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In desperate need of advice.

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183 views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  Curls  
T
#1 ·
Hey! So I have a 12 yr old Shepard/rott mix. I love him a lot. I've had him since he was a baby and I can say with the deepest confidence I take good care of him. Last November his hips starting hurting. We did cold laser treatments,shots (I don't remember what they were called) and he's now on a daily dose of muscle relaxers. I let him set the pace on walks, which we do every other day and every day he frolics in this grassy area in the back of our apartment. He has toys, two beds and sleeps with me if he wants. One cat in the house that he's use to and I try and take him with me everywhere I can. For the past few months he's been chewing up EVERYTHING. the couch, my mom's bed, anything with plastic and it's gone. I was gone for 20 mins the other day and I can home to him peeing on the rug in my room (not like a, I had to pee and couldn't make it, more of a F you) I leave in the mornings for work at 600 and my mom is home by 7, he's barley alone an hour and the house is destroyed. I've tried leaving toys out, leaving only one or two out. Freezing treats, letting him run before I leave, leaving the TV on with soothing music,ect. Nothing is working. My mom sleeps during the day and says usually for the first two hours he will NOT stop barking. He's been my baby for a long long time and I'd do anything for him but I'm at the end of my rope. I've considered a shock collar but for one I'm concerned because of his age how it'll affect him and also IDK how that's suppose to stop him from ripping everything up. I'm at my ropes end, I really and truly need help with this issue!
 
C
#2 ·
Any time there is a sudden change in behavior it is worthwhile to get a vet checkup. As a twelve year old, he's definitely a senior citizen. Lots of things start going wrong at that age. Pain is a possibility; it's not unusual for large breed dogs to have orthopedic issues as they age. Hormone imbalances are also a common issue with senior dogs. A third possibility is hearing and/or vision loss. A fourth possibility is cognitive decline. Any of these issues - pain, feeling yucky from hormone issues,confusion - could make him feel anxious and distressed. It's not unusual for distressed dogs to try to comfort themselves by chewing on things.

Another question is if this behavior change corresponds to a change in household routine: someone changing their work schedule, a move to a new place, someone moving out, etc. If so, he might be experiencing separation anxiety. Medication and/or a consultation with a behaviorist would be a worth exploring if so.

I think a shock collar is absolutely the wrong tool for both separation anxiety and for senior dog problems. First, it's not really fair to shock him if he's misbehaving in response to a medical issue. Second, if he's anxious or sunsetting, he's not likely to learn anything from the shocks. The pain just going to add to his distress without accomplishing anything.
 
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