Problem dogs- a call for help from a family with a staff who suffers from separation anxiety.
Hi I was wondering if you could help we have a staffi who suffers very badly from separation anxiety and also is scared of any noise including motor bikes, loud cars,kids clapping and banging. If left alone he destroys the house hurting himself in the process we have tried many things to
Combat this and nothing has worked.He has started showing signs of aggression when he is scared and has snapped at people in the house an also scratched me just because I was moving him to stop
Him jumping up we feel that there is nothing more we can do as we have children as young as 9 and also smaller children that visit frequently to the house we would rather him not be put to sleep if possible . If it is at all possible for you to rehabilitate him and find him a new home this is what we would prefer. He has been a member of our family for 4 years we had him from a pup but nothing we have tried works and we are concerned that he may turn on the children as he has already snapped at my youngest more than once .
We would appreciate any help that you can give.
Hope to hear from you ASAP
Dear L.B.
I'm sorry to hear of the problems with your dog. You obviously think a lot about him and there are several things you can do
to improve his behaviour. Have you tried giving him
Skullcap & Valerian tablets? They are calming and very helpful in
combating anxiety. We have them in stock and they are well worth a
try. Give a double dose to begin with and then go on to a maintenance
dosage when he begins to be less anxious. We've used these for years
and they really work.
Also, an alteration in his diet may be the key to an improvement in his behaviour. Sometimes these problems are as a result of food that doesn't suit the dog. There are lots of additives in some pet food, it's an unregulated industry and factory made food isn't a natural diet. It can make dogs hyper! How do you feed him at present?
Does he have a quiet 'den' of his own? Many dogs need a place where
they can relax away from the rest of the family (pack). If it's in a
dimly lit corner so much the better. The cupboard under the stairs (or somewhere similar) is ideal. Or you could try a cage with the door open (we never recommend shutting a dog in a cage) and a blanket draped over the top. Cushions inside and some of his toys and a chew stick and it's a relaxing environment.
The key to combating anxious behaviour is always exercise - lots and lots of
it. I realize that if you have a young family it may be difficult to
give your pet as much as he needs. Can you enlist friends to help? A dog that is running about and having long walks and free running, as he would in a natural state, will be tired when he gets in and hardly likely to worry about anything. He'll just want his dinner and to go to sleep!
I hope this helps, do let me know about the food
all best,
Daphne
