To consider rehoming dog

[Celtic1hair]

Looking for advice as to be honest I cant really think straight. We got a dog 4 years ago, small cavapoo after years of wanting one, did not go into it blindly, Ive had dogs all my life and am well aware of all of the needs and sacrifices needed. Unfortunately he is super anxious. Had seperation anxiety to the point I was genuinely worried he would have a heart attack after being left for 10 minutes. This went on and on, ripping doors, paintwork whilst scratching for attention. We have had 5 dog trainers who cant seem to manage him, hes now become ultra wary of strangers and if anyone comes to the door the barking is relentless. I literally cant have workmen into the house because of him, even when put into the kitchen I have to sit and hold him on a lead the entire time. One dog trainer suggested getting a dog for company and nothing has changed at all, just added workload to the whole issue. I have three children, and the dog is amazing with them, but they cant have friends over because of his behaviour, constant barking and if they come close even growling. My husband cant bear it, so Im bearing the brunt of his frustration too and we have had some awful rows. I adore the little thing but I cant carry on like this for another 10 years.

It does not!!! Why do poodles get scapegoated all the time. This really irritates me, incorrect info gets spouted and repeated and people end up ill informed.

Many many breeds are prone to Separation Anxiety. Including your poodle, but it is not a uniquely poodle thing.

Spaniels, especially cavalier king charles , are also prone to this. They are famously people oriented, velcro dogs. They were literally bred with the purpose to sit in laps and follow their owners around.

Look up any dog breed and it will likely say "prone to separation anxiety". It is a dog gene thing, not a poodle gene thing.

I think he would be rehomable,it might just take a while.

6 years ago we had to give up a dog, he was a rescue but was very anxious around my dd, so much that he went for her a few times which led to us having to take him to a rescue. It was hard to find a rescue to take him and the place we got him from refused to have him back. He was a lovely dog but needed to be in a child free household and with another dog to help his anxiety. He was rehomed after a month to a child free household.

It sounds like the main issue for you is that it’s limiting your children having friends over and it’s now causing you anxiety…which the dog is probably picking up on? In a house with a single person or possible an elderly couple he may be fine? I often see dogs on rescue pages that state ‘they need a home which doesn’t have lots of visitors’, so I do think there is hope.

Spaniels are working dogs!

I don’t necessarily think it’s SA - dogs were bred to be man’s best friend and we don’t live like that now and underestimate what they need

While I do agree that PTS might be the final and only option I’d try other options first. First up I’d change vet as you don’t seem to have been given much support nor have all the options been explored despite your clear desperation. Next I’d neuter him. It may not help but it might and you’ve nothing to lose. In conjunction with this I’d try the meds - as one PP said they do work for some dogs and again you’ve nothing to lose. Next revisit some of the abandoned training. You’ve also been given a walk through from another PP how to crate train very gently. Another idea is to get stooge visitors to come round and feed your dog to build trust. When kids are out they arrive and enter calmly, ignore his barking and other antics, sit quietly for a bit then start throwing small treats on the floor for him then closer and closer to them.

If after a while there’s no improvement try and rehome. Try rescues but you could also call the breeder and see if they have any ideas or if they’d take him back. Your dog might be a lot better in a quiet home with no children. Anxious dogs and children are a very bad mix. A lot of breeders won’t place a puppy in a family with small children because they get the puppy all riled up, then it gets nippy, then they bring it back saying it’s bitten someone. Ive had two litters of puppies and the only one that came back to me was one that went to a family with three lively boys and a too busy mum. I rehomed her in an all adult home and she’s great now.

Cavalier King Charles spaniels were bred to be companion/lap dogs. A different temperament to a working cocker or springer.

