Looking for advice about a new dog

[Tricia]

Wow, Phil isn't a clear second?

Crazy, huh?
When its me, Phil and Gypsy around random people, Phil is a clear #2,(that made me giggle a little), but when Andy shows up, she's pretty smitten with him.

 

[VickieH]

The good news is that since she got back Mia has been spending more time with me than she had been and even jumped up on the sofa yesterday to hang out with me, which she had rarely done before. Progress, but I certainly know where I stand in the pecking order.

Congratulations! This is HUGE!

If only Mia could talk, I'd love to hear her version of events during Ellen's absence.

 

[Tricia]

Confession time.
We dropped Gypsy off at doggie day care today for socializing and the house seems far too quiet.
I often get tired of her being under foot, but now I miss it.

 

[Lauren]

Confession time.
We dropped Gypsy off at doggie day care today for socializing and the house seems far too quiet.
I often get tired of her being under foot, but now I miss it.

Aww! Follow-up? How’d it go?

We dropped Rendl off for day care yesterday too! I was out of the house for work all day and we were having a couple people over for dinner, so I knew he wouldn’t get the exercise he normally gets. Figured he’d be good if he got to play all day. They gave us a “First Day Report Card”...his best friends for the day were Whiskey (yup, that’s my dog), Snuggles (definitely mine), and Junebug ( )

 

[TheArchitect]

Confession time.
We dropped Gypsy off at doggie day care today for socializing and the house seems far too quiet.
I often get tired of her being under foot, but now I miss it.

Weird, isn't it?

 

[Tricia]

Aww! Follow-up? How’d it go?

We dropped Rendl off for day care yesterday too! I was out of the house for work all day and we were having a couple people over for dinner, so I knew he wouldn’t get the exercise he normally gets. Figured he’d be good if he got to play all day. They gave us a “First Day Report Card”...his best friends for the day were Whiskey (yup, that’s my dog), Snuggles (definitely mine), and Junebug ( )

I love the idea of a report card. Whiskey and Snuggles!!
They didn't give a report card, but we chatted with the trainer when they brought her out to the car. Her walking that went on the agility course with her was Blue, a blue heeler that we got to meet. I can totally see why the two got along.
She was really chill when we dropped her off but she was anxious when we picked her up and wouldn't let herself relax in the car ride home.
Since she was adopted so recently, my prediction is this will get better the more she realizes that we'll be dropping her off and picking her up regularly.
She was a little better about splitting her time between me and Phil when we got home last night.
Glad this will be a part of her new routine.

Weird, isn't it?

Crazy. I went from frustration for her being under foot to missing her.

 

[TheArchitect]

Time for an update. We met with our trainer Kim last Saturday to go over Mia's progress and next steps. Mia learned all of the commands we tried very, very quickly and she is progressing in all aspects except for one. She continues to bark for odd reasons. We'll be sitting in the living room and I'll stand up and she'll bark, even though she's had me in her view the entire time. She'll be upstairs and she'll hear me coming and will start barking. I put my headphones down in one room and she'll hear that and bark. I'll get up off the couch when she's sitting at the other end and she'll bark. She'll bark at sounds the neighbors make, though that seems normal to me.

After explaining it all to the trainer and our vet they told us to try Mia on Prozac to see if it reduces her anxiety. We started that yesterday and will monitor to see if it makes a difference.

Mia chilling down the Cape yesterday

 

[Tim Hodgson]

Beautiful photo.

I am sure you considered them, but in case you haven't, there are bark collars you could try which would restrain the barking rather than drugging the dog. One bark collar emits a citronella spray others a mild spark.

Edit: I may not have read your post correctly. What did you mean "[T]o try Mia on prozac..." ?

 

[TheArchitect]

Beautiful photo.

I am sure you considered them, but in case you haven't, there are bark collars you could try which would restrain the barking rather than drugging the dog. One bark collar emits a citronella spray others a mild spark.

Edit: I may not have read your post correctly. What did you mean "[T]o try Mia on prozac..." ?

Actually, I've never heard of a bark collar. Neither the trainer or vet mentioned them. I need to follow up on that one as I'd prefer to not give her Prozac. You didn't mis-read the post. The vet prescribed half a pill of Prozac a day to see if it affects her.

 

[Tricia]

Sounds like progress.
I'm sure the barking will get better.

One of the things the behavior people told us about Gypsy's anxiety, which is consistently getting better, is that the longer she's in our home the more confidence she'll have. As confidence improves, the anxiety lessens.

As for barking, well, Gypsy has some serious ears on her.
I think she can hear paint drying.

 

[Tricia]

Beautiful photo.

