What Can I Do to Help My Dog Adjust While I'm Away for a Wedding?

[smspamperedchef]

Ok guys! I am so unsure what I should do here! I am out of state for my stepdaughter's wedding and I have one of my downline consultants babysitting our dog. All she is supposed to do is mainly just let the dog out, let him do his business, feed him and make sure he has water. Simple right? He is the sweetest dog ever and loves his mommy dearly. I always get a "hug" from him when I get home and he follows me from room to room. He's a solid white lab mix. This is the kind of dog you can just open the front door and he will just hang out with you til it's time to go in. Anyway, for some reason he has become either very nervous or very protective and Kim is having a very hard time caring for him. The minute she unlocks the door he begins to bark and growl and show his teeth. This has happened now 2 days in a row. Yesterday she at least was able to let him out to do his stuff and fed him and all, but today he just stood at the door and did not want to let anyone in at all. They even tried just opening the door and backing off and the dog would not come out. We finally told her (just so he would get fed) to have one person go to the back door to pop the lid on the dog food canister so the dog could have access and the other person would ring the doorbell to divert the dog's attention. It worked however they still could not get him to go outside. (I'm so afraid to come home to a mess!) Now, this is so wierd because I DID introduce Max to Kim and her husband and he was as sweet as can be.

I am in a quandry here and I feel so helpless. My dog has been around people before and is always very friendly and will try to hug them as well. I think he is feeling a bit anxious that we are gone as we have never left him before. I feel so bad and Kim said not to worry about it as she wasn't mad or anything. Just worried about not being able to take the dog out and stuff. I don't arrive back home until Monday but I need to some ideas here to give Kim. She said she even came back to the house and gave him a treat and all the while he was eating it he was sitting there growling at her. HELP!!! This is SO unlike him and I feel so bad that I "abandoned" him. Any ideas? I would greatly appreciate it!! Thanks!

 

[Trish1953]

Have you called to talk to your vet? Your dog may be feeling depressed or anxious while you are gone. Could they get a shirt that smells like you and let the dog lie near it? With our dogs, when we are gone, it takes them a few days to get used to the caretakers, but eventually they come around. Of course, when I go that, I have my caretakers "live in" while I'm gone. The other thing to remember is that your friend is invading his territory. So, he may feel threatened by anyone besides you coming into it. When this happens to our dogs, I have the person sit on the sofa until the dog comes up to smell them. I hope everything works out.

Trish in Texas
Independent Consultant

 

[dannyzmom]

Poor guy....my mom's dog gets like this when she is gone for any length of time. He only like Mom, Stepdad and me. That's IT. But when Mom and Stepdad are gone for any length of time, he turns on ME until they get back. I think what you suggested about popping the lid on the food is a good idea. I don't know HOW they are going to get him out though. Mom's dog is a chihuahua - I can scoop him up in a towel and take him out when he's freaking...a lab is a different story. Maybe they can lay down some newspaper for him seeing as he's not going to go outside til you're home?

 

[smspamperedchef]

I like the shirt idea however, they can't really get inside to get one plus all of our laundry was done before I left anyway. UGH! This makes me feel so bad. I just hope they can get in today. She is bringing over yet another family member to try to "help"

 

[rennea]

Does he have a favorite treat?? Let her know so she can give him that. He is scared, as long as she keeps a soft voice I think he should be ok. How long are you gone for?? Poor baby he's missing his mommy.

 

[thebowman]

maybeJust guessing here but, do you think fireworks may have him upset and he not knowing the person coming over was not the one doing it, maybe thinking they are harrassing him? Dogs usually will protect if someone was upseting them from outside. I would hate to think someone tried to break in while you were gone but maybe something like this happened and he is just reacting to it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

This would take some time on your friends part - but she may need to hang around there for awhile, and just talk to him (even through the door).......he may calm down after a bit and then let her come in.

 

[DebbieSAChef]

StrangerNo matter how many times someone introduces a person to a dog, if the owner is not around when that person is there at the house, they are considered a stranger.
I'm sure he thinks he is protecting the home while you are away. I wouldn't take any chances with her getting bit so you might have to come home to a messy home. It's more important for him to eat and have fresh water. It might not be in his usual behavior but considering you are gone he may be feeling sad and abandoned. He'll get over it, so don't feel guilty. We all have to leave our pets home alone sometime!
I think it's a great suggestion to distract the dog and the other person feed him and give him water. They could even toss a treat into a bedroom and close the door so they can get the job done. Maybe even have time to clean up any messes he may have already done, and then just open up the door and leave quickly!!

