Pets chit chat thread

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

It was based on advice of a friend who works for a local humane society. I think they change them out completely once every two weeks if a single cat is using them and more often depending on the number of cats per box. They scoop them out twice a day, but they only completely change them once every week to two weeks. So I'm not sure. I'm changing his out completely, weekly, scooping daily.

Humane societies and shelters generally a) don't care about smell nor do they care if the cat boycotts the litter tray because it's dirty; and b) cut corners as tightly as possible in order to save money... some cut corners to the point of being unethical, but most just tighten up as much as they can, compromising whatever standards can be safely compromised in order to stretch their meager funds as far as possible.

You can't really apply shelter standards to the real world. They often talk the big talk, but when you examine their actual practices and standards the differences are clear (to the point that 'Shelter Medicine' is a whole sub-category of the Veterinary industry). They do the best with what they've got (and I do have respect for what many of them manage, while I actively think others should be shut down and prosecuted), but they are almost NEVER good role models.

How deep do you usually pour it? I'm using a storage tub I converted to a litter box and filling it about two inches deep.

That one doesn't have a set recommendation. It really depends on your cat and how often you scoop and change. It is perfectly acceptable to put just a cup of litter and change it every single time the cat toilets (this is what most vet clinics do, because the litter tray is right there in the cage with them and it's not nice to be sitting in the same 'room' as your poop)... but I literally mean EVERY SINGLE TIME they toilet. Most cats prefer to have a good chance of burying their poop, so prefer a few inches deep. Just don't fall into the trap of thinking that deep = less often changes... because that's not nice for the cat and is not sanitary for you or Nova.

Just keep doing what you are doing. 2 inches deep, scoop daily (personally I would say whenever you walk past and notice there's something in there, scoop it... but not everyone is that dedicated so do it at least once daily) and a full change and clean weekly. If he has two trays, even better... most cats will chose to toilet in a clean tray over using one that's had something in it (even if it's been scooped) but will tolerate having only one.

Think about it this way. No one LIKES to toilet in public toilets... especially the council ones in parks and stuff (versus the ones in shopping malls that are checked and cleaned every hour). But if you need to pee, you're going to go into the dirty stinky toilet and pee. Sometimes you're going to hold it until you get home, because the toilet is just too dirty and stinky. Sometimes you're going to pee behind a bush because the only other option is the gross long drop out on the highway that makes you want to puke. Cats are not that different from humans in their toileting preferences. Cats are people too

[DanieMarie]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Albert's perch on his cat tree broke today. Just snapped in half. Apparently it's made of a thick cardboard tube and not wood. He's really in a mood now, partly from the shock (he was sitting on it when it snapped) and partly because he lost his favourite place to sit.

After the insanity of Christmas is over, I'll build him a new one. I can take the rope from the old piece, buy a piece of proper solid wood from the hardware store and snap one together. Until then, poor kitty

He's ok, at least. He didn't hurt himself when it fell down.

[kalynraye]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Brexton, my border collie has suffered from the day we brought him home a year and a half ago from severe separation anxiety. Some days are better then others. Every day when KP and I leave for work him and Rockstar go into a create. They prefer to share a very large one and Brexton has done much better with having Rockstar in with him. But the last few days he has barked from the time we left till the time I came home. It didn't matter if it was for 2 hours or 9 hours. He had been walked, and had plenty of exercise. We are lucky the only neighbor we have is above us.

Today on a whim as he started shaking all over as I got ready for work, I took an old shirt of mine put it on him and secured it with a pony tail holder. I put him and Rockstar in their bed and left. No barking when I left, no barking when I got home. The shirt was still on him and the exact same way. He didn't shred the blanket I put in there(he shreds everything you put in there). He came out in a pretty calm and happy manner. I cut the shirt down and added ties so it fit more securely and he still seemed to like it.