I am sure you considered them, but in case you haven't, there are bark collars you could try which would restrain the barking rather than drugging the dog. One bark collar emits a citronella spray others a mild spark.

Edit: I may not have read your post correctly. What did you mean "[T]o try Mia on prozac..." ?

No way would I ever put a bark collar on a dog. Especially a dog that already has anxiety. Its like taking your kid with a mental health issue and doing shock treatment.

Just as humans can have ptsd and need medical assistance along with counseling, so do dogs. Address the anxiety along with the triggers of it and you'll see long term results.

Actually, I've never heard of a bark collar. Neither the trainer or vet mentioned them.

Because there isn't a reputable vet or trainer on the planet that would recommend it for a dog with anxiety.

 

[VickieH]

I would treat the anxiety, even if it meant drugs. Anxiety does bad things to us.

If the anxiety is addressed and the barking continues, it could have become a habit. To my way of thinking, medication allows them to eliminate anxiety as a cause before treating it as a behavioral issue. I like their approach.

 

[Tim Hodgson]

I am not a reputable dog trainer . . .

P.S. Am I in trouble for putting a shock pad on the tarp on the bed in the spare bed room to train the peeing-on-the-bed behavior out of our kitty?

P.P.S. We have never used a shock collar. But the citronella collar began to intrigue us in the event we were forced to dog sit our buddy's American Eskimo breed a week longer.

P.P.P.S. Yes, I am a behaviorist. Specifically of the Christian, Buddha, Ayn Rand, B.F. Skinner variety.

 

[Tricia]

We concentrated a lot on the different body language and types of barks when we were at Gypsy's classes. It was huge to get a better understanding.
Your behavior specialist/trainer will be able to help you. I just feel that her anxiety would be exacerbated if you try a bark collar.

 

[Lauren]

Actually, I've never heard of a bark collar. Neither the trainer or vet mentioned them. I need to follow up on that one as I'd prefer to not give her Prozac. You didn't mis-read the post. The vet prescribed half a pill of Prozac a day to see if it affects her.

I would talk it over with your trainer. Bark collars can be very useful as a dog training tool, but I feel like due to the nature of her barking (anxiety) I would be very careful not to make it worse. There are collars that deliver a beep and/or a vibrate, rather than a shock (personally I don’t agree with using a shock). But I would fear that even a beep could cause extra anxiety.

 

[Andy Mink]

Actually, I've never heard of a bark collar. Neither the trainer or vet mentioned them. I need to follow up on that one as I'd prefer to not give her Prozac. You didn't mis-read the post. The vet prescribed half a pill of Prozac a day to see if it affects her.

A vet may not be able to prescribe but CBD oil can have a calming effect. We use Cannanine brand for our old girl who was licking the air and getting kind of lost in then evenings. With .5ml twice per day that seems to have stopped. For your pooch it would be way less as Pepper is about 70#.

 

[TheArchitect]

Thanks to all for the follow up replies. The citronella bark collar was what caught my eye and definitely not the shock version (I couldn't do that to her). In any case, we're sticking with the current approach to see how she reacts. It's definitely anxiety that's causing this barking to sudden noises and movements so adding a collar that beeps or vibrates may make things worse.

@Andy Mink CBD oil is on our list of potential solutions but my wife is hesitant to go that route yet.

 

[Tricia]

Thanks to all for the follow up replies. The citronella bark collar was what caught my eye and definitely not the shock version (I couldn't do that to her). In any case, we're sticking with the current approach to see how she reacts. It's definitely anxiety that's causing this barking to sudden noises and movements so adding a collar that beeps or vibrates may make things worse.

@Andy Mink CBD oil is on our list of potential solutions but my wife is hesitant to go that route yet.

Even this citronella collar will spray citronella in the dog's face when it barks. That can have as much of a set back for Mia in her current state.

You are doing the right thing. If you get a minute, watch the video I posted above with some helpful tips on figuring out your dog's body language and barking language.

 

[doc]

A vet may not be able to prescribe but CBD oil can have a calming effect.

It may or it may not. I use it on 2 of my 3 labs (the third seems naturally, permanently and pleasantly stoned). On one dog (male) it seems to curb his aggressiveness around other males within his "territory," and on another (female) it seems to heighten her excitability. On the plus side, it has an admirable effect on her achy shoulder issues.

 

[TheArchitect]

Even this citronella collar will spray citronella in the dog's face when it barks. That can have as much of a set back for Mia in her current state.

You are doing the right thing. If you get a minute, watch the video I posted above with some helpful tips on figuring out your dog's body language and barking language.

Hmmm. I thought that maybe the citronella collar sprayed it into the air as a scent distraction and not into her face. No bark collars for Mia.

I watched the video; thanks for posting!