Preparing for an anxious dog
May 30, 2013 5:28 AM Subscribe
I am going to adopt a dog this summer. One of the dogs that I am considering is currently being treated medically for anxiety. If I adopt him, he will be the first dog I've had who has had this condition. With that in mind, observations and experience addressing any part of this three part question are welcomed: 1) What resources [online, print, or other] might help me better understand dog anxiety? 2) What questions do I need to ask at the shelter to better understand the range and scope of anxiety in this particular dog? 3) What questions do I need to be able to answer of myself before I commit to an anxious dog?
Additional information: 1) Were I to adopt this dog, it would be a foster-to-adopt scenario, with regular contact and support from the shelter during the foster period. 2) We don't know whether the dog had anxiety issues prior to his life in the shelter. He was given to the shelter for reasons regarding a divorce.
Additional information: 1) Were I to adopt this dog, it would be a foster-to-adopt scenario, with regular contact and support from the shelter during the foster period. 2) We don't know whether the dog had anxiety issues prior to his life in the shelter. He was given to the shelter for reasons regarding a divorce.
I don't know anything about dogs with anxiety issues, but I have frequently read that wearing a thunder vest helps calm them. The vest just exerts a very gentle pressure on the dog's sides that seems to be calming to them when they are anxious.
posted by michellenoel at 6:29 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by michellenoel at 6:29 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Dog + Anxiety = Lots of time at home with the dog + Lots of exercise
Best case scenario is that you spend a great deal of time at home with the dog on a daily basis until you can condition the dog to you being away, which will probably have to be done progressively.
Are you working full time? Do you have the summer off?
(Actually, the best case scenario is that the dog's anxiety is specific to being at the shelter and your Anxious Dog will just totally chill being in your home.)
posted by vitabellosi at 6:32 AM on May 30, 2013
Best case scenario is that you spend a great deal of time at home with the dog on a daily basis until you can condition the dog to you being away, which will probably have to be done progressively.
Are you working full time? Do you have the summer off?
(Actually, the best case scenario is that the dog's anxiety is specific to being at the shelter and your Anxious Dog will just totally chill being in your home.)
posted by vitabellosi at 6:32 AM on May 30, 2013
Response by poster: Vitabellosi: I should have elaborated on my work schedule in the question. Thanks for asking.
I'm a college professor, and I will be able to spend much of the summer bonding with the dog. While I do work full-time, much of that work can and does happen at home. Moreover, my campus & its surrounding community is very dog friendly; well-behaved dogs are welcome. I do have the time and work schedule that would fit adopting any dog -- from an anxious dog to a puppy. I particularly like the idea of adopting an adult dog, and giving a good dog a second chance at a great home. But I do want to make sure I have a clear idea up front of what specific challenges I'd face if that dog were an anxious one.
posted by .kobayashi. at 6:40 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm a college professor, and I will be able to spend much of the summer bonding with the dog. While I do work full-time, much of that work can and does happen at home. Moreover, my campus & its surrounding community is very dog friendly; well-behaved dogs are welcome. I do have the time and work schedule that would fit adopting any dog -- from an anxious dog to a puppy. I particularly like the idea of adopting an adult dog, and giving a good dog a second chance at a great home. But I do want to make sure I have a clear idea up front of what specific challenges I'd face if that dog were an anxious one.
posted by .kobayashi. at 6:40 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Reddit's /r/dogtraining/ and /r/dogcare have been a great resource for me since adopting a now 13 week old pup. Good luck, I hope he settles in and has a happy life with you.
posted by cmfletcher at 7:11 AM on May 30, 2013
posted by cmfletcher at 7:11 AM on May 30, 2013
Best answer: I would probably ask the shelter how exactly his anxiety is manifesting i.e. pacing, panting, whining, refusal to eat, all of the above etc. It will give you a better idea of what you may have to deal with. Also, depending on the shelter setting, it is entirely possible that you will get him home and acclimated and have an entirely different dog, that is prone to anxiety, but otherwise functioning fine. We adopted a basenji mix a few years ago, and ended up putting her on doggy prozac for a while. She destroyed some blinds, broke a window, and constantly whined at the floor (she could hear our neighbors dogs). We tried many methods to ease her anxiety (the Thundershirt being one of them) and nothing really seemed to ease her stress. We moved from our duplex into a house a few months later, and it was like magic. Now we rarely have any issues from her.
