PLEASE HELP! My dog is miserable and I don't know what to do

Question:

Jdoee, great advice!  Good luck Tish! Debbie

Response:

Hello Tish and welcome to Seattle.  In case you didn’t know, we have a great animal control agency here.  Be sure to get your dog a Seattle license and ID, if you haven’t already. I would try the introduction again on neutral ground, like a park, and take seperate cars to get there.  Have both dogs on leashes, and maybe walk your girl around a bit first to take her edge off.  Make sure both dogs are securely leashed, whether it takes a collar and harness combo or a choke chain, or a limited slip collar, because if a dog gets spooked and gets loose it could run off and be hard to catch.  My dog, an inveterate collar slipper, wears a choke chain when she sees the vet so she can’t escape. Work on your mental attitude prior to the meeting, so you can be in the proper mindset.  Don’t think, my poor disoriented half-blind dog has to defend herself.  I believe your interpretation of things is correct, but that attitude won’t help the introduction.  Think, you two dogs are just dogs.  I am the human, I run things, and I won’t tolerate any fighting. When the dogs meet, praise your dog for all good doggie behavior.  Let her sniff the other dog.  Even let her have one growl, that is normal.  But don’t let things escalate.  After the first growl, tug gently on her leash (this is a cue to her that you are paying attention, it is not a hard jerk like a correction) and tell her firmly no growling, you are the boss and will handle this.  Take a step forward, and stand very close to the other dog, so you are a bit ahead of your dog.  Talk to the other dog, as long as it is being good.  Praise the other dog, tell your dog to look at the pretty doggy, whatever happy things you can think of to say. Repeat as necessary. You might have to lead your dog away from the other dog in a circle and try this more than once. Depending on the inclination of both dogs, you might bring some tasty doggie treats to this meeting.  When things are going well, they each get fed treats by you.  Your dog needs to see you giving the other dog treats, to know that you welcome the other dog too.  If either dog is known to fight over treats, this is a very bad idea and forget it. This still won’t solve things instantly, but should help.  At home, it would be good to think of a way to keep Daisy with you but in the presence of the other dog.  Perhaps with you both in the living room put Daisy in her crate, if she isn’t freaked out by the crate.  Or put a baby gate up in your bedroom, so she can see and smell the other dog.  That’s all for now, I hope my advice helps.   jdoee in Seattle, and Stacey Dog > Hello,

snip Now I should note that I live in a house – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> with a roommate and a medium-large, but sweet and kind lab-mix dog.  Since > pet-friendly houses are so scarce in Seattle, this was the best choice > possible.  Seeing Daisy get along so famously with my parent’s dog, I hoped she > would do the same with this dog.  I knew that Daisy would initially lunge at > him (as she did with my parent’s new dog), but I assumed that she would get to > like him after sniffing him and calming down a little (after all, she does that > with all other dogs she meets).  I also knew that moving would be an adjustment > for her in general — I just don’t think I realized how much. snip> > Yours, > Tish

Response:

Hello,       My name is Tish and I have a 10 year old terrier/boxer mix.  She is gentle with people, small children, and all pets except for dogs (she tends to be a little dog aggressive — she lunges and barks at them, but never bites). Adopting her from a shelter when she was a puppy, we have raised her in the same home for 9.5 years in the same home.  Recently, my parents introduced a welsh corgi to the household and she gets along famously with him. Six months ago, my dog lost one of her eyes to Glaucoma — she can see fine through her other eye, but she is a little unsure in new circumstances (like when I take her for a walk along a new route for instance).      Two months ago, I moved to Seattle to attend grad school.  Having raised Daisy (that’s my dog’s name) since she was a puppy, I wanted to take her up with me.  To make the move as gentle as possible, I moved up two months beforehand, so that she would come to a settled house and so that my scent would perhaps make her less anxious.  Now I should note that I live in a house with a roommate and a medium-large, but sweet and kind lab-mix dog.  Since pet-friendly houses are so scarce in Seattle, this was the best choice possible.  Seeing Daisy get along so famously with my parent’s dog, I hoped she would do the same with this dog.  I knew that Daisy would initially lunge at him (as she did with my parent’s new dog), but I assumed that she would get to like him after sniffing him and calming down a little (after all, she does that with all other dogs she meets).  I also knew that moving would be an adjustment for her in general — I just don’t think I realized how much.      To begin with, the plane ride was probably scary for her.  Then I take her to the house and she is thoroughly freaked out.  She pee’s in the house, throws up, and attacks my roommate’s dog (she actually BIT him — she never does that).  To calm her down, I have spent the past 1.5 days with her in my bedroom.  She stays in my bedroom (surrounded by items she had since she was a pup), I am constantly close to her, and I often stroke and talk to her in a soothing voice.  After a day in my room, I tried to introduce her to my roommates dog again in the gentlest way possible.  While she wagged her tail when sniffing his behind, she lunged and attacked him again when she saw his face.  And while my bedroom door is closed and she is surrounded by things she is familiar with (even down the furniture), she still often on alert, tense, and anxious.        I realize this is only the second day her and that adjustment for an older dog will  be difficult.  On a good note, she is eating a little, drinking, and sleeping (in fact, she is sleeping right now).  She only seems to get anxious when she hears the other dog or ventures into the other parts of the house.  I am sure losing her eye and the fact that the other dog is bigger is making her more insecure and reactive.        Since everyone on this board cares about dogs, I was hoping someone might have some advice for me.  I am really desperate and it pains me to see my dog so unhappy.  I will send her back to my parents if I have to — but I will be here for five years — and I don’t want Daisy to pass away while I am so far away.  We have been through so much…I don’t want to lose her now.      So if you can offer me any advice, or perhaps forward this letter to someone who can — I would sincerely appreciate it.  Thank you Yours, Tish

Response:

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