars where people are getting in or out looking for cuddles.

I take her to stores like Lowe’s and Home Goods so people can talk to and pet her. What else can I do for her loneliness? Where can she get lots of attention? (I’m holding off on letting her choose a second dog, because I’m a resource she always guards and that could go bad.)

(Carl Keller) #2

Get your puppy a puppy, if you can afford it. They will keep each other company while you are away.

(Mother of Puppies ) #3

That’s my last resort.

I don’t want to have a constant fighting situation. :weary:

(Ken) #4

I’m a firm believer in the two dog principle. In your case it would be a matter of selecting the right second dog. You could take your dog along to a Shelter and pick a dog yours gets along with.

(Mother of Puppies ) #5

She can like a dog, but when it’s time for cuddles from mom, competition = fight.

It would have to be a very submissive male. She’s had a lot of scuffles with females and it’s to the point where she now will start a fight with a female. … whether its a Golden, Doberman, German Shepherd etc.

(Allie) #6

What about getting someone in to take her out on walks while you’re at work? It’s the time she’s on her own that she needs company, not when you’re with her.

Nothing at all wrong with one dog on its own as long as their needs are met. I couldn’t have another dog with mine as he wouldn’t accept it, but I have a webcam watching him when he’s home alone so know that all he does is sleep and chew his bones when he’s alone.

(ANNE ) #7

Have you tried leaving “talk radio” on. Not any music station but a specific talking one. The sound of the voices may help sooth her.
I am not sure when you walk her whether you keep her close to your side. Or let her stretch out on a lead?
But I found that my dog was getting very needy for attention and seemed to be stressed out a lot. I started to walk him to heel, all the time, every single walk. I used a halti to make it easier. After a few weeks he seemed to relax more and not be so on edge. My theory in walking him close was that I needed to establish my leadership role (alpha dog) when out on a walk (hunt). If I let him depart from my side, I was giving him a leadership and a pack (him and me) security role, but this led to an overall sense of hyper awareness. I have read a few different books on dog behaviour over the years of owning dogs. But the theme of dogs needing their humans to be the alpha is quite a common theme.
Not sure if it will help your situation. But in keeping with the keto thread,

Have you tried bacon?

Best wishes

(Kristen Ann) #8

I have two dogs, and one tries to ‘resource guard’ me too. I just don’t allow that behavior. There were some fights at first, nothing too serious, but it all works out in the end as long you make it clear that’s not acceptable behavior.

(Ken) #9

Dogs always compete with each other. Luckily, you have two hands for two dogs.

(Scott) #10

We lost our maltese after a decline in health over many years. First autoimmune, then lost an eye, became diabetic, lost sight in other eye. Anyway I encouraged my wife to take some time without a dog so we could travel more and not be tied down to a dogs schedule. I noticed every time I passed her computer there were dogs on it. Later I was that told we were going to Indiana from South Carolina to rescue a bonded pair of maltese. I knew my fate and said lets go. The two are inseparable and in my wifes office next to mine. We are all together 24/7 now. I guess it is one of the perks of owning a company.

(Mother of Puppies ) #11

Absolutely. NPR is her thing.

She doesn’t have any behavior issues while I am away at work, ( on the days I work from home, all she does is sleep all day) but it’s during the time that we’re together in public that she really seems to solicit attention from strangers.

I can cuddle her more, but as a mill dog, I can’t tell when she’s tolerating me cuddling her and when she really likes it.

And, we always share bacon. :slight_smile:

(Mother of Puppies ) #12

I like that idea, and I’ve interviewed couple of walkers, but they both allowed her to walk in the street while we were on our test walk. It made me really nervous.

If I could find a trustworthy walker, my dog could spend some days with my mom. That would be optimal.

#13

You lost me at NPR.

My dog only listens to college football games, college baseball games and sports call-in talk shows. :grin:

(Scott) #14

My dog used to hear a football game and hide behind the toilet, he was blind. Just knew I was going yell at the tv. The really weird thing was the blind dog could sense it was bath day and hide under the coffee table. It turned out that it was the clink of the D rings on the apron that gave it away. It is truly amazing what a dog can pick up on.

(Laurie) #15

Dog sharing? Lots of people aren’t allowed pets where they live, or they’re like me–getting old and thinking it would be unfair to acquire a pet and then die first, orphaning the pet. If you’re concerned about safety, you could even request that the person not take it out for a walk.

Or, if the person can have pets but doesn’t want to own one, maybe you could drop the pet off at their place for the whole day.

(Mary McNeight) #16

Do NOT get a second dog if you have a resource guarder unless you WANT to come home to a dead dog. I’m not kidding and am not being overly dramatic. That’s why she was kicked out of daycare because she was going to hurt another dog.

Everyone’s an expert on the Internet. Try finding a real one and paying them for EDUCATED advice based on science and positive reinforcement based training methods. I’d recommend finding a Karen Pryor Academy graduate in your area. Karenpryoracademy.com

Mary McNeight, CCS, BGS
Director of Training and Behavior

Service Dog Academy - www.servicedogacademy.com
Diabetic Alert Dog University - www.diabeticalertdoguniversity.com

Featured Speaker at Association of Professional Dog Trainers Conference 2013
Winner of Dr. Robert Curran New Trix Award 2012
Winner of PAWS Hero Pet 2012
Winner of APDT Train Your Dog Month 2011

(Mother of Puppies ) #17

I hired real (APDT) trainers soon after I got her, and they arranged for me to attend a Karen Pryor conference, coincidentally. Absolutely amazing.

She has been a special, complex case, but our bond is incredible.

I smell what you’re stepping in.

(Mother of Puppies ) #18

I love this idea.

It’s her favorite activity, snooping in neighbors’ houses.

There are several neighbors I’m scouting for this, but highly important that they understand she will run through any open door.

A “normie” may not understand terrier intensity.

(Mary McNeight) #19

Make sure when you use this old person who is almost guaranteed to have an emergency with your dog because the dog had to go to the bathroom at the wrong time of day that they are sharing $500,000 to a $1,000,000 of liability if your dog harms a legitimate service dog and was a known bite risk. I’m dealing with a case right now where a drunk driver damaged a students service dog and is getting his ass handed to him in a liability case because the owner can no longer work without her dog and the wait for a trained dog is 2-5 years.

(Mother of Puppies ) #20

1- she is only a danger to herself, making noise and appearing to fight while not landing a tooth. She has never landed a bite on anyone. Her “fighting” is all noise right now.

I don’t let her practice that behavior. On the rare occasion someone ignores me and keeps approaching while im asking them not to, the dog (Golden, Doberman, German Shepherd) she’s going after doesn’t even realize what she’s doing, because she has a mouth full of chest hair. Or the golden wags his tail in her face and she can’t get through the hair. Or the Dobie rolls her into a ball and holds her.:joy: The dog looks down at her, laughs and walks away.

However, I take her behavior very seriously. I remember the episode of Cesar Milan where he could not stop two terriers from fighting. The episode just ended after an hour of them trying to kill each other. (Not that I endorse his methods at all, but this shows the intensity of small terriers)

Currently when she visits someone, I’m waiting outside for her. She peruses their house thoroughly-top to bottom in each room - and then lets them know she wants mom.

I would love to find a daycare that would let her have a little fenced off area to herself. But they can’t let her out because she’s cute and begs to. They need to sign a contract with me.