Question:
Jacob, our 3-year-old fixed male cockapoo (he may also have some terrier in him) has "visitors leaving" anxiety.It started about a year ago with Jacob jumping and nipping on the sleeves and feet of our weekly housekeeper as she left for the night. Once the behavior began, Jacob repeated it with all departing visitors. In order to protect them, we now put the leash on Jacob whenever we are able to plan for a visitor's departure. Even with the leash on, though, every time a visitor gets up to leave and approaches the front door, Jacob violently pulls on the leash, manically scratches the floor and barks violently.During the six-month period following the initial onset of this behavior, Jacob was twice attacked by a neighbor's pit bull/chow mix; perhaps this added a level of anxiety. In fact, he restarted the behavior following a very difficult recovery from the second, more-serious attack by the dog.He never exhibits this behavior when the three of us leave the house (including our 12-year-old son), and someti
L.R., Silver Spring, Md Aug 15, 2004
Answer:
Your dog is indeed suffering from an anxiety disorder that could well have been aggravated by being attacked by your neighbor's dog,The best and most workable behavior modification program is to hire an animal behavior consultant who know the ropes and will put your dog through a desensitization and re-motivation program. But you can try this procedure first:Get a dog-training clicker or whistle (or shake a coffee can containing coins and pebbles) and employ it as soon as your dog begins to act up -- as your housekeeper is leaving, for instance. The noise will break his focused obsession. Keep him on the leash and, immediately after the noise distraction, give him a treat or favorite toy to re-motivate him. Have your housekeeper come and go several times and repeat the noise-reward sequence, then praise him for being still.
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