I am just worried that tomorrow it wont work, and that he will be in full panic mode again. I don't like it when he is that upset because I don't know how to help with his insecurities. Any advice on helping with separation anxiety? It is bad enough that he will pace and cry at the door till I come back from a quick trip to the store and KP will be home with him. He wont relax till I am in his sight.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Brexton, my border collie has suffered from the day we brought him home a year and a half ago from severe separation anxiety. Some days are better then others. Every day when KP and I leave for work him and Rockstar go into a create. They prefer to share a very large one and Brexton has done much better with having Rockstar in with him. But the last few days he has barked from the time we left till the time I came home. It didn't matter if it was for 2 hours or 9 hours. He had been walked, and had plenty of exercise. We are lucky the only neighbor we have is above us.

Today on a whim as he started shaking all over as I got ready for work, I took an old shirt of mine put it on him and secured it with a pony tail holder. I put him and Rockstar in their bed and left. No barking when I left, no barking when I got home. The shirt was still on him and the exact same way. He didn't shred the blanket I put in there(he shreds everything you put in there). He came out in a pretty calm and happy manner. I cut the shirt down and added ties so it fit more securely and he still seemed to like it.

I am just worried that tomorrow it wont work, and that he will be in full panic mode again. I don't like it when he is that upset because I don't know how to help with his insecurities. Any advice on helping with separation anxiety? It is bad enough that he will pace and cry at the door till I come back from a quick trip to the store and KP will be home with him. He wont relax till I am in his sight.

Severe separation anxiety usually requires a behaviourist and medication to truly get on top of, but there are a few things you can try yourselves first.

- Firstly... check out this website and read as much of her stuff as you can. She recently died but she is still one of the leading veterinary behaviourists in the world and has some excellent resources for owners on her website. If you have the time, read all through her blog entries and watch the videos.. you'll learn a lot if really valuable tips and tricks.

- Crating, as you are already doing... separation anxiety is really the only time I am okay with crating a dog during the day. For the average dog being crated all day is boring as hell, but for anxious dogs it can provide a safe haven and increase their confidence and comfort levels. I'm not sure how you've trained yours to the crate, but it works best if they've been through the full crate training process. It is also sometimes referred to as a 'bolt hole'.

- Use a DAP diffuser in the room you have his crate in. There is some cost involved with these, but they can make a significant difference. It also comes in a collar and a spray... the spray WILL NOT work for this purpose as it only lasts about an hour. They collar would work, or the diffuser. I'm not sure which is cheaper in the US, but here in Australia you can get the diffuser over the counter but the collars need to be specially ordered by an authorised vet or trainer so aren't available to the general public. The DAP is a synthetic pheromone that mimics the pheromone excreted by the mother during breast feeding, which also reduces anxiety and stress in adult dogs.

- Use a Thundershirt... which is the equivalent of swaddling a baby. I suspect the reason you had success with putting your shirt on him was because it's sort of like a Thundershirt... the Thundershirt is a commercial one that is designed for dogs and provides a gentle even pressure across their body. We've had mixed success with them but they can work well for dogs in certain circumstances... separation anxiety being one of them. You could possibly make a DIY one yourself, but it might be difficult to get the even pressure that you need without creating rub spots.

- Countercondition to your 'leaving the house' triggers. Counterconditioning is when you form new connections to a trigger using positive reinforcement like treats, food and positive attention. This takes a LOT of time and in separation anxiety is only successful some of the time, because every time you leave and he gets stressed reinforces his anxiety and reinforces the negative associations with the triggers. It's almost impossible to break that without medication in severe separation anxiety cases, unless you can spend a few weeks at home never leaving the house (which is almost impossible for most people).

- Make sure you have set boundaries and rules at home that give his life structure... this isn't about harsh rules, but about structure and consistency. It doesn't matter what the boundaries are... just give him consistent messages so that he knows what to expect from you and from himself. Teach him what you DO want him to do, not what you don't want him to do.

A few things that DON'T work...

- Flooding. Flooding is an old school technique where you expose the dog to the trigger so often and such a high intensity that they are overwhelmed and stop reacting. This is usually because something breaks and they give up and can have all sorts of negative consequences. Please don't try this.

