What is wrong with my dog, lonley?

[Marne]

We moved house 2 months ago and our Staff took a while to settle, didn't like me leaving her and had to follow me around, after a couple weeks she settled down and was back to her normal lazzy self (spending most of the day asleep).

Yesterday when i got back from the school run i took her for a long walk (this was her first long walk since we moved as i wasn't sure where i could take her/footpaths), she enjoyed her walk but when we got back became just like she was when we moved (pacing and whinning). I shut her in the sitting room when i went to pick the dd's up (like i do everyday). When i got home she had bashed the stair gate down using her face and broke the stairgate, she damaged her face, was bleeding and her face was swallen . Luckily it wasn't bad enough for a trip to the vets.

She loves company, i am at home a lot but obviously i cant be at home all the time, she doesn't travel well in the car so i cant take her on the school run with me.

This is the first time she has done anything like this appart from a bit of chewing when she was a pup. Do you think its just due to being left and getting lonley?

Would getting another dog help? Is it ok to have 2 staff's (lily is a great dog and great with the dd's but would having another change this?).

[Marne]

bump

[Marne]

Anyone?

I'm really worried about her, she did it again today (with a new stair gate) when i went to get dd1 from school.

[DooinMeCleanin]

Another dog might help. But there are plenty of other things that could help too.

DAP spray/collar/plug in with training is one method. It sounds to me like it is separation anxiety. My dog suffered from it when we first got him.

We trained him and it got better, but never completely went until we got another puppy recently (accidentily - she was meant to be a a kitten ). However I am currently sat here with earphones in and on loud to block out the noise of the 'playing' they like to do constantly (whilst also training a stop command) so getting another dog is not something to be taken lightly.

[Marne]

Thank you, i don't think i could cope with 2 dogs running around (she's very playful). She woke me up in the night crying, i cam down, tried to let her outside (she wouldn't go) and put the TV on for her, she settled eventually. I don't know whats got into her, its like she's gone back to how she was when she was a pup, i spend ages training her and getting her used to being left for short periods of time.

Dh is saying 'no' to another dog .

It could be the weather thats upseting her? it has been very windy and it is alot louder in this house compared to our old house.

[DooinMeCleanin]

Go and see your vet about DAP. It could a lot of things upsetting her. Probably a combination of a new house and the weather, causing the separtion anxiety to surface again.

Give the DAP a go and start retraining for the anxiety. Have you thought about crate training? A lot of dogs feel more secure with crate and are less likely to become anxious in new situations. Although if she is head butting stair gates I'd go v v slowly with crate training. If you lock her in before she is comfortable with it, she might end up seriously injuring herself trying to escape.

[Marne]

Thanks, i will talk to the vet, we have tried a crate (when she was a pup) and she hated it (tried to chew the metal and hurt her mouth), if she had her way she would sit on my lap all day , she just loves being around people so much.

Fingers crossed she will settle down soon.