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Ok this will be long, please bear with me. I want to give all the info on our situation to provide a clear picture of what we are dealing with.
I have a Neo Mastiff, Nicky, believed to be around 2 yrs of age. I got Nicky from an elderly couple around 6 mos ago. Their son was the original owner, somehow they ended up caring for him. They never mentioned his seperation anxiety, but they also kept him outside for the most part, where he was allowed to just roam since their yard was unfenced. During that time he was hit by a car, which seemed to be what made them relise they weren't a good home for him.
Nicky is overall a great dog. We have leash training, basic commands, pottty training etc. down pretty well. He seems to have had someone who worked with him in the past, even if it was just on basics. His seperation anxiety is extreme though. Since I am home all day and do not work I have been doing lots of training with him.
Nicky can, and will, escape from any crate we have tried, in a matter of seconds. Food is completely ignored when he is crated or even just slowly trying to get him comfy with standing in one with doors open. I'm still trying to work with him on being more comfortable with a crate, but not actually making any progress.
When I leave him he cannot control his bowels/bladder, (I don't get upset, I understand it is just a part of the anxiety) he pants, cries will destroy walls, doors etc in an attempt to get to me. At first we started with him in just a seperate room, but that no longer works bc he has figured out how to open door knobs. He is smart and quite resourceful lol I found over time he does do better if he has close to full run of the house. The past month he had been doing exceptional. We had such great progress and managed to work up to a couple of hours and he wasn't panicking and destroying anything.
Unfortunately yesterday everything changed. I had a meeting and my husband had one as well. The time Nicky was alone was only going to be 1hr, 2 at the absolute most. Since he has been showing so much progress I thought it would be ok to leave him home, vs taking him to family member's house like we had to in the beginning. *Huge* mistake. I am so upset with myself for doing this. Nicky broke through a window in the living room. Thankfully he was not injured and one of the neighbors leashed him and my husband got home soon after. The thought of what *could* have happened is really eating at me. I bought the neighbor flowers and a card for keeping my boy safe when he got out.
I no longer think my training alone is enough. I hoped we could manage it but I think it is time for a behaviorist to help out. I don't know how to find a good one though. I want someone who is experienced and won't tell me to hit him, shock him etc. Just not my cup of tea and from my research those methods would do nothing to alleviate his anxiety.
Also, I had been avoiding medicating him, but this escape has me reconsidering. would any of the Rescue Remedy type meds help or is it time to go ahead and ask the vet about something a bit stronger? I have read about the anxiety wrap, anyone know if it is effective?
I want Nicky to feel more comfortable without me. I love that he is a cuddle bug and all but this level of attatchment is quite stressful and dangerous for him. My husband couldn't get him calmed down until I got home. He wasn't totally spazzing but he was panting hard, drooling just stressed and wouldn't relax. Once I got here, he calmed down and relaxed, took a nap after I checked him over head to toe for cuts. What else can I do to help ease the attatchment a bit? He shadows me 24/7, he likes my husband just fine, but the connection is different.
Almost forgot, I do need to excersize him more. We walk about an hour per day but I think he needs more. Just nervous bc when he was hit by the car it has effected his back legs. From my understanding, they couldn't afford the reccomended treatment and just allowed the suspected breaks to heal on their own. Is the hour walks plus the intermittent training sessions throughout the day enough?
If you got through this whole thing, thank you and I apologise for the length. I'm still quite shaken up so I'm a bit scatterbrained and probably forgot to include some things.
I have a Neo Mastiff, Nicky, believed to be around 2 yrs of age. I got Nicky from an elderly couple around 6 mos ago. Their son was the original owner, somehow they ended up caring for him. They never mentioned his seperation anxiety, but they also kept him outside for the most part, where he was allowed to just roam since their yard was unfenced. During that time he was hit by a car, which seemed to be what made them relise they weren't a good home for him.
Nicky is overall a great dog. We have leash training, basic commands, pottty training etc. down pretty well. He seems to have had someone who worked with him in the past, even if it was just on basics. His seperation anxiety is extreme though. Since I am home all day and do not work I have been doing lots of training with him.
Nicky can, and will, escape from any crate we have tried, in a matter of seconds. Food is completely ignored when he is crated or even just slowly trying to get him comfy with standing in one with doors open. I'm still trying to work with him on being more comfortable with a crate, but not actually making any progress.
When I leave him he cannot control his bowels/bladder, (I don't get upset, I understand it is just a part of the anxiety) he pants, cries will destroy walls, doors etc in an attempt to get to me. At first we started with him in just a seperate room, but that no longer works bc he has figured out how to open door knobs. He is smart and quite resourceful lol I found over time he does do better if he has close to full run of the house. The past month he had been doing exceptional. We had such great progress and managed to work up to a couple of hours and he wasn't panicking and destroying anything.
Unfortunately yesterday everything changed. I had a meeting and my husband had one as well. The time Nicky was alone was only going to be 1hr, 2 at the absolute most. Since he has been showing so much progress I thought it would be ok to leave him home, vs taking him to family member's house like we had to in the beginning. *Huge* mistake. I am so upset with myself for doing this. Nicky broke through a window in the living room. Thankfully he was not injured and one of the neighbors leashed him and my husband got home soon after. The thought of what *could* have happened is really eating at me. I bought the neighbor flowers and a card for keeping my boy safe when he got out.
I no longer think my training alone is enough. I hoped we could manage it but I think it is time for a behaviorist to help out. I don't know how to find a good one though. I want someone who is experienced and won't tell me to hit him, shock him etc. Just not my cup of tea and from my research those methods would do nothing to alleviate his anxiety.
Also, I had been avoiding medicating him, but this escape has me reconsidering. would any of the Rescue Remedy type meds help or is it time to go ahead and ask the vet about something a bit stronger? I have read about the anxiety wrap, anyone know if it is effective?
I want Nicky to feel more comfortable without me. I love that he is a cuddle bug and all but this level of attatchment is quite stressful and dangerous for him. My husband couldn't get him calmed down until I got home. He wasn't totally spazzing but he was panting hard, drooling just stressed and wouldn't relax. Once I got here, he calmed down and relaxed, took a nap after I checked him over head to toe for cuts. What else can I do to help ease the attatchment a bit? He shadows me 24/7, he likes my husband just fine, but the connection is different.
Almost forgot, I do need to excersize him more. We walk about an hour per day but I think he needs more. Just nervous bc when he was hit by the car it has effected his back legs. From my understanding, they couldn't afford the reccomended treatment and just allowed the suspected breaks to heal on their own. Is the hour walks plus the intermittent training sessions throughout the day enough?
If you got through this whole thing, thank you and I apologise for the length. I'm still quite shaken up so I'm a bit scatterbrained and probably forgot to include some things.