« I guess this mostly ended up being about Scout. Again. | Main | four things »
Saturday, February 02, 2008
test post
Back in the early days of my Internet experience, my primary focus was on e-mail lists. This was, believe it or not, before there was any such thing as Yahoo Groups. I was on several lists covering different topics, and frequently a person would want to bounce a post off the majordomo software to make sure that they were still subscribed, so there would be a post that came through to EVERYONE ON THE LIST that just said "test post. seeing if I'm still subscribed." I always thought, geesh, people, what is up with pestering us all with that? Could you not come up with any content? Even just a little?
Like, say, this scintillating content. Test post! Just seeing if my feed-reader is on crack or not.
OK, ok, ok, content. Um. We are now hopelessly addicted to jibjab.com! There's more snow coming tonight and tomorrow, which makes me want to scream! I desperately need to go to the valley to buy groceries and would like to take the whole family but can't! Because last night while we were gone for twenty minutes Scout completely wrecked some of the curtains I had slaved over so patiently not three weeks ago! So today I am buying a crate! Because everyone recommends using a crate for her if we are gone for short times! Because it's better than an outside run in this nasty snowy weather! And she will dig right out of our nicely fenced yard, it turns out! And because we are not generally gone for all day at a time!
Seriously, the crate will address the symptoms of the separation anxiety that has caused Scout to, in the short space of a week and about four brief absences, do the following:
- unplug and then chew -- I presume in that order -- the cord of the lamp by our door
- tear up the aforementioned curtains
- pee on the couch, because she stands on it to watch us leave and presumably whine and fall to pieces as we drive out of sight. Yay for super excellent odor-removing stain-removing upholstery cleaners.
- poop on the couch (ditto.)
- poop on the floor.
- get up onto the counter
- twice. Once she knocked over a full go-cup of cold coffee, and the other time she
- drank some (very little) cooking oil that was sitting there cold in a pan and then puked on the floor
- twice, and only once was on the easy-clean laminate flooring.
... but I have no clue what to do for the problem itself. Anyone? Anyone? I'm beginning to get a glimpse of an idea as to why Scout may have been abandoned. Not that I even think of doing that, but it might not have been just that someone was moving into an apartment where they couldn't have a dog, which had been my previous assumption, because this is one very nice friendly dog with, as far as I can tell, no faults. Except that apparently she requires absolutely constant human companionship (we tried a little experiment yesterday with Roman and it was a dismal failure, so T is spared any further pestering for a second dog) or she goes completely bananas. Poor thing. Poor us.
Comments
Well, remember she is a puppy and she will outgrow the chewing, tearing up, and consuming random stuff. As for the separation anxiety, I would be more inclined to assume that she is acting the way she is because of the abandonment. Which is not surprising. Poor thing indeed. The good news is that the symptoms will lessen as she gets older. The crate will most assuredly help. However nothing works better than positive reinforcement...You know, rewarding good behavior and ignoring bad behavior. There are also obedience classes that aren't that expensive. I know out here there's this guy that does a complete course for $99.
I found this little bit of advice for you..."Find a room in your house that is not easily destroyed. Place the dog in it with some of his favorite toys and stay with him a while. Then leave and shut the door promptly without fanfare. When you return, a few minutes later, give him a pat and his favorite food treat. Over days, repeat this; but each time stay away a little longer."
Once Chewy chewed through the cord of my stereo. She electrocuted herself and blew a fuse. She used to take my bras and underwear out of my drawers, bring them into the living room (Where I was usually sitting with some boy I was dating) and chew on them. She ate a $50 pair of headphones. Now she's 13 years old and the best dog anyone could ever have. It takes time, patience and lots of love but in the long run, it is so worth it.
Posted by: jenn at February 2, 2008 01:47 PM
My little dachsie Aggie has been crated her entire life. If we went upstairs, where she was not allowed she was crated - even for just 15 - 30 minutes. When she was young she had a habit of destroying anything that was paper. Then getting sick, and screaming that something hurt, and then a $75 - $150 vet visit.
So, the crate made that much better - also makes it easy to travel with, she knew that the crate was where she slept at night (not anymore) but then that was the place.
There is vet meds for anxiety for dogs .......
how old is she?
Posted by: Cami at February 2, 2008 03:57 PM
I'm sorry you're having so much trouble!
I don't have experience with this sort of thing, but the crate sounds like a good idea. I also like Jenn's idea of teaching Scout that she's ok on her own for longer and longer periods of time. Maybe she'll settle down somewhat on her own, once she's convinced that she's safe in a good home.
For times when the weather's not so awful-- my family's had luck teaching puppies not to dig out of a fence by lining a small fenced area with posts or concrete blocks-- anything big enough to make it difficult to dig out. Once they've learned that it's not so easy to get out, they don't even attempt it. (The extra barrier can be removed, then.)
Good luck!
Posted by: Michael at February 2, 2008 07:20 PM
I've always crated my dogs. Once they get used to them, it's actually comforting for them. My dogs put themselves to bed when they see that we're planning to leave the house. One piece of advice though...find a blanket or something that smells like your family (not newly washed) and use that to cushion her crate. Dogs are all about smells.
Posted by: Carolyn at February 3, 2008 06:17 AM
This came through fine in my feed reader.
Perhaps once Scout feels more comfortable with you and is sure that you won't abandon her, she will get more comfortable with the situation.
Posted by: Kat with a K at February 4, 2008 06:45 AM
Wow...I would NOT be coping well with all her shenanigans. You are helping me see why it is my husband is so reluctant to get a dog. I've had dogs, so I know the many positives, but boy I don't think I'm up for that...especially not after dealing with my cat who PEED IN MY PURSE. Yes. MY PURSE. And I didn't know about it until I put my still dripping sticky reeking cell-phone (MY CELL PHONE!!!! can you tell I'm not over this, still?) to my ear to answer a call. Anyway, you have my compassion and I hope she calms down soon.
Posted by: Denise at February 4, 2008 09:16 PM