Debbie

 

[smspamperedchef]

Thanks guys! As far as fireworks go we were actually home on the forth and left the morning of the 5th so I don't think that was it though. I do think though that he sensed that we were getting ready to leave though. All day long before we left he was "pacing" and just following me everywhere and just acted like "hey! where ya going?" Only 2 more days til we are home so he should be alright, hopefully. We leave again for Conference on Wednesday but luckily the person that is watching our boys will be bringing them by and the boys will take care of him. Good thing I won't have to worry about that then.

 

[Kathytnt]

I brought in a professional dog sitter and introduced my dog. Everything went find that day and then the first time she came in but after that the first visit she wouldnot let her put on the collar to go for a walk. It takes several visits before any dog would get comfortable

 

[janetupnorth]

He's scared and protective. Have her take him his favorite treat and NOT turn her back on him or be afraid of him.

Also, if you have a vet in the area or pet supply store, maybe get some pet calm or calming treats to give him - there are various types to maybe calm him a bit before you get home.

Sorry I can't give you more advice - have to run...


Here is an article if anything in it helps you...

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1551&articleid=2266

 

[SnowChef]

Yikes!

I am getting ready to leave my anxiety ridden Ridgeback/Husky mix for 3 weeks pretty soon. She doesn't travel well and has stranger anxiety. We have left her for occasional 3 day weekend before with friends stopping in to hang out with her- no problems there... But in prepartion for this trip we left her in our only local kennel where the lady could not get her to come inside for our chilly Alaskan March average high temp of 10 degrees, needless to say we had her "friends" come get her the next morning. Then we started thinking we could take her with us, so we took her on our next road trip on which she seemed to come completely undone.

Now I have someone who will be able to house/dog sit for us, but after reading this thread I am the one who is filled with anxiety. I hope she won't turn on this person whom we haven't had the chance to meet yet. (She will get into town a couple of days before we leave.)

Sharon, I hope you don't come home to a mess, and I am thinking that a Trifle Bowl filled with flowers might be in order for our wonderful friends that agree to deal with our crazy pets!

Good luck!

Sheryl

 

[smspamperedchef]

He's scared and protective. Have her take him his favorite treat and NOT turn her back on him or be afraid of him.

Also, if you have a vet in the area or pet supply store, maybe get some pet calm or calming treats to give him - there are various types to maybe calm him a bit before you get home.

Sorry I can't give you more advice - have to run...



Here is an article if anything in it helps you...

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1551&articleid=2266

Janet, Thank you so much for the article and it helps me understand more how he is probably feeling. Unfortunately it makes me want to get home sooner though to give him a big ole hug! The girl's husband was able to somehow get into the house today to check the water and he even left the back door open and snuck out the back gate but the dog would not step foot outside! UGH!!! Not sure if there have been any messes or anything but the husband is gonna try to check tomorrow. Thanks guys for all your thoughts! I really appreciate it!

 

[PampChefJoy]

Definitely sounds like doggie anxiety and is totally normal. My dogs always get agitated when they see the suitcases come out, as it means we're leaving. We have a great (professional) petsitter that comes over and she does make it easier to leave the "family" at home while we're gone.

I would recommend talking to the vet about anxiety meds if you are concerned that this will happen again in the future.

 

[AmyO]

Two things that may help:
#1 ~ I would have her give the dog a treat or two when she gets to the house. (I have two dogs and there both nuts. Zoe doesn't like anyone and will bark her head off until she gets to smell them and eat out of their hand. Then she is their best friend. Mistic was abused before we got her, so she just tries to hide when she doesn't know a person.)
#2 ~ I know this is hard, but tell your dog watcher to walk in with confidence and ignore your dog: no touching, no talking to your dog and no looking at your dog, this may help as well. (It did help us when some friends came to a BBQ, Zoe stopped barking at them and left them alone. I was shocked because she normally has to be hand feed with treats to stop barking at strangers, but we were there that day.)