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Help!!
Jul 2, 2015 20:53:04 GMT
Post by ji2611 on Jul 2, 2015 20:53:04 GMT
I have an 8 year old dachshund, since he was a puppy he has always been left while I am at work and everything has been fine he is quite content and we have never had a problem but in the last 3 weeks he has started messing in the house even when he has been for a walk and done everything, in the morning he will do it, then when I come home we go for a walk and I will find a mess again when I come home.My routine is the same as it has always been,I leave him with 2 Kongs stuffed with treats,radio on I have tried an Adaptil diffuser but it makes no difference I have spoken to my neighbours and he is not barking and there is no noise around that would upset him,I have also taken him to the vet as I was worried there was something wrong but the vet checked him over and could not find any problems - just wondered if anyone on here might have encountered a similar problem and can offer any advice?
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Post by gypsy on Jul 2, 2015 21:29:33 GMT
Hi It could be separation anxiety because defecating/urinating is often a symptom of this. Not all dogs howl and bark. Does he consume the kong treats or are they as you left them? Does he have access to most of the house or one area in particular when you're out? You say he has always lived with this routine and been fine, so has something happened recently to upset this? Have you had time off work and returned three weeks ago? Has a member of the family moved out? Another thought if he's just pooing in the house, have you recently changed his diet maybe? A different food might make him want to toilet more often and if no one is at home for several hours, he might not be able to wait. Does he only mess in the house when you are at work or during the night also? If possible....it might be an idea to set up a camera while you're at work. This will show exactly what is going on when you aren't around and explain why his habits have recently changed.
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Help!!
Jul 3, 2015 7:56:37 GMT
Post by ji2611 on Jul 3, 2015 7:56:37 GMT
Hi, Thanks for your reply.
I wondered about separation anxiety but he has never known things any other way so I was not sure why he would suddenly behave in this way?
He does not have access to the whole house just one room and that has always been so and he does not touch the Kong until I come home which is not what he would normally do! I have not changed his diet as he is pretty fussy so I stick to the same food,I only get the mess when I return from work he does not do it during the night.
The only thing I can think of that changed was we went on holiday at the beginning of May for a week but he came to and we went to the same cottage we have gone to for 7 years so not a strange environment.
I think I might try a camera although even if I see what he is doing I still am not sure what I can do about it,I do not like to think he is so distressed about something.
Thanks again for your help!
Jane
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Post by scallywag on Jul 3, 2015 8:04:48 GMT
Would be interested how this progresses ji2611 please pop back and let us know OR you can come chit chat anytime about anything Its always nice to see new members join in on all the other boards Good Luck x EDIT Love the avatar , does this mean you will stay a while and chat ?
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Post by zahada on Jul 3, 2015 10:20:47 GMT
Just because he was happy with your routine for years, doesn't mean he will continue to do so. As dogs age, hearing and eyesight can start to deteriorate and things may look and sound different. What was familiar, may now become frightening. Setting up a camera is a good idea. You could try using Pet Remedy plug in instead of Adaptil. I found Pet Remedy far more effective than Adaptil. I also wonder if putting him in a smaller area such as a puppy play pen or a large crate covered with a sheet or blanket might make him feel more secure.
He could be pooing simply because he can't hold on any longer......... How long are you away from home?
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Post by zahada on Jul 3, 2015 10:32:51 GMT
I think I might try a camera although even if I see what he is doing I still am not sure what I can do about it,I do not like to think he is so distressed about something.
It is the timing of the pooing that can help identify the problem, also his behaviour as you leaving and whilst you're gone. The fact he doesn't touch his Kong while you're away would suggests that he is not at ease. A good behaviourist should be able to help sort out the problem, I'm sure the behaviourist would want to see what your dog does when home alove.
Have you watched Dogs: Their Secret Lives recently aired on channel 4? Worth trying to watch on catch up tv or ITV iplayer. They feature dogs with various problems, a behaviourist then analyses these problems and suggests solutions.
Good luck, don't get disheartened, solution might be very simple.
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Post by ji2611 on Jul 3, 2015 23:23:45 GMT
Thankyou for your reply and suggestions I am going to try the camera,have not had much luck with behaviourists Max was badly bitten in an attack by an English Bull Terrier when he was 6 months old and not surprisingly was not good with other dogs I thought a behaviourist might help,she came to the house for 30 minutes fed him loads of treats and charged me £50!never even took him outside,Maybe I was just unlucky!! I do notice when I leave him now his behaviour is different before he never bothered but now he sits and watches me, he never liked his cage when he was a puppy he went in as long as you did not shut the door! I normally leave him for 3 hours while I am working and it had not been a problem up till now. I hope maybe if we persevere we can get back to normal I will let you know what happens. Thanks again
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Help!!
Jul 8, 2015 20:05:24 GMT
Post by ji2611 on Jul 8, 2015 20:05:24 GMT
Just to say I have had a camera in place the last couple of days for 2 hours and from what I can see he is moving around a lot lying in different places - basket,chair,floor he does not appear to be crying at all a couple of barks but I think that was the postman still messing on the floor but not immediately after I leave I don't know what to make of it ? will keep watching for a few more days I keep hoping we will get back to normal eventually, even thought about getting another for company but that could be either the best thing or the very worst thing to do !
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Post by zahada on Jul 8, 2015 20:59:45 GMT
Get another for company? A dog you mean? I wouldn't. I'd get his issues sorted out first, otherwise the new dog might pick up the problem and you'll finish up with 2 anxious dogs. The fact that he's moving a lot suggests that he is anxious. Where does he mess and can you tell from your footage how long after you go? Which room is he left in?
