Need some creative thinkers for confinement "anxiety" issue
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have you read McConnell's I'll be home soon?
it might be worth consulting with a behaviorist - show the video and see what she thinks. it would probably cost a pretty penny, but it may shorten your training time and be easier/cheaper in the long run. Unfortunately, without seeing how bad it its, all of us can do is toss out suggestions that may or may not work.
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It took a while– about 3-4 months. I consulted a behaviorist, who diagnosed Ava and helped me develop a plan for desensitizing her. If I couldn't be home with her, she went to daycare or had a dogsitter. It was expensive and I had to plan my entire life around Ava's schedule, but she was an extreme case and had a fear of confinement from day one. She had explosive diarrhea, uncontrollable urination and fullblown panic attacks where she would hurl herself, screaming, against the crate again and again, and it started the minute the door was closed. I couldn't leave her alone or she would have hurt herself badly. It wasn't just the crate-- she couldn't be confined in the car and she got very anxious when the doors of rooms were closed. But we worked through it, and now she's a very good girl in her crate. It can be done!
"I'll Be Home Soon" is a helpful read. The good thing about a behaviorist is that there's a big difference between boredom, frustration and fear. And separation anxiety isn't the same as fear of confinement. The right diagnosis can be a real shortcut in your training time and the methods you use. Your vet is a good start, though, and might be able to help you without the expense of a behaviorist.
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So, we've taken two steps forward and one back. I put on Classical music the day before going to the vet - not a peep from him for 3 hours, not until the music went off (the last 30 minutes of him being alone) did he start making a fuss.
Went to the vet and got some Prozac ( a little miffed that the vet led me to believe that it would start working in a couple of days, but that's another issue) so he'll be on that as my backup plan.
I tried the same thing today, with the classical music, gave him some rescue remedy, put in a different clothing item of mine, and even bought a thundershirt to help alleviate the anxiety even more - even took extra steps to make sure he had positive associations with the thundershirt. Well, he started screaming after the first 20 minutes or so, less cage banging….but more cycles of screaming within a shorter period of time than the previous day. Of course he tore through the thunder-shirt in the process.
SO, bought a DAP infuser...going to try that out (with no expectations) and some relaxation treats (again...little expectation). Going to work with him over these next couple of days off with the hope that it'll start to sink in.. He hasn't escaped again yet, so that's the silver lining....though somehow he managed to steal the blanket off my bed and wedge it into the holes of the wire pen...crazy.
Started working with him on crate training, with the plastic crate until I can get my wire one here.....he managed to get a whole foot inside to get the treats....but even the lure of a pork hock was no good to get him all the way inside.
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can you take the plastic crate apart in 1/2? (some you can, some you cant) that may break things down into an even smaller increment.
this is an interesting book that may help:
http://www.amazon.com/Through-Dogs-Ear-Behavior-Companion/dp/1591798116/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1379036247&sr=8-4&keywords=through+a+dog%27s+ear(it also has two cute basenjis on the cover, so it's basenji approved)
bummer about the thundershirt.
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agilebasenji
Thanks for the tip - the plastic crate is two pieces so I might try that. Maybe start with the floor part.
I actually have Through a Dog's Ear (mostly bought it just because it had the two basenjis on the cover) thought it was an interesting read. I'm surprised that I didn't try the classical music sooner….since I should have known better from reading the text. The first day the music had l a magical transformation on him - just an amazing effect. I was so hopeful the second day that the music would have that same affect on him... but not meant to be. It obviously has helped though so that will be something to continue.
The thundershirt had my hopes high - as it obviously does work for calming....just can't leave a Basenji with anything that you don't want demolished....I'm going to try putting one of my old t-shirts on him and see what happens... since, oddly enough, the only things that seem to remain in tact while I'm gone are the toys and articles of clothing.
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did you have the radio on, or a recording? if it was the radio, maybe day 2 was marching music? (and your dog thought he'd just march right out of there.)
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Ha, maybe he just has a discerning ear…and bach/chopin just isn't up to snuff or something. The first day was Pandora radio - classical music by a variety of artists I've never heard of. The second day I bought a mix classical sampler CD that had all the well known musicians.....the radio had more variety but I honestly can't see the difference. Maybe I'll test Pandora out again....to make sure he's not a music snob, and that it's all just coincidence.
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Ha, I know, forum posts are like a novel sometimes - except sometimes you don't always find out what happens at the end. There are lots of posts here where I'm like "well, what happened?!"
The long and short of it: we have a "success story".
He's always been kind of a strange dog, never doing things by the books. For his anxiety…...nothing I did really helped him.
I originally put him on Prozac as a last resort, but overtime he just improved on his own; I know it's not due to the medication, because he's been off of it for awhile.
He still hates confinement but he's learned that once he's in...he's not getting out. SO he basically goes through cycles where he'll whine for about a minute or two every so often (30 minutes to 2 hours) or so then goes back to sleep, until I get home. It gets better and better each time.
One of our biggest issues I think was him being able to escape, and that fear was feeding off itself. In the beginning he would pull out all the stunts to try and escape, some of them working of course. Once I made it so he could not escape, the major destruction and psychological issues died down. I ended up putting wood pieces around the crate (as suggested above) and that helped immensely to fortify the area.
He still does cry, and rip things up while I'm away...sure. But, as long as he isn't endangering himself, getting too worked up, or making a huge racket? It works.
After we got that solved. I moved onto trying to get him to be ok in a crate - which has been successful. He goes into it fine, lays down and doesn't cry a whole lot, or try to escape.
I think his 'anxiety' is not unusual, or inappropriate. Just a natural fear that dogs have of being alone, confined, and in a new space. I also didn't go over 30 minutes when I was teaching him as a puppy....big mistake.
Things that have helped: Music, not having the light on, making the pen one giant bed (instead of allowing an area where he could stand), leaving random tissues around in the pen, not letting him out of the pen directly after coming home, giving a single cookie before leaving and returning if quiet, having the area be inescapable obviously, and brushing his teeth if he comes out of the pen right away.
Things that didn't really help: thunder shirt (was working until he ripped it up), medication, mirror outside of the pen, leaving delicious food or toys inside the pen, DAP diffuser, etc.