I’d say that you need the services of a clinical behaviourist. Not just a regular one as you’ve tried that, but a veterinary professional who can prescribe medication alongside a program of behavioural work and who specialises in behaviour modification

If your dog is insured, a referral from your vet may be an option and would then be covered under your policy.

one category

I think you have a good chance at rehoming him but via a dogs home / rescue. I would speak to some and see what they think (not sure where you are based but think like Battersea dogs home, the dogs trust, there may even be a cava poo specific rescue). He’s a very desirable breed and may do well in a quieter house with fewer visitors and no children. Plus people who take rescue dogs know they are signing up for a dog with issues so it won’t come as a shock. I would consider a second opinion on the medication from the vet (sorry more money) if you do keep him - it doesn’t make sense to me that medication wouldn’t help him based on what you’ve described, he’s clearly generally anxious - although I’m not a vet! Good luck and no you’re not being unreasonable, this dog doesn’t work for your family and you’ve given it a good innings xx

You cannot be serious! Can't believe I am having to spell this out but here we go:

cocker spaniels, springer spaniels, field spaniels, water spaniels - all examples of breeds that were bred to work.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels were not bred to flush game, retrieve, herd, guard, or do a defined job. Their primary “role” was companionship and they have been bred to be wired that way. Lap sitting, following, attached little companions.

I don’t understand what point you are trying to make. This thread is about a cavapoo. The category of cavalier King Charles spaniels is the relevant category of spaniel to be discussing.

Both spaniels and poodles are working dogs (though cavaliers were bred more as companion dogs) very intelligent, high energy, highly strung, prone to anxiety, also both can be nippy. That’s why crossing them causes problems. I’ve know a few with these same issues.

You were talking about crossing I believe or blaming poodles..

This would be the first thing I did. Before anything else. For a start, nobody needs to be breeding from that dog.

but honestly, why was it not done immediately when it could be?

Because the separation anxiety was already an issue and the vet said the testosterone depletion would worsen it as he would have less hormones which make him brave.

Or less hormones that make him territorial and aggressive?

That was a previous poster, who was arguing that you can’t prove that anxiety comes solely from poodle side.

my point is that the dog being discussed on this thread is a cavapoo and therefore descended from cavalier King Charles spaniels which were bred to be sat on humans laps.

This is very different to working cockers, which were bred to flush out game, and my point is this may be why this cross breed is so prone to anxiety compared to my half working cocker spaniel who could not give a shit if I go out for a few hours, and often looks visibly relieved to be left with the sofa to herself for an afternoon.

”Spaniel” is a very broad category of dog with many sub groups, and to say that they’re all “working” dogs is an oversimplification.

I’ve seen the papers in it but in practice, and for future options, no brainier. I don’t think any entire dog should be wandering about for no reason. Or indeed female. If you out to rescue they will neuter for sure. Before rehoming. So I would be trying it for sure.

Same as saying all have separation anxiety

I’m not saying that?!

Can I just say a massive thank you to all of you who have taken time to comment, it is so appreciated. I was fully expecting to be absolutely flamed, and believe me I feel like such a failure I would have accepted it. You have all given me so much advice, and I have contacted the doodle trust and will await their reply. I will go back to the vets, but this has caused so much pressure in my marriage (unbelieveable I know, it seems so trivial but unless you are living in it being at loggerheads constantly) that unless the vet can suggest something which will produce effects fairly quickly, this is not a situation that can continue. I cannot keep seeking advice from canine behaviouralists, they seem so inconsistant that I cant keep going endlessly. I think we need to put a shortish time frame to see some improvement with constant input and make a very difficult decision. As much as I love him, and was always willing to make sacrifices for a family dog I cannot continue having my life made into a prison because of it.

Plus looking back, Im not even convinced that the seperation anxiety was anything paticularly abnormal, its more that he is is unbelieveably highly strung. I can only compare it to a toddler having a meltdown when they go so over the top its like they go deaf to anything, no amount of training can get him to listen when hes in the moment. We have tried the neighbour thing, so being aware a trigger is coming and preparing and acting quickly before he gets into the 'zone' but its like a hair trigger and once he starts you cannot get through to him in any way. I am calm but my husband has a much deeper voice. The dog listens 90% of the time to him immediately, he's not a naughty dog but in those moments a bomb wouldn't stop or prevent him.

Sounds very sensible OP - well done you

I get the marriage bit completely - because your arguing over something that can’t be reasoned with so your kind of arguing about something you can’t talk to or work through separately - I don’t really know how to say but I get it - your going along fine then whoop the dogs off and you shout at each other

best of luck

do let us know what doodle trust say

well this was my thinking when I took him at 6 months to be done but she said no that he was anxious. Then when I went again at 18 months she said no because the anxiety was causing the aggressiveness. The thing is, if its going to make him worse I cant take the risk.

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