# New baby changes



## Cannon (Jun 28, 2012)

Any advice or similar experiences greatly appreciated:
Reilly is a 7.5 year old intact male who has been with us since a pup. He's a great dog, well mannered, obedient, and we've never had any trouble from him. He has had free roam of our house since a pup.
Introduce human baby Freja who is now 4 months and a very happy contented baby with very minimal crying outbursts.
The last month we are seeing signs of anxiety if Reilly is left home alone. He still gets 4 walks most days, food puzzle toys, treat trails in the house and garden, mini clicker train sessions and vizsla play dates. I've even put my baby into 3 mornings at nursery so I can dedicate some more time to this...!!
Working with a behaviourist: she says he holds the baby in high regard and shows no dislike or anxiety around her. Its almost as if he feels responsible for her...lays close to her with his back to her etc. 
We were advised to crate him which we have done, alongside using "crate games." He has since ripped up a pretty expensive soft crate. She advised a rigid one. I have still to try this as I KNOW my dog and know he'll go at it until he hurts himself. We have now installed cameras. It seems he is ok to start with and then maybe after 20-30minutes he starts pacing around the house. He had scratched at several of the doors upstairs (of rooms that we rarely use). So now I leave all doors open. I used a stair gate to gate off the upstairs...he has somehow gotten through that and shut himself upstairs....so now I'm leaving that open in fear he'll hurt himself. The last two days he has scratched at and knocked over the baby bouncer chair and today scratched at the bottom of her pram/stroller...while whining. He does not settle down but once he's done this behaviour he seems to be calmer. He has once peed in her nursery.
We are doing lots of practice going in and out of the house, with and without the pram/carseat..and coming straight in again. I feel the pram/carseat are "big" cues that trigger start of the anxiety...so I'm now putting them in the car way before I go out. I do a lot of playtime with him when she is in her chair so he has fun around her.
Any thoughts?? We feel really sad he's acting like this and want to help him. Being a veterinary nurse I know there is no easy or quick fix for anxiety but we are positive we can make things a bit easier for him. This mamma is doing her best!!! HELP!!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I wish I knew of a good fix. 
I adopted Ranger, and knew full well he had separation anxiety. 
I've tried a lot of things with him, but haven't came up with anything that fixed his problem. His past owners tried prescription drugs from the vet, and those either made him worse, or so drugged he couldn't do anything. 
The only thing that makes him relax is tons of physical, and mental exercise. 
He goes to a Novice obedience class every week, and we practice a new places all the time. Just practicing with him at home, doesn't cut it. Something about high distraction places, that really makes the brain work does the trick. Plus he gets off leash running in the fields.

I have pretty much given up on crate training him, after he hurt himself trying to escape it. He will gladly do crate games, and eat meals in the crate with the door closed, but not locked.
Lock the door, and he goes into panic mode. 
His past family had a baby, and then moved to a new house. His anxiety started when they moved. He was around 7 years old, like your dog.
Ranger goes everywhere with me. The only place he is comfortable being alone. Is inside my Durango, with the motor running. I just carry two sets of keys, so I can lock the doors.


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

So, Reilly is OK when Freja is home? The source of the anxiety is the separation from her? He's OK when she's in day care and you are at home? What do you do with him on those times, and how is that changed since baby's arrival?

V's are preternaturally..I just love that word, it sums up their abilities so well....they are preternaturally intelligent and sensitive, and will adopt a newcomer as their own. So, when Freja is gone, he feels it. 

The solution is not an easy one...you want to minimize the intrusion of Freja into his 7.5 year old routine, so try to get back onto as much of that track as possible. If that doesn't work..and I do not suggest this often....consider some medication..at least temporarily so he's not so tortured..it might break the association btwn the separation and his behavioral response.


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## Cannon (Jun 28, 2012)

Had a couple of really positive days leaving Reilly at the house. The cameras are a great help and I feel so much more confident knowing I can check in on him any time...having the knock on effect that I'm calmer when I leave the house which he most feel. Had 4 outings where he has stayed on his bed the whole time...not fully relaxed or sleeping but no pacing or damage. Someone suggested I leave a blanket of hers down on/near his bed which I've started doing. Texasred: took on board your physical/mental activity advice. Before one of these outings we did half an hour of swimminv, play and retrieval in our pool...he was much calmer. Will be trying to organise a dog activity per day to mix up things and wear him out indifferent ways. 
Thanks both so much for your input...I appreciate it. Texasred: I'm glad you said about the crate as it just felt like the wrong course for us and I think would've ended badly for Reilly. 
Gingerling: Yes, he's absolutely fine when I'm at home and she is at nursery. He is great around the house, beautifully behaved wherever he comes out with us etc. I've had a good long think about how things have changed since Freja arrived and will make some positive changes to our weekly routine. I'm definitely doing more of the on leash stuff and my husband the off leash...which is a reversal of how things used to be. So I'm going to ditch the pram for a bit and get Freja in the harness so we can go explore some more off leash!!
I'm keeping my fingers crossed we can turn this around.


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