I completely recommend an airline crate, at least for the first little while. Not only does it keep an anxious dog (who has potential for seperation issues) from being destructive while you are away, it also gives them a safe place. The airline style is a little better for anxious dogs as it is a little more enclosed and gives them a bit more of a den feeling.
I will say that anything with dogs is trying to get on their level and understand why they are behaving a certain way, then trying to accomedate them, and managing the issues, setting the dog up for success. Its hard to know exactly what challenges you will face once you get him in your home, considering that the shelter is such a stressful place for dogs its hard to know what is him, and what is coming up because of the enviroment. Thinking about our girl in a shelter breaks my heart, she would probably be much like your potential buddy. Essentially, I would try to get to the root of what it is that seems to be making him anxious, and then trying to manage from there.
It warms my heart that you are considering taking in a dog with pre-existing issues that may have complications getting adopted, especially being grown. Our oldest dog was a victim of divorce that was given up, and he has been such an amazing dog, its hard to imagine who would have given him up, when my SO and I would practically be going to court of him.
posted by Quincy at 7:21 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
I completely recommend an airline crate, at least for the first little while. Not only does it keep an anxious dog (who has potential for seperation issues) from being destructive while you are away, it also gives them a safe place. The airline style is a little better for anxious dogs as it is a little more enclosed and gives them a bit more of a den feeling.
I will say that anything with dogs is trying to get on their level and understand why they are behaving a certain way, then trying to accomedate them, and managing the issues, setting the dog up for success. Its hard to know exactly what challenges you will face once you get him in your home, considering that the shelter is such a stressful place for dogs its hard to know what is him, and what is coming up because of the enviroment. Thinking about our girl in a shelter breaks my heart, she would probably be much like your potential buddy. Essentially, I would try to get to the root of what it is that seems to be making him anxious, and then trying to manage from there.
It warms my heart that you are considering taking in a dog with pre-existing issues that may have complications getting adopted, especially being grown. Our oldest dog was a victim of divorce that was given up, and he has been such an amazing dog, its hard to imagine who would have given him up, when my SO and I would practically be going to court of him.
posted by Quincy at 7:21 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, while I am not a dog behaviorist, dog training is a hobby (and hopefully potential career) of mine, and I am about to graduate from a program to become a professional dog trainer. I currently have some pretty great resources in the dog training community and would be happy to help you with any issues that I am able to going forward if you choose to adopt him. MEMail me if you'd like :)
posted by Quincy at 7:28 AM on May 30, 2013
posted by Quincy at 7:28 AM on May 30, 2013
Honestly -- don't do it. There are plenty of non-anxious, non-medicated dogs out there for you to adopt. Why make this even more difficult for yourself?
I am certainly biased, having had a shelter dog who dealt with her anxiety by being aggressive, but still -- you are setting yourself up for a lot of work (training) and cost (medications) when you could simply adopt a dog without these issues.
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:29 AM on May 30, 2013
I am certainly biased, having had a shelter dog who dealt with her anxiety by being aggressive, but still -- you are setting yourself up for a lot of work (training) and cost (medications) when you could simply adopt a dog without these issues.
posted by fiercecupcake at 7:29 AM on May 30, 2013
Best answer: Questions I would ask:
What causes anxiety in this particular dog? You don't want to completely avoid those situations going forward, but you do want to know what they are so you can reintroduce them in a non-frightening way.
What is this dog's background, if known? Was he abused or otherwise not treated well?
Who diagnosed this dog with anxiety? Was it a vet or someone from the rescue group or shelter? Rescue/shelter staff may not have a completely clear picture of one particular dog's behavior issues, or their interpretation of the dog's behavior may just be wrong.
Does "medically" mean an actual prescription from a veterinarian, or a homeopathic treatment, like Rescue Remedy? Who is going to pay for that while the dog is your foster? Are you free to try other options, or do you have to follow the rescue's plan?
When you get the dog, arrange for a second opinion on the anxiety issue from a veterinarian you trust. An anxious dog who needs medication may really just be a high-energy dog who needs a lot of physical and mental stimulation.
Also, consider bringing in a professional trainer for a personal session or two. I wouldn't take an anxious dog to a class until you have a handle on its specific anxiety triggers.
