Working with needy dog

6 years ago

I adopted a 3 year old female Chi mix 5 weeks ago.

Sophie was pulled from Animal Control by a local rescue with her 6 week old puppy, surrendered for some reason I‘m not sure of, I believe there were other dogs surrendered with her. She did not know her name or any words. She‘s settling in well, doing ok with house training, though I’ve had to gate off the areas of the house she’s had accidents in as she wants to go back there. She has learned her new name, sit, and down. Starting to play a little. She’s affectionate with me and my husband. No food or toy aggression. Very sweet, all about belly rubs and attention.

Problem: she’s extremely clingy and has some separation anxiety and territorial aggression. At every opportunity she wants to sit ON one of us. I’ve been trying to sometimes make her sit next to me instead, and sometimes in her dog bed on the floor. I’ve put in cameras and learned that she howls when I go out. I’ve made my absences infrequent and as short as possible and tried to do some desensitizing exercises. I’ve dealt with severe separation anxiety before, so have some experience with it. I don’t always have a convenient sitter to avoid triggering while I work through desensitizing, so I’m doing the best I can. There is no pacing, drooling, pooping or destructive or dangerous behavior. Been there.

I’m wondering if I should discourage so much clingy behavior? She sleeps in bed with us, sits on the sofa with me, has jumped on my lap in the bathroom. Would it help to put a little distance between us or would it just make her sad? I’ve had lots of dogs and have fostered but this extreme clinginess is one behavior I haven’t dealt with before. Maybe another dog would help.

Or is this sitting ON us an alpha behavior? She is very submissive generally, at least with us. She tries to eat people who come in.

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Comments (5)

Stax
6 years ago
I would suggest that adding some structure to your new dog's life will help quash the separation anxiety that you are seeing. Provide her a bed or crate in your bedroom - do not let her sleep in the bed with you.

I think the last thing you need is another dog... work with the one you have.

Have you had dogs before?
Saypoint zone 6 CT thanked Stax
Saypoint zone 6 CT
Original Author
6 years ago
Yes, I’ve had 6 six dogs of my own in the past, and fostered at least 20 small breed dogs for rescue. Many of them with varying degrees of issues, puppy mill survivors, neglect cases, etc. So I’m not inexperienced. I was active in rescue for years before stepping back when we bought a business. I’m now retired.

I crated her for the first couple weeks while she recovered from her spay surgery (she was a foster-to-adopt, I wanted to get her out of the shelter ASAP) and we got the house-training a bit sorted out. She will not stay in her own bed if there is any way she can get next to me. She doesn’t tolerate the crate well but I couldn’t chance her trying to jump up on the bed.

I’ve handled multiple dogs before, i.e. my three and two fosters at the same time with no problem, but I was dogless for a little while before adopting Sophie. I recently took in my Mom’s Maltese for year before losing her in January.
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M
6 years ago
We rescued a 2 yr old Great Dane mix with what seemed to be dog aggression issues. And then found that it was just anxiety. Our vet recommended a probiotic that calms the Vagus nerve and helps with anxiety. For us, it worked like a dream. It seemed to Jane a difference in about the 3rd or 4th weeks after starting her on it. I think it’s worth a try, especially if you’re already an experienced dog parent and working on all those things you mentioned.

https://www.proplanvetdirect.com/pro-plan-veterinary-diets/cat-dog-supplements/calming-care-canine-nutritional-supplement
Saypoint zone 6 CT thanked M
Saypoint zone 6 CT
Original Author
6 years ago
I’ve looked at this brand of probiotic for digestive health, but not at the calming product. I might give it a try. Thanks!
Ninapearl
6 years ago
she sure is cute!! five weeks isn't very long when you consider how she came to you. poor girl was probably scared and who knows what sort of past she had. i'd just be as patient as you can, which i'm sure you are already doing, and give her a few more weeks to really settle in.

i've been rescuing great danes for 12+ years and have had a couple come to me as adults, very scared, unsocialized and very confused. one of my previous girls was as you describe...wouldn't let me out of her sight, followed me everywhere and absolutely would NOT relax until i was sitting down and then, she laid on top of my feet. i let her just do her thing for a couple of months and once she figured out she was here to stay and that i wouldn't be going anywhere, she started to relax. i remember the first time she actually stayed laying down in the living room when i got up from the couch to go to the kitchen. it was a red letter day for us!!

good luck and thank you for rescuing!!
Saypoint zone 6 CT thanked Ninapearl