- Telling him off. Never, ever, ever tell him off, yell at him or reprimand him in any way for his anxious behaviour. Ever. Don't get your voice in a sharp tone. Don't talk at him in a frustrated manner. It will only make it worse. Reprimands are always a BAD thing with anxious dogs and particularly with separation anxiety.

- Exercise and training. Yes, he needs both of these things, but they will NOT help with the separation anxiety. They are important for completely separate reasons, but will not make his separation anxiety better. There's A LOT of BS out there about separation anxiety and trainers who can fix it. They can't. They can break your dog, which sometimes looks like it's 'fixed' them (this is what Cesar Milan does), but really all it is is a broken spirit and the sort of apathy that comes about when you grind someone's soul into the ground so hard that they lose the ability to think and care for themselves.

- In this case, desensitisation. This IS something that we use in a number of different cases, but it's rarely successful with severe separation anxiety for the same reason that counterconditioning often doesn't work with these guys. Desensitisation is when you expose them to the trigger at VERY low intensity (ie an intensity that doesn't cause the anxious reaction), reward the calm behaviour and slowly, slowly step up the intensity of the trigger in stages. It works best in conjunction with counterconditioning, but as I said is almost never helpful for severe separation anxiety. It's also very difficult for people to do this properly on their own at home, because you haven't been trained to recognise the early stress signs and so end up using an intensity that is too high and stepping the stages up too fast.

But honestly, particularly being a Border Collie, the very best thing you can do is go and see a VETERINARY BEHAVIOURIST if you can afford it. I stress Veterinary because there are a lot of trainers out there who call themselves behaviourists but who aren't. They aren't qualified to deal with half the stuff they attempt to deal with and usually do more damage than good. A qualified veterinary behaviourist will usually have trainers that they work with (because sometimes training is a very important part of the process) and will include a lot of training in their plans... but you need someone who has the knowledge and ability to a) rule out medical issues and b) prescribe medication if needed. I stress Behaviourist because your average vet IS NOT qualified to deal with complex anxiety cases and in some cases can do more damage than good. The training they get in vet school is relatively shallow and for the older generations, outdated. The dog behaviour field is evolving so quickly that only an actual vet behaviourist who keeps up to date with their CE and CPD will have the most current information and experience. The US has an association for veterinary behaviourists that governs that sort of thing (we don't in Australia, unfortunately) so it's easier over there to weed out the 'real' behaviourists from the average vets who give outdated advice.

[SleepingCompass]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Any advice on helping with separation anxiety? It is bad enough that he will pace and cry at the door till I come back from a quick trip to the store and KP will be home with him. He wont relax till I am in his sight.

My dog, Jack, had some pretty bad separation anxiety when I first got him about seven years ago now. I don't know about any official techniques, but another lady who had a poodle (Jack is also a poodle and they tend to have anxiety problems), told me what worked for her and I tried it with my dog, and though it took a long time to work, it eventually did.

Throughout the day, I'll leave Jack locked in a room by himself but I'll tell him repeatedly before I go, "I'll be right back." Quick trips to the kitchen or bathroom breaks or anything that takes less than five minutes and I'll do this. I never say it if I'm going to be longer than five minutes. He barely lifts his head off the bed when I do it now whereas before when I first started doing it he'd cry and bark and whine non stop.

I'm not sure why it worked, except maybe he didn't like having no idea of when I'd return? I don't know. But once the quick trips started working, he eventually stopped freaking out about the longer trips too, even though I don't tell him the phrase. Maybe some kind of trust build up thing? I just know that it worked for the other lady and it worked for me.

Took about a month of doing this before I started seeing results though.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

On march 19th im supposed to be moving into my new apartmen, and I will be able to get my kitties that day. I've been away from them since October, I really hope they remember me and don't lose their minds too much. Im Actually quite nervous, they will be moving, which means car ride and there will be someone else moving in too, I hope they will be ok, I hope they remember me and aren't afraid of me, I think I'll cry so much...