Get the dog chipped with current info, and invest in a good slip lead to be used for every walk or outing. Anxious dogs (and dogs in new situations) are prone to bolting at the slightest provocation.
Other questions I would ask in general about your fostering arrangement (ignore me if you already know this stuff):
Who pays for the vet care? Is there a particular vet you have to see? Most rescues have an arrangement with a particular vet. Make sure you don't have to drive an hour for every little checkup.
If you're comfortable doing so, ask your own vet for a foster or rescue discount. My vet (who sees my six dogs and cats) gave me a small discount on her services when I was fostering, even though she didn't have any kind of formal arrangement with the rescue group I was fostering for.
Who pays for emergency vet visits? Should you call the rescue group first before taking a dog in for emergency services?
Who pays for any third-party training classes or services?
Who's paying for food and other supplies? (Usually the foster home pays, ime, but it doesn't hurt to ask.)
How long can you keep the dog as a foster before you have to decide to adopt or not? What will happen to the dog if it doesn't work out with you?
If you do choose to foster this dog, good luck and know that you are doing a wonderful thing!
One of my dogs was labeled "unadoptable". He was so stressed in the shelter that he growled and peed every time anyone looked at him. I offered to foster him, and within a week at my house, the growling stopped, and within a month, the nervous peeing stopped. Now he's just another of the resident couch lumps who loves everybody and everything. But his potential was masked by his anxiety levels. I hope you have the same wonderful outcome!
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:31 AM on May 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
What causes anxiety in this particular dog? You don't want to completely avoid those situations going forward, but you do want to know what they are so you can reintroduce them in a non-frightening way.
What is this dog's background, if known? Was he abused or otherwise not treated well?
Who diagnosed this dog with anxiety? Was it a vet or someone from the rescue group or shelter? Rescue/shelter staff may not have a completely clear picture of one particular dog's behavior issues, or their interpretation of the dog's behavior may just be wrong.
Does "medically" mean an actual prescription from a veterinarian, or a homeopathic treatment, like Rescue Remedy? Who is going to pay for that while the dog is your foster? Are you free to try other options, or do you have to follow the rescue's plan?
When you get the dog, arrange for a second opinion on the anxiety issue from a veterinarian you trust. An anxious dog who needs medication may really just be a high-energy dog who needs a lot of physical and mental stimulation.
Also, consider bringing in a professional trainer for a personal session or two. I wouldn't take an anxious dog to a class until you have a handle on its specific anxiety triggers.
Get the dog chipped with current info, and invest in a good slip lead to be used for every walk or outing. Anxious dogs (and dogs in new situations) are prone to bolting at the slightest provocation.
Other questions I would ask in general about your fostering arrangement (ignore me if you already know this stuff):
Who pays for the vet care? Is there a particular vet you have to see? Most rescues have an arrangement with a particular vet. Make sure you don't have to drive an hour for every little checkup.
If you're comfortable doing so, ask your own vet for a foster or rescue discount. My vet (who sees my six dogs and cats) gave me a small discount on her services when I was fostering, even though she didn't have any kind of formal arrangement with the rescue group I was fostering for.
Who pays for emergency vet visits? Should you call the rescue group first before taking a dog in for emergency services?
Who pays for any third-party training classes or services?
Who's paying for food and other supplies? (Usually the foster home pays, ime, but it doesn't hurt to ask.)
How long can you keep the dog as a foster before you have to decide to adopt or not? What will happen to the dog if it doesn't work out with you?
If you do choose to foster this dog, good luck and know that you are doing a wonderful thing!
One of my dogs was labeled "unadoptable". He was so stressed in the shelter that he growled and peed every time anyone looked at him. I offered to foster him, and within a week at my house, the growling stopped, and within a month, the nervous peeing stopped. Now he's just another of the resident couch lumps who loves everybody and everything. But his potential was masked by his anxiety levels. I hope you have the same wonderful outcome!
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:31 AM on May 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Hey, I have an anxious, neurotic dog! She is great, but lots of work. Over the last two years, she has gotten so. much. better.
Get thee a dorky treat bag (the linked one is the best of the 8 or so our household has gone through) and a pack of clickers and a clicker training book. Clicker training is very effective, and also it is a fantastic thing to do with an anxious dog because you can train stupid pet tricks inside, and learning stupid pet tricks is exhausting to a dog. 15 minutes of tricks is roughly equivalent to an hour outside for our dog.