Sorry to hear that your experience with a behaviourist hasn't been a good one. I would still try to get one to help with your dog.
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Help!!
Jul 8, 2015 21:04:29 GMT
Post by zahada on Jul 8, 2015 21:04:29 GMT
I have an 8 year old dachshund, since he was a puppy he has always been left while I am at work and everything has been fine he is quite content and we have never had a problem but in the last 3 weeks he has started messing in the house even when he has been for a walk and done everything, in the morning he will do it, then when I come home we go for a walk and I will find a mess again when I come home.My routine is the same as it has always been,I leave him with 2 Kongs stuffed with treats,radio on I have tried an Adaptil diffuser but it makes no difference I have spoken to my neighbours and he is not barking and there is no noise around that would upset him,I have also taken him to the vet as I was worried there was something wrong but the vet checked him over and could not find any problems - just wondered if anyone on here might have encountered a similar problem and can offer any advice? Just re-reading your original post - something I missed first time round. Max will mess in the house after you've come home and taken him for a walk? Whilst you're still in the house? Am I understanding you correctly?
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Help!!
Jul 8, 2015 22:03:36 GMT
Post by ji2611 on Jul 8, 2015 22:03:36 GMT
No he does not mess in the house when I am there what I meant was that when he has been for a walk and already done everything therefore I would not expect him to have anything left to do in the house! From the footage it is around an hour after I have left before he does anything,he is left in the living room where he has always been left and does not not mess in the same spot all the time I have papers down now but it is not always in the same area. Do you think if I persevere it might pass?
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Post by gypsy on Jul 8, 2015 23:54:35 GMT
No he does not mess in the house when I am there what I meant was that when he has been for a walk and already done everything therefore I would not expect him to have anything left to do in the house! From the footage it is around an hour after I have left before he does anything,he is left in the living room where he has always been left and does not not mess in the same spot all the time I have papers down now but it is not always in the same area. Do you think if I persevere it might pass? Its possible but I know that separation anxiety (if thats what this is) can be a very difficult and frustrating issue to resolve. Ten years ago I owned a dog who suffered this and I believe the underlying problem was an over attachment to me. I would confine her to one room but she was a very clever dog and learn't how to open doors damaging them in the process, so she could have access to most of the house. She would also defecate when I was out (despite being toilet trained) and she would gather things with my scent on, whine and pace about. A clue in one of your posts is the uneaten kongs. Dogs generally don't eat when they're anxious/stressed. The fact he eats the treats once you have returned shows that his anxiety levels reduce upon you return. Out of interest, how does your dog behave when you're around? Does he tend to follow you from room to room? Watch you constantly? Insist on having physical contact when you're around? Sleep on your bed sometimes at night? Honestly, I don't think getting another dog will resolve the problem. The new dog will likely feed off the anxiety of your current dog and then you'll have two dogs with this issue, instead of one. Not only that but if your dog isn't very good with other dogs due to his negative past experiences, then introducing a new dog into your home, will likely increase his anxiety levels not help. Is it possible something has happened whilst you've been at work to kick start this problem? For example, we had a client who's dog only developed separation anxiety whilst owner was at work, following an attempted burglary on their home when the dog was there alone. www.apbc.org.uk/
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Help!!
Jul 9, 2015 21:02:00 GMT
Post by ji2611 on Jul 9, 2015 21:02:00 GMT
Thankyou for your help-he does follow me around now but he only started doing it when this problem started. I understand what you are saying about another dog,I think I am just getting a bit desperate to find a solution and I guess it is not going to be easy!
I am not aware of anything happening at any time when I was out,I have spoken to my neighbours just to check he not a dog who is upset by thunder either as I realise some dogs are really frightened.
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Help!!
Jul 9, 2015 21:30:29 GMT
Post by scallywag on Jul 9, 2015 21:30:29 GMT
Thankyou for your help-he does follow me around now but he only started doing it when this problem started. I understand what you are saying about another dog,I think I am just getting a bit desperate to find a solution and I guess it is not going to be easy! I am not aware of anything happening at any time when I was out,I have spoken to my neighbours just to check he not a dog who is upset by thunder either as I realise some dogs are really frightened. We are all here for you, you can talk it thru to people who understand, we may not be able to sort it, but at least theres a good few answers and surgestion thrown in the pot. Don't suffer this on your own ji2611
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Help!!
Jul 10, 2015 21:59:09 GMT
Post by bectil on Jul 10, 2015 21:59:09 GMT
Welcome to the forum ji2611 My Whippet X Staffy use to have separation anxiety and it took us months to be able to leave him. When we kept him in his crate (although he knew his crate was a 'safe place') he use to urinate in it, did not eat his kong (which is VERY unlike him as his stomach rules his head!) and was destructive (he managed to destroyed one crate). We ended up scrapping the crate idea and let him have the run of the house with our other dog. He was still (and only) destructive, but he was happier out of his crate. We started leaving him for about 5 or 10 mins, then made it longer each time. We also ended up putting the dogs in a quiet part of the house, where they can not see out to the front of the house/get to the front door. You say your dog follows you about, does he not leave you at all to go into a different room? When Alfie had his crate, the door was open all the time and he use to start taking himself off to his crate and sit in there chewing his toy, while we were in the next room. That point was a big step for him, as he use to be glued to one of us. I found that helped towards us being able to leave him.
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