[habbalah]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

On march 19th im supposed to be moving into my new apartmen, and I will be able to get my kitties that day. I've been away from them since October, I really hope they remember me and don't lose their minds too much. Im Actually quite nervous, they will be moving, which means car ride and there will be someone else moving in too, I hope they will be ok, I hope they remember me and aren't afraid of me, I think I'll cry so much...

That's wonderful. I'm sure they remember you and will be thrilled to see you again.

[kalynraye]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Severe separation anxiety usually requires a behaviourist and medication to truly get on top of, but there are a few things you can try yourselves first.

- Firstly... check out this website and read as much of her stuff as you can. She recently died but she is still one of the leading veterinary behaviourists in the world and has some excellent resources for owners on her website. If you have the time, read all through her blog entries and watch the videos.. you'll learn a lot if really valuable tips and tricks.

- Crating, as you are already doing... separation anxiety is really the only time I am okay with crating a dog during the day. For the average dog being crated all day is boring as hell, but for anxious dogs it can provide a safe haven and increase their confidence and comfort levels. I'm not sure how you've trained yours to the crate, but it works best if they've been through the full crate training process. It is also sometimes referred to as a 'bolt hole'.

- Use a DAP diffuser in the room you have his crate in. There is some cost involved with these, but they can make a significant difference. It also comes in a collar and a spray... the spray WILL NOT work for this purpose as it only lasts about an hour. They collar would work, or the diffuser. I'm not sure which is cheaper in the US, but here in Australia you can get the diffuser over the counter but the collars need to be specially ordered by an authorised vet or trainer so aren't available to the general public. The DAP is a synthetic pheromone that mimics the pheromone excreted by the mother during breast feeding, which also reduces anxiety and stress in adult dogs.

- Use a Thundershirt... which is the equivalent of swaddling a baby. I suspect the reason you had success with putting your shirt on him was because it's sort of like a Thundershirt... the Thundershirt is a commercial one that is designed for dogs and provides a gentle even pressure across their body. We've had mixed success with them but they can work well for dogs in certain circumstances... separation anxiety being one of them. You could possibly make a DIY one yourself, but it might be difficult to get the even pressure that you need without creating rub spots.

- Countercondition to your 'leaving the house' triggers. Counterconditioning is when you form new connections to a trigger using positive reinforcement like treats, food and positive attention. This takes a LOT of time and in separation anxiety is only successful some of the time, because every time you leave and he gets stressed reinforces his anxiety and reinforces the negative associations with the triggers. It's almost impossible to break that without medication in severe separation anxiety cases, unless you can spend a few weeks at home never leaving the house (which is almost impossible for most people).

- Make sure you have set boundaries and rules at home that give his life structure... this isn't about harsh rules, but about structure and consistency. It doesn't matter what the boundaries are... just give him consistent messages so that he knows what to expect from you and from himself. Teach him what you DO want him to do, not what you don't want him to do.

A few things that DON'T work...

- Flooding. Flooding is an old school technique where you expose the dog to the trigger so often and such a high intensity that they are overwhelmed and stop reacting. This is usually because something breaks and they give up and can have all sorts of negative consequences. Please don't try this.

- Telling him off. Never, ever, ever tell him off, yell at him or reprimand him in any way for his anxious behaviour. Ever. Don't get your voice in a sharp tone. Don't talk at him in a frustrated manner. It will only make it worse. Reprimands are always a BAD thing with anxious dogs and particularly with separation anxiety.

- Exercise and training. Yes, he needs both of these things, but they will NOT help with the separation anxiety. They are important for completely separate reasons, but will not make his separation anxiety better. There's A LOT of BS out there about separation anxiety and trainers who can fix it. They can't. They can break your dog, which sometimes looks like it's 'fixed' them (this is what Cesar Milan does), but really all it is is a broken spirit and the sort of apathy that comes about when you grind someone's soul into the ground so hard that they lose the ability to think and care for themselves.