By far, the most important thing that we have trained is the command "focus," which basically means "look at me." The important thing about focus, is once you have that trained in (do it inside, in a calm environment) is that when there is a scary thing, you can tell them to focus, and then they get click and a treat. Scary motorcycle? Instead of barking and lunging, look at the human. Scary other dog? look at the human. Scary plastic bag blowing down the street? Look at the human. Over time (and this all takes time, like months and months) those scary things will become less scary and more seen as opportunities to look at the human and get a treat. This is a very good thing.
Also, Patricia Mcconnell's books are fantastic resources for dealing with specific issues
posted by rockindata at 7:37 AM on May 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Get thee a dorky treat bag (the linked one is the best of the 8 or so our household has gone through) and a pack of clickers and a clicker training book. Clicker training is very effective, and also it is a fantastic thing to do with an anxious dog because you can train stupid pet tricks inside, and learning stupid pet tricks is exhausting to a dog. 15 minutes of tricks is roughly equivalent to an hour outside for our dog.
By far, the most important thing that we have trained is the command "focus," which basically means "look at me." The important thing about focus, is once you have that trained in (do it inside, in a calm environment) is that when there is a scary thing, you can tell them to focus, and then they get click and a treat. Scary motorcycle? Instead of barking and lunging, look at the human. Scary other dog? look at the human. Scary plastic bag blowing down the street? Look at the human. Over time (and this all takes time, like months and months) those scary things will become less scary and more seen as opportunities to look at the human and get a treat. This is a very good thing.
Also, Patricia Mcconnell's books are fantastic resources for dealing with specific issues
posted by rockindata at 7:37 AM on May 30, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: We adopted an abused dog with canine PTSD seven years ago. She was so anxious and traumatised in the shelter I basically adopted her not because I had any affinity for her but as an act of mercy. She is still with us and it has been a very successful adoption, with pretty much the best outcome you can expect from this sort of thing.
Initially I worked from home and that was ideal for the dog. I later had an office job for a while and she came to work with me, no bother. In your situation I would also arrange for a student sitter to stay with the dog in your office while you are actually teaching. For years and years we had to get sitters for the dog at home to even go out for dinner, which was fine. She's pretty sure we're coming back now, so we have evolved from being able to go grocery shopping for an hour to being able to leave her for four hours max.
A lot depends on the state of the dog. Ours was beaten into permanent submission, so none of the standard training stuff worked - food, clickers, happy praise, etc. We had to learn a new training style for non-standard dogs. This year she stole a sandwich off the coffee table, and we could not have been more proud and delighted by this canine accomplishment and the confidence it showed.
Adopting this dog and helping her reach that state has genuinely been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If you are in the position to offer these dogs the very specific high-attachment homes many of them need, that makes you a specialist adopter who can do a lot of good with a special needs companion. Not everyone can offer that.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:47 AM on May 30, 2013 [8 favorites]
Initially I worked from home and that was ideal for the dog. I later had an office job for a while and she came to work with me, no bother. In your situation I would also arrange for a student sitter to stay with the dog in your office while you are actually teaching. For years and years we had to get sitters for the dog at home to even go out for dinner, which was fine. She's pretty sure we're coming back now, so we have evolved from being able to go grocery shopping for an hour to being able to leave her for four hours max.
A lot depends on the state of the dog. Ours was beaten into permanent submission, so none of the standard training stuff worked - food, clickers, happy praise, etc. We had to learn a new training style for non-standard dogs. This year she stole a sandwich off the coffee table, and we could not have been more proud and delighted by this canine accomplishment and the confidence it showed.
Adopting this dog and helping her reach that state has genuinely been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. If you are in the position to offer these dogs the very specific high-attachment homes many of them need, that makes you a specialist adopter who can do a lot of good with a special needs companion. Not everyone can offer that.
posted by DarlingBri at 7:47 AM on May 30, 2013 [8 favorites]
Best answer: I have adopted 2 anxious dogs, on purpose, it is rewarding but it is not always easy. There is a lot you can do to help your dog become a lot calmer. To give you some idea our dog went from destroying a door and peeing everywhere when left alone to the first time to able to go 4-5 hours alone with no problems and no crating (and could go longer but he has the smallest bladder in the world I swear). He went from shitting in fear all over 3 dog groomers trying to hold a whirling mass of growling and biting at his first trip to the dog groomers to a dog, that when we finally tried him again 2 years later, trotted in and out as if it was no big thing and was a well behaved gentleman the whole time. We have a fear biter who hated strangers, that now loves going out and meeting new people and is a the first in line for loves from everyone he meets. It takes work a LOT of work every single day, almost every interaction becomes a training experience, oh and patience lots of patience, and I think is totally worth it, because watching that scared little bundle slowly become a loving dog happy dog is an amazing feeling, it is not however for everyone.
