@mshilo said in protecting cords:
@eeeefarm I have seen this behavior also with people\kids that forced (without a choice) to change their living environment. After all, no one asked nor explained the dog whats going on.
Absolutely! With my last boy, Perry, I swear he thought he was "only visiting" for some months after we got him. He was three years old and had lived with his breeder all that time, and I am convinced he thought she would come back for him. He had never had a problem being crated when he was with her......she had several dogs, all in the house, but allowed their freedom in pairs at a time, and when she went out he was used to being crated alongside other dogs. Change of venue, immediate separation/confinement anxiety. I had to transition him out of the crate ASAP, as he would have what I can only describe as panic attacks if left in it when we went out. (he was never crated when we were home to supervise) Being alone without the company of other dogs was intolerable for him in a crate. I tried all kinds of treats, but nothing worked and he remained upset all the time we were absent. He learned fairly quickly to deal with it when only confined to a room, not the crate, and where he could look out, although he was by times so anxious he couldn't hold his bowels. He got over it when I discovered the magic green roller ball. Treats alone did not work, but working for the treats did! It wasn't long before I could trust him with full run of the house and he became the most reliable Basenji I have ever owned, not even tearing up tissue from the garbage.
I would load his ball up with goodies and lock it in his crate to build anticipation. (the only use I was putting the crate to, since I never locked him in it anymore). We progressed to where he would encourage us to leave so he could have his ball. After that breakthrough issues only arose if there was a major change in routine, e.g. my going to the airport at 1 a.m. to pick up my husband resulted in feces on the couch on our return.
Amazingly, when we moved from the farm to a house in town he adapted as soon as our furniture arrived (you could almost see the sigh of relief), and he was far more comfortable here right from the get go. You never know whether a change will bring improvement or disaster!
Your point is well taken, particularly with an adult dog, that they don't get to choose. All of a sudden their world turns upside down and they are stuck with people they may or may not like. We need to allow them the time to adjust to their situation and exercise empathy and understanding instead of condemning them as "bad" when they act out. Trust me, it is easier to express this on the page than it is to live it in the moment!!