- In this case, desensitisation. This IS something that we use in a number of different cases, but it's rarely successful with severe separation anxiety for the same reason that counterconditioning often doesn't work with these guys. Desensitisation is when you expose them to the trigger at VERY low intensity (ie an intensity that doesn't cause the anxious reaction), reward the calm behaviour and slowly, slowly step up the intensity of the trigger in stages. It works best in conjunction with counterconditioning, but as I said is almost never helpful for severe separation anxiety. It's also very difficult for people to do this properly on their own at home, because you haven't been trained to recognise the early stress signs and so end up using an intensity that is too high and stepping the stages up too fast.

But honestly, particularly being a Border Collie, the very best thing you can do is go and see a VETERINARY BEHAVIOURIST if you can afford it. I stress Veterinary because there are a lot of trainers out there who call themselves behaviourists but who aren't. They aren't qualified to deal with half the stuff they attempt to deal with and usually do more damage than good. A qualified veterinary behaviourist will usually have trainers that they work with (because sometimes training is a very important part of the process) and will include a lot of training in their plans... but you need someone who has the knowledge and ability to a) rule out medical issues and b) prescribe medication if needed. I stress Behaviourist because your average vet IS NOT qualified to deal with complex anxiety cases and in some cases can do more damage than good. The training they get in vet school is relatively shallow and for the older generations, outdated. The dog behaviour field is evolving so quickly that only an actual vet behaviourist who keeps up to date with their CE and CPD will have the most current information and experience. The US has an association for veterinary behaviourists that governs that sort of thing (we don't in Australia, unfortunately) so it's easier over there to weed out the 'real' behaviourists from the average vets who give outdated advice.

I am also not a huge fan of the crate. The only time they are in it is when we will be gone for long periods of time. While KP was in Dallas and I was in Charlotte, I tried not putting him in the crate at all but I came home multiple times to my stuff specifically shredded. At night him and Rocky sleep in a bed with a big blanket on it or they sleep under my bed. That is Brexton's haven. When he is scared or in trouble or he wants to be left alone under my bed is the spot.

Also he wore his shirt into the crate again today and no barking when I got home. I am going to stay positive on it but keep a close eye. Sleeping Compass I did try talking to him and telling him I would be home later. Positive reinforcement thats what I'm going for.

- - - Updated - - -

Severe separation anxiety usually requires a behaviourist and medication to truly get on top of, but there are a few things you can try yourselves first.

- Firstly... check out this website and read as much of her stuff as you can. She recently died but she is still one of the leading veterinary behaviourists in the world and has some excellent resources for owners on her website. If you have the time, read all through her blog entries and watch the videos.. you'll learn a lot if really valuable tips and tricks.

- Crating, as you are already doing... separation anxiety is really the only time I am okay with crating a dog during the day. For the average dog being crated all day is boring as hell, but for anxious dogs it can provide a safe haven and increase their confidence and comfort levels. I'm not sure how you've trained yours to the crate, but it works best if they've been through the full crate training process. It is also sometimes referred to as a 'bolt hole'.

- Use a DAP diffuser in the room you have his crate in. There is some cost involved with these, but they can make a significant difference. It also comes in a collar and a spray... the spray WILL NOT work for this purpose as it only lasts about an hour. They collar would work, or the diffuser. I'm not sure which is cheaper in the US, but here in Australia you can get the diffuser over the counter but the collars need to be specially ordered by an authorised vet or trainer so aren't available to the general public. The DAP is a synthetic pheromone that mimics the pheromone excreted by the mother during breast feeding, which also reduces anxiety and stress in adult dogs.

- Use a Thundershirt... which is the equivalent of swaddling a baby. I suspect the reason you had success with putting your shirt on him was because it's sort of like a Thundershirt... the Thundershirt is a commercial one that is designed for dogs and provides a gentle even pressure across their body. We've had mixed success with them but they can work well for dogs in certain circumstances... separation anxiety being one of them. You could possibly make a DIY one yourself, but it might be difficult to get the even pressure that you need without creating rub spots.

