[Kanella's daddy]

hello all

i have my goldendoodle female puppy who is about to be 7 months in 10 days... I got her from a breeder when she was 9 weeks old and i would say that everything has been going pretty well. She's a happy puppy for most of the time, having really good socialization with other dogs, a bit less with humans due to covid - but still a very friendly doggy.

One thing that has been worrying me however is how much anxiety she has... she's very noise sensitive and gets scared to the point that she starts shaking. the noise can be anything... from the water in the pipes of the central heating, to a door that closed abruptly on the street or a car that went by very fast. Since the beginning i have been desensitizing her with all kinds of situations but it seems that lately it's getting worse... Today for example, i was working in my home office, so it was very quiet in the apartment, until she heard something from the street. She came running to my office, tail tucked between the legs, sat next to me and looked terrified... She even started shaking... it took her 30 mins to relax...

Now, this is not something that anyone would want for their puppy... I have heard that this will all go away as soon as she gets her first period, which might be just around the corner. But, I wonder if other people have had similar experiences and if so, if you have managed to overcome it and how. Of course, every doggy is different, but still I would appreciate any personal experiences that might help me understand whether this is rather serious and needs medical attention or something that will naturally go away.
thanks!

 

[JoanneF]

Poor girl - you could maybe start with something like a pheromone product. These come in a spray (for blankets etc., not for directly on to the dog), a collar and a diffuser. They replicate the hormone a bitch has after having puppies and have a calming effect on dogs.

 

[Kanella's daddy]

Poor girl - you could maybe start with something like a pheromone product. These come in a spray (for blankets etc., not for directly on to the dog), a collar and a diffuser. They replicate the hormone a bitch has after having puppies and have a calming effect on dogs.

Hi Joanne - thank you for the response... I have been giving her Zylkene which is based on a milk protein that is supposed to work with a calming effect. It worked at the beginning but then it kind of stopped. I had to increase as she grew of course but i feel that it is not helping her with the "real" issues, meaning sounds and going through doors...

 

[JoanneF]

When you say you have been desensitising her, what have you been doing, and how has that been going?

I ask because there is a fine line between desensitising, and sensitising - for example when the stimulus is repeated, but to the point of annoyance. Like a colleague who has a habit of clicking a pen - most days you can tolerate it or ignore it, but one day, maybe you have other stresses going on, you haven't slept and you have a headache, and he is click - click - clicking. You have had enough, so you lose it and take the pen from him and snap it.

Does that make sense?

 

[Kanella's daddy]

When you say you have been desensitising her, what have you been doing, and how has that been going?

I ask because there is a fine line between desensitising, and sensitising - for example when the stimulus is repeated, but to the point of annoyance. Like a colleague who has a habit of clicking a pen - most days you can tolerate it or ignore it, but one day, maybe you have other stresses going on, you haven't slept and you have a headache, and he is click - click - clicking. You have had enough, so you lose it and take the pen from him and snap it.

Does that make sense?

Yes, it does. For example, I would take her on a regular basis to the market, sit with her, watch people go by and positive reinforce her without forcing the whole thing. And then take her for play time so that she knows it's fun at the park right after. She reacts well within her routine but gets scared with new stimuli...

 

[Rex the Rat]

Have you tried any desensitizing videos? This playlist has great instructions in the description: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-oTwuFvwH33-BIEjpZdXrslu3J6KxjFH

 

[The Hound Healer]

hello all

i have my goldendoodle female puppy who is about to be 7 months in 10 days... I got her from a breeder when she was 9 weeks old and i would say that everything has been going pretty well. She's a happy puppy for most of the time, having really good socialization with other dogs, a bit less with humans due to covid - but still a very friendly doggy.

One thing that has been worrying me however is how much anxiety she has... she's very noise sensitive and gets scared to the point that she starts shaking. the noise can be anything... from the water in the pipes of the central heating, to a door that closed abruptly on the street or a car that went by very fast. Since the beginning i have been desensitizing her with all kinds of situations but it seems that lately it's getting worse... Today for example, i was working in my home office, so it was very quiet in the apartment, until she heard something from the street. She came running to my office, tail tucked between the legs, sat next to me and looked terrified... She even started shaking... it took her 30 mins to relax...

Now, this is not something that anyone would want for their puppy... I have heard that this will all go away as soon as she gets her first period, which might be just around the corner. But, I wonder if other people have had similar experiences and if so, if you have managed to overcome it and how. Of course, every doggy is different, but still I would appreciate any personal experiences that might help me understand whether this is rather serious and needs medical attention or something that will naturally go away.
thanks!
View attachment 248965

Hi. Your puppy is adorable! It must be pretty distressing watching her so upset so easily. I had a very noise sensitive dog, as well. I may be able to help her through homeopathy. I'm a practitioner and teacher. It helped my girl. It is a gentle, safe way to trigger the body's own healing mechanism. If you're interested in finding out more, let me know and I'll give you contact details so we can talk. Good luck! Jody