If the dog is being kept in kennels, honestly getting the dog into a house and a routine that you stick to like clockwork will probably do more to help it than anything else, remembering it might easily take 3 months or more for the dog to even start to settle into a routine.
Also I'd be interested to know how it's anxiety manifests itself, a fear biter is a lot different to work with than one with separation anxiety. Medications is some cases can make the fear worse, as the dog is still scared but now it's confused by the added layer of medication, so I'd also be interested to know what they are medicating it with. I had good luck with pheromone collars for our dog with separation anxiety, my vet is very pro training and anti medicating for anxiety, but in a kennel environment with a lot of dogs drugs for the dog do make sense. I'd want to interact with the dog off its medication and to talk to a vet you trusted about what medication would be best if you do need to keep it up.
You need to be able and willing to put the time in, and to have patience beyond belief, because loosing your temper even once can set back your training. I ended up yelling at one of our dogs for pooping inside one day (I was sick at the time) and next thing you know I am spending a year training him out of hiding his poops around the house. You have to be able to make a routine and stick to it, routine is the thing that will give you dog confidence. So if you are home at 5.35 everyday you have to be home then, no stopping for sudden spontaneous drinks with friends or errands, at least at first your dog needs to be able to count on you. So Ask yourself if you are willing to do those things. Are you prepared to go to dog training classes with the dog once it has settled in, I found agility classes gave my dogs an amazing amount of self confidence. I also found clicker training to be a great tool, as it uses all positive reinforcement, it's easy to learn how to do. One on one training with a trainer is surprisingly affordable and I'd recommend it, even if only for a few sessions so they can train you how to train your dog, or you there are a lot of great videos if you do a Youtube search.
Be prepared for toilet training issues and you may have to start the training for that again from scratch, you might not have to, but toilet training in my experience is the first thing to go when a dog is anxious. Are prepared for strange things to make your dog anxious and and to be willing to try and figure out ways to counter that before it gets too bad. As an example, one of my dogs started freaking out whenever I put make up on, turns out he learnt that if I put make up on I was going out, so I had to start just randomly putting make up on during the day and not always going out afterwards, for about 3 months until he stopped reading that as a signal and sitting shivering and crying.
I am not a professional, like Quincy dog training is my hobby, helping these 2 dogs was a great experience, my heart feels so full of love when I look at them now and see how far they have come, but it was a lot of work. The big questions you should ask yourself is am I willing to do the work?
posted by wwax at 8:03 AM on May 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
If the dog is being kept in kennels, honestly getting the dog into a house and a routine that you stick to like clockwork will probably do more to help it than anything else, remembering it might easily take 3 months or more for the dog to even start to settle into a routine.
Also I'd be interested to know how it's anxiety manifests itself, a fear biter is a lot different to work with than one with separation anxiety. Medications is some cases can make the fear worse, as the dog is still scared but now it's confused by the added layer of medication, so I'd also be interested to know what they are medicating it with. I had good luck with pheromone collars for our dog with separation anxiety, my vet is very pro training and anti medicating for anxiety, but in a kennel environment with a lot of dogs drugs for the dog do make sense. I'd want to interact with the dog off its medication and to talk to a vet you trusted about what medication would be best if you do need to keep it up.
You need to be able and willing to put the time in, and to have patience beyond belief, because loosing your temper even once can set back your training. I ended up yelling at one of our dogs for pooping inside one day (I was sick at the time) and next thing you know I am spending a year training him out of hiding his poops around the house. You have to be able to make a routine and stick to it, routine is the thing that will give you dog confidence. So if you are home at 5.35 everyday you have to be home then, no stopping for sudden spontaneous drinks with friends or errands, at least at first your dog needs to be able to count on you. So Ask yourself if you are willing to do those things. Are you prepared to go to dog training classes with the dog once it has settled in, I found agility classes gave my dogs an amazing amount of self confidence. I also found clicker training to be a great tool, as it uses all positive reinforcement, it's easy to learn how to do. One on one training with a trainer is surprisingly affordable and I'd recommend it, even if only for a few sessions so they can train you how to train your dog, or you there are a lot of great videos if you do a Youtube search.