- Countercondition to your 'leaving the house' triggers. Counterconditioning is when you form new connections to a trigger using positive reinforcement like treats, food and positive attention. This takes a LOT of time and in separation anxiety is only successful some of the time, because every time you leave and he gets stressed reinforces his anxiety and reinforces the negative associations with the triggers. It's almost impossible to break that without medication in severe separation anxiety cases, unless you can spend a few weeks at home never leaving the house (which is almost impossible for most people).

- Make sure you have set boundaries and rules at home that give his life structure... this isn't about harsh rules, but about structure and consistency. It doesn't matter what the boundaries are... just give him consistent messages so that he knows what to expect from you and from himself. Teach him what you DO want him to do, not what you don't want him to do.

A few things that DON'T work...

- Flooding. Flooding is an old school technique where you expose the dog to the trigger so often and such a high intensity that they are overwhelmed and stop reacting. This is usually because something breaks and they give up and can have all sorts of negative consequences. Please don't try this.

- Telling him off. Never, ever, ever tell him off, yell at him or reprimand him in any way for his anxious behaviour. Ever. Don't get your voice in a sharp tone. Don't talk at him in a frustrated manner. It will only make it worse. Reprimands are always a BAD thing with anxious dogs and particularly with separation anxiety.

- Exercise and training. Yes, he needs both of these things, but they will NOT help with the separation anxiety. They are important for completely separate reasons, but will not make his separation anxiety better. There's A LOT of BS out there about separation anxiety and trainers who can fix it. They can't. They can break your dog, which sometimes looks like it's 'fixed' them (this is what Cesar Milan does), but really all it is is a broken spirit and the sort of apathy that comes about when you grind someone's soul into the ground so hard that they lose the ability to think and care for themselves.

- In this case, desensitisation. This IS something that we use in a number of different cases, but it's rarely successful with severe separation anxiety for the same reason that counterconditioning often doesn't work with these guys. Desensitisation is when you expose them to the trigger at VERY low intensity (ie an intensity that doesn't cause the anxious reaction), reward the calm behaviour and slowly, slowly step up the intensity of the trigger in stages. It works best in conjunction with counterconditioning, but as I said is almost never helpful for severe separation anxiety. It's also very difficult for people to do this properly on their own at home, because you haven't been trained to recognise the early stress signs and so end up using an intensity that is too high and stepping the stages up too fast.

But honestly, particularly being a Border Collie, the very best thing you can do is go and see a VETERINARY BEHAVIOURIST if you can afford it. I stress Veterinary because there are a lot of trainers out there who call themselves behaviourists but who aren't. They aren't qualified to deal with half the stuff they attempt to deal with and usually do more damage than good. A qualified veterinary behaviourist will usually have trainers that they work with (because sometimes training is a very important part of the process) and will include a lot of training in their plans... but you need someone who has the knowledge and ability to a) rule out medical issues and b) prescribe medication if needed. I stress Behaviourist because your average vet IS NOT qualified to deal with complex anxiety cases and in some cases can do more damage than good. The training they get in vet school is relatively shallow and for the older generations, outdated. The dog behaviour field is evolving so quickly that only an actual vet behaviourist who keeps up to date with their CE and CPD will have the most current information and experience. The US has an association for veterinary behaviourists that governs that sort of thing (we don't in Australia, unfortunately) so it's easier over there to weed out the 'real' behaviourists from the average vets who give outdated advice.

I am also not a huge fan of the crate. The only time they are in it is when we will be gone for long periods of time. While KP was in Dallas and I was in Charlotte, I tried not putting him in the crate at all but I came home multiple times to my stuff specifically shredded. At night him and Rocky sleep in a bed with a big blanket on it or they sleep under my bed. That is Brexton's haven. When he is scared or in trouble or he wants to be left alone under my bed is the spot.

Also he wore his shirt into the crate again today and no barking when I got home. I am going to stay positive on it but keep a close eye. Sleeping Compass I did try talking to him and telling him I would be home later. Positive reinforcement thats what I'm going for.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I am also not a huge fan of the crate. The only time they are in it is when we will be gone for long periods of time. While KP was in Dallas and I was in Charlotte, I tried not putting him in the crate at all but I came home multiple times to my stuff specifically shredded. At night him and Rocky sleep in a bed with a big blanket on it or they sleep under my bed. That is Brexton's haven. When he is scared or in trouble or he wants to be left alone under my bed is the spot.

