# At my wits end!



## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

I recomend a crate with a pad on the floor of it. Leave water inside and toys when you aren't home.
Give your dog toys to chew on and bones.
If possible, enroll your dog in an Obedience class as soon as possible.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

You might need to talk to your vet, or even better, a veterinary behaviorist. I would look into anti anxiety medication, not sedatives. I use Xanex on my Whippet for her firework phobia.

The potential problem with crating is that if he's truly phobic about something (might be a noise only he can hear, or he's sensitive to the atmospheric pressure changes associated with approaching storms), he may well panic and injure himself trying to claw out of the crate.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

I wouldn't want that to happen.


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## musicgirl (Jul 26, 2009)

I agree with getting him checked out by the vet.

But you mention that you go and try to sit with him and it makes him worse. It could be that he's interpreting that as a reward for that type of behaviour. Attention is probably a bigger reward than treats. If he's doing this every night, I'd say you've got yourself a habit behaviour. If it is a response to weather changes, I would expect it to be less frequent. 
Have you tried the crate, but leave the door open so he doesnt injure himself?

Edit: Not open...but without a door? set him up a little corner that's for bed time?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I think you need a balance of handling and possibly medication if he is that bad.

The main thing is you have to provide your dog with a safe place to hide while he is that scared. Being confined in a tight space like under your bed or even in your closet can definitely help. 

The other thing is figuring out what is coddling/reinforcing fear and what is giving your dog comfort and support. Meaning, maybe your dog needs to have somebody wrap a blanket around him and hold him tight until he calms down. 

Otherwise, you will experience what I did last year with my yo-yo. He would skirt around the edges of rooms because he was afraid of the sky falling. He wouldn't enter rooms with windows in them. He wouldn't go outside beyond the shadow of the house. Any loud noises (even somebody dropping an item) was enough to send him running for the nearest wall to start digging. 

Um - my guy also had very low thyroid numbers. And while it's all debatable at this point, I feel that it was exasperating things. Since he's been treated for the thyroid and his numbers are normal, his fears are a bit more manageable. He comes out of the panic and responds to distractions. Last summer we were just about convinced he was having a seizure because he would get so locked in his panics.

As far as giving our dog a place - I put some cushions down under my bed. He can sleep under there and feel secure. I also cleared out a spot in my closet and have been known to put him in the closet and let him sit in there rather than risk him going into a full blown panic. 

I also covered the windows in my room to block out any light from outside and muffle any sounds. 

And I've encouraged him to come to me for comfort. Yesterday we had some fireworks going off outside. I sat up with my computer while he lay down at the foot area of my bed. As long as I kept my hand on his hip, he stayed relatively calm, even while he was panting. After the fireworks stopped, he then resumed his usual sleeping spot and zonked out. 

During the day, I've gotten calls from family members who tell me that during thunderstorms and even tornado watches that we've had - he's done fine, as long as he has somebody to lean up against for comfort.


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## West (Jul 9, 2010)

How about a Thundershirt? I haven't tried them, but I've read that some people at the forum have, with good results.

Thundershirt | The Best Dog Anxiety Treatment


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## Liv (Jun 27, 2011)

Hi everyone, thanks for all your replies. We crated him when he was younger and it was good for a while, but I came home one lunch time to let him out to discover that he had been trying to get out as he has a bad tummy and he had bruised all his nose, we couldn't get him near it again. So thats when we let him stay in the remainder of the house in the day and he's really good, unless he has a bad tummy then he eats his was through the cat flap to get outside, he does not like to soil in the house. I think maybe the vet has to be the next avenue as I am completely out of idea. He's so loving and gentle, theres not a malicious bone in his body. I've never seen him bare his teeth and I've never heard him growl, and apart from at night he never barks. He's a bit of a wimp really. I don't want to give up on him, but he's making life quite troublesome.


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## Liv (Jun 27, 2011)

Yes I looked at those today I think we're going to give them a try


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Also ask your vet to refer you to a certified veterinary behaviorist.


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## Claire's Friend (Feb 26, 2007)

I think he is hearing something at night that you can't hear. Do you have a basement?


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## Liv (Jun 27, 2011)

Stupid Thunder! Dashed home at lunch time to find a shivering wreck under my bed, actually I couldn't tell whether he had been under it, over it, in it. Bless him, he drunk four bowls of water, I just hope he is brave enough to go out to relieve himself other wise I'm going to go home to a very big puddle! I wish my husband would agree to letting him up in our bedroom as I think this would cure a lot of his night time problems.


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## Liv (Jun 27, 2011)

No we don't have a basement, I made him a bed in the bathroom and he did really well for a week and then the last two nights he went bad again, and scratched all the bathroom door.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Liv said:


> Stupid Thunder! Dashed home at lunch time to find a shivering wreck under my bed, actually I couldn't tell whether he had been under it, over it, in it. Bless him, he drunk four bowls of water, I just hope he is brave enough to go out to relieve himself other wise I'm going to go home to a very big puddle!* I wish my husband would agree to letting him up in our bedroom as I think this would cure a lot of his night time problems.*


How about crated in the bedroom?


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## Liv (Jun 27, 2011)

Willow52 said:


> How about crated in the bedroom?


we used to crate him when he was younger until he tried to get out one day as he had bad tummy, so he's not really happy about going in one again. but it is and idea, will talk to hubby


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## jackie_hubert (Jun 2, 2010)

I would also recommend a vet behaviorist. Let us know how the appointment goes. Thinking good thought for your little guy.


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## Liv (Jun 27, 2011)

We had a better night last night and when I came home today for lunch he was very calm. I made a big fuss of him. Yesterdays thunder storm found him scaling the stair gate and destroying everything under our bed ( he was trying to find a safe place) so I did something different this morning which I think might have helped. I shut all the bedroom doors and I left the stair gate open so he could go upstairs if he wanted but not damage anything in the bedrooms. I think it calmed him down.... but we'll see. Haven't made appointment at vet yet, but tomorrow night we are going to try something new, we are going to make him a bed on the landing and keep our bedroom door shut. I wonder if he will be calmer if he is nearer to us rather than shut in the bathroom (which is downstairs) if he knows he is closer to us he might feel more relaxed at night. thanks for all your support and advice... keep it coming  x


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