Be prepared for toilet training issues and you may have to start the training for that again from scratch, you might not have to, but toilet training in my experience is the first thing to go when a dog is anxious. Are prepared for strange things to make your dog anxious and and to be willing to try and figure out ways to counter that before it gets too bad. As an example, one of my dogs started freaking out whenever I put make up on, turns out he learnt that if I put make up on I was going out, so I had to start just randomly putting make up on during the day and not always going out afterwards, for about 3 months until he stopped reading that as a signal and sitting shivering and crying.
I am not a professional, like Quincy dog training is my hobby, helping these 2 dogs was a great experience, my heart feels so full of love when I look at them now and see how far they have come, but it was a lot of work. The big questions you should ask yourself is am I willing to do the work?
posted by wwax at 8:03 AM on May 30, 2013 [4 favorites]
Best answer: Specifically, The Cautious Canine-How to Help Dogs Conquer Their Fears would be the first Patricia McConnell mini book I would get.
posted by rockindata at 8:06 AM on May 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by rockindata at 8:06 AM on May 30, 2013 [2 favorites]
Anxiety can be a major issue. We used to have a lab with anxiety. We could not leave him un-crated in the house because he would literally tear holes in our furniture or carpet. We could not put him in a crate because he once broke off one of his canine teeth trying to get out! We ended up buying a house with an enclosed, screened-in porch and whenever we would leave the house we would put him out there. The porch had a ceiling fan for hot summer days and he'd have a dog bed and bowl of water/food out there too. He never got over his anxiety in the 13+ years he was with us.
Our animal behavioralist suggested de-sensitizing him to actions suggesting that we were on the verge of leaving. So, we'd open up the garage door randomly throughout the day, put on our coats and just sit around, grab our keys without leaving. He'd get all wound up, and then settle down, but he would still go nuts when we REALLY left.
He was still the most awesome dog ever! We wouldn't have traded him for anything, because he was still loving, gentle and smart. You just have to know what you are getting into.
posted by Ostara at 8:53 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Our animal behavioralist suggested de-sensitizing him to actions suggesting that we were on the verge of leaving. So, we'd open up the garage door randomly throughout the day, put on our coats and just sit around, grab our keys without leaving. He'd get all wound up, and then settle down, but he would still go nuts when we REALLY left.
He was still the most awesome dog ever! We wouldn't have traded him for anything, because he was still loving, gentle and smart. You just have to know what you are getting into.
posted by Ostara at 8:53 AM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Those of you who have adopted anxious dogs: you all are awesome folks. It seriously takes a lot of dedication and patience.
Since so many here have said what to do, and I agree with them, I'll suggest what not to do. Don't anthropomorphise the dog. The dog is not a child, not a person, and not processing fears and anxiety in the way that humans do. Armchair psychology doesn't belong here nor will feeling bad for the dog and reinforcing his anxieties with positive feedback from you (petting him when he's afraid, cuddling him when he's telling you he's anxious). It's about snapping him out of the anxious mindset and getting him into a positive mindset where there's a reward.
Training, training, training along with a shit-ton of patience. Look for opportunities to reward the positive behaviors you want and latch onto those.
Good luck! Would love an update at some point.
posted by vivzan at 5:46 PM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
Since so many here have said what to do, and I agree with them, I'll suggest what not to do. Don't anthropomorphise the dog. The dog is not a child, not a person, and not processing fears and anxiety in the way that humans do. Armchair psychology doesn't belong here nor will feeling bad for the dog and reinforcing his anxieties with positive feedback from you (petting him when he's afraid, cuddling him when he's telling you he's anxious). It's about snapping him out of the anxious mindset and getting him into a positive mindset where there's a reward.
Training, training, training along with a shit-ton of patience. Look for opportunities to reward the positive behaviors you want and latch onto those.
Good luck! Would love an update at some point.
posted by vivzan at 5:46 PM on May 30, 2013 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 6:28 AM on May 30, 2013 [3 favorites]