As I said, the crate is absolutely acceptable in separation anxiety cases, specifically because these guys need to have a safe haven or bolt hole that makes them feel secure (please, never ever ever use the crate for punishment or confinement or as time out, as this will undo all of that). It's a bit of an exception to the generalised rule that staying in a crate all day is not a good thing for a dog. We have to think about and treat anxiety dogs quite differently to the average non-anxious dog, as well as treating them all as individual cases. This is why it's so difficult to give complete advice without an actual behavioural consult... because each case is different and will need something slightly different. But the things I mentioned are general enough that most anxiety dogs would benefit from them. ALL dogs (even non-anxiety dogs) benefit from DAP in stressful situations (stress is different to anxiety, but anxious dogs are in a constant state of stress). Additionally, ALL dogs benefit from consistent expectations and boundaries... this is not necessarily the same as routine (sometimes we actually need to break routine if it's a trigger, like in separation anxiety) and you can be consistent without being routined, if that makes sense. Unfortunately, humans are actually really bad at being consistent and giving out mixed messages to animals, and dogs pick up on that very, very easily.

I'm not sure if you've ever read anything about whisper training, but that is helpful in anxious dogs too. If he knows how to sit and drop, you ask him to do those things in a whispered voice and pair it with some puppy massage (a single long slow stroke in this case). Start by asking it when he's calm so that it becomes a cue for him to drop and have that calm feeling. Sometimes it's not effective without medication due to the arousal level thresholds, but it can be helpful and is relatively easy to do. Then you ask him to do it when he goes in the crate, and the crate becomes attached to that calm feeling.

Puppy massage might help, but dogs who are in a high anxiety state can be hypersensitive to touch so you have to be careful trying to do it when they are anxious... you need to train them into it first. I use it a lot during behaviour consults and every now and then I have a dog that doesn't respond to it... so you have to tailor it to the situation. Also, licking and chewing help set off beneficial hormones in the brain, which is actually why anxious dogs destroy things... it's like binging on chocolate or icecream, along with the mood crash that comes when you realise that you just ate a whole block (or your owner comes home and yells at you 'cos you destroyed their furniture). Sometimes having a food ball or Kong in the crate is helpful... sometimes it's not.

It is safe to use Bach Rescue Remedy in dogs - just a drop or two. I have some clients who swear by it and others who say it doesn't make a difference. It's kinda expensive here in Aus and if it's the same in the US then I'd rather you put that money into DAP, but that's another option for you.

And finally, I can not stress to you how much an anxious dog is NOT a 'normal' dog. I usually use the term 'average dog' because people tend to get upset if you call their dog abnormal... but the point there is that you can not expect them to behave or respond normally. They require special care and methods that aren't necessarily required in the average dog. They respond much worse than the average dog to aversive and old school methods... so it's particularly important to avoid those (which it sounds like you're doing). They are also often much more sensitive to your body language and tone of voice, so pick up on the nuances of your feeling and assume that you are directing it at them (rightly or wrongly). Most people also don't know how to recognise anxiety that doesn't come in the form of separation anxiety. A high proportion of 'untrainable' dogs are actually highly anxious and hard to train because they are too anxious to listen. 'Excitable' dogs who bark and jump and bounce around when you go somewhere are often anxious or stressed rather than 'excited'. Dogs who sniff at everything and do the rounds around a room are usually anxious (unless they are sniffer breeds like Beagles or Bloodhounds... then it depends on body language as to whether it's a hypervigilance behaviour or a normal one). Dogs who watch you like a hawk are often anxious. Dogs who do the rounds around a group of people but only sit with each for a few minutes are usually stressed. Licking your legs and feet is a sign of anxiety. Yawning is a sign of stress. Facial expressions are very telling if you know what you're looking at... but unfortunately humans seem to quite bad at reading dog expressions and often think that it's 'cute' when it's actually stress, anxiety or appeasement.

