# where has my dog gone



## the S team (Dec 8, 2009)

My apologies for being a broken record on the forum and for my lengthy posts. I don't know what to do with Sara. It's like someone has taken what was my nice, well behaved, normal dog and replaced her with this new imposter.

Thanksgiving incident where she attacked Scout.
Ice storm where she went ballistic in the house.
ONE new year's eve firecracker that sent her into a panic.

And now tonight.

I went to run errands for 45 minutes and I put her and Scout in the kitchen (it's the safest place for them). Usually they have the run of the whole first floor of the house but I've been worried since she's been getting herself in to trouble so reverted back to the kitchen (haven't done that in over a year). When I returned, she had busted through the METAL kitchen gate....I have no idea how she did it. Ate throw pillows in the living room (which they always have access too and never pay any attention to), tore through my whole kitchen trash can, and pooped in the middle of the family room.

Busted through the second gate to the upstairs...which she has now done twice....destroyed some clean folded laundry, a handful of accidents throughout the master suite, ate all the cat food and all the droppings in the cat litter box and one of the kitties was a slime ball....which means she was after him, too. Scout, the old calm man, was hiding in the corner of the kitchen when I came home...which to me indicates perhaps she had gone after him, too...but I don't know for sure. He looked physically fine but was spooked. 

Of course I am calling the vet on monday to follow through with the thyroid concern but I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HER. 

After I cleaned everything up, I sat on the steps and had a good bawl. They are like my children but she is so badly behaved lately and it is so out of the blue. For 4 years and 10 months, she has never been like this. NEVER. 

I am considering setting up her crate again but she has not been crated for over 2 years and I am terrified that she'll really hurt herself if she panics in it and trys to escape from that. And she's not used to it anymore....will that freak her out, too. 

What if something is seriously wrong with her?

Or worse...what if nothing is wrong with her and this is just her new way of behaving?

What if I can't get a handle on it?

What if I have to consider re-homing her? I'd die. 

I am not a panicker and have had oodles of pets over the years...but I am at sixes and sevens with her 180 degree turn around in 6 weeks time.

Thank you for listening. I'm not sure if I am looking for advice or just empathy. I simply do not know what to do.


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Poor Sara...and you. I can't belive she is acting this way for no reason, I hope the vet helps you on Monday. If I was you I would put the crate up and use it, she is going to hurt herself running crazy in your house or maybe hurt Scout or that poor kitty. I know our puppy and it seems like other dogs/puppies on here freaked out with fireworks on new years eve. Ice storm and fireworks are loud...maybe she has some kind of ear infection??? Anyway I hope she is ok...but I bet Monday seems like a long ways off.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Oh my, I am so sorry she's acting up like this. I can't imagine what could be causing it. Thyroid can account for some behavior changes so I hope that having her tested will give you some answers. And remember that if she is in the Low Normal range she needs to be treated because that is low for Goldens.

I would definitely go back to using the crate until you can find out what is going on with her, for her safety, your house's safety, and the safety of your other animals.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

I'm sorry I don't have any great advice to offer... but empathy I can manage. I'm so sorry to hear you've been going through this with your girl. I will think good thoughts that this is simply connected to a thyroid issue... because it is relatively minor and easy to manage. 

I third the crate idea too... much less risk of your dog injuring herself/eating something harmful/hurting someone else in the crate.

Julie and Jersey


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## dmsl (Jun 7, 2009)

Bless your (and her) heart...so sorry you are having to deal with this. I agree with the others to crate. Even though she isn't used to it any longer, it is her safest alternative to being left to run in the kitchen or house. Maybe leave one of your old shirts that you sleep in tonight with her in the crate so she has a comfort smell to cuddle....and a toy or two if you think they'd be ok. Hoping the vet can help you figure this out Monday!


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## the S team (Dec 8, 2009)

Thank you all for the speedy replies. Sometimes I feel like I only have my critters to talk to...and they rarely answer back verbally . 

I will set up the crate tonight. I already took it out of the attic. I wonder if she'll adjust back to it just like when it was a daily routine. I doubt it and I feel badly putting her in it while the rest run the house...but it is best for her safety.

I love them all more than anything or anyone...but at times it can be overwhelming and very lonely to try to manage the bunch...especially when I don't know what to do.

Since she's become such a houdini with doors and gates and latches, I'm thinking of using a small caribiner (sp?) to keep the crate door closed.


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

I bet she will be ok in the crate. Can you set it up near where you sleep, or maybe where she is used to sleeping? My two love there crates (maybe not normal) but in the past when we have taken crates down for other dogs they will still sleep where the crate had been. Good luck, I hope you all get some needed rest.


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Just wondering how Sara was last night...did she do ok in her crate?


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## Doodle (Apr 6, 2009)

Wow! I have not seen your previous posts, but this one is a doozy. I'm so sorry you're going through this...I can only imagine how you must be feeling. To me, everything you describe in this latest incident sounds like a severe case of separation anxiety. The question is why, all of a sudden? If you think back, was there any event that happened prior to her acting out that may have significantly upset her? If not, then I'd say you're on the right track to look for a medical reason. I hope things get better for you quickly. Please keep us posted.


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## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Wow...this really sounds like a health issue, not just a behavioral