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On march 19th im supposed to be moving into my new apartmen, and I will be able to get my kitties that day. I've been away from them since October, I really hope they remember me and don't lose their minds too much. Im Actually quite nervous, they will be moving, which means car ride and there will be someone else moving in too, I hope they will be ok, I hope they remember me and aren't afraid of me, I think I'll cry so much...

They'll remember you, so don't worry about that! They might get stressed though... because cats are very susceptible to the stress of moving. Some are perfectly fine moving, while others get really upset. The best thing you can do is set a Feliway diffuser going in your apartment, starting a few days before they arrive. But some people find that too expensive. Otherwise make sure you have enough litter trays and have them in a non-stressful spot. Try to make their routine as stable as possible (in terms of feeding times etc), ensure that they have space to get away from each other even if they are normally best buds (because stress often makes them lash out at each other, just as it does humans!), and keep them confined indoors for 1-2 weeks.

If they seem to be 'afraid' of you, please don't take it personally. This is a sign of stress and is a way that many cats respond to new or stressful situations. It's not that they are scared of YOU, they are just scared. It's not that they don't like YOU, it's just that they are stressed and need time to settle in. If you respond by pushing them or getting upset then it's likely to make it worse. If they want to hide under a bed for a week then let them... don't try to pull them out or peer under there at them and coax them out... those things are scary to a scared cat, even if you are a loved one! Just make sure their food, water and litter tray is nearby. You might need to sleep on the couch for a few days so that your movement doesn't freak them out... cats hide under beds not because it's your bed that makes them feel safe, but because it's the only furniture in the house that provides a nice warm dark bolt hole with enough space and an escape route.

Unfortunately, for a lot of cats, the presence of a loved one is actually not particularly comforting in times of high stress. Sometimes it is... but often it's not and when we try to comfort them they get more stressed. Most cats prefer to hide and get their bearings. So please, please don't take it personally! They are telling you 'I don't want to talk about it, I'll come out when I'm ready'. Just make sure they have what they need and be there when they come out... exactly like you might bring a friend who's hiding out cups of tea and leave their dinner by the door and tell them that you love them and will be there whenever they are ready to talk.

[kalynraye]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Thanks so very much Rae. I will look into a DAP as well as the Bach Rescue Remedies. I have not researched whisper training I shall add that to my list as well. He seems to like his shirt, and eventually when funds are not so tight I will be able to get him into see a behavioral vet. I don't think it makes that much of a difference but I could totally be wrong, when we adopted him from the pound they told us that his litter had been found and they were all completely feral. People for the first year of his life with us were not really his thing but he is becoming more social and he does love a good rub.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I don't think it makes that much of a difference but I could totally be wrong, when we adopted him from the pound they told us that his litter had been found and they were all completely feral. People for the first year of his life with us were not really his thing but he is becoming more social and he does love a good rub.

Early experiences CAN influence their response to stress later in life, especially if they have not been socialised during the peak socialisation period. But generally dogs with severe anxiety disorders have a brain chemistry glitch... ie they were born that way and possibly would have a level of anxiety even if they had received the best socialisation and early upbringing. This is why we see anxiety more in some breeds than in others... because it's genetic.

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

We have a mixed breed, but she shows largely chow. She's wayyyyyy anxious!

She also had a bad puppy-hood.

Never abuse from us!

[Medusa]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

So Lexi our pit, likes to sit oddly. She doesn't sit on her legs. She sits on her back belly I guess with her legs sticking behind her.


This is NOT her. Just a pic I found. But it's how she sits. Always has. No scooting and she's perfectly plump and healthy. But she will just be sitting on the grass like this just enjoying her comfy self. The pic says this dog is double jointed. Could that be the case?

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Those hind legs look like the cutest little turkey drumsticks! LOL I don't think I've seen a dog sit that way.

[thalassa]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Our cocker spanier almost always sat like that, except sometimes she'd cross her front paws and look at you balefully, as if she was the queen, and you were some poorly trained servant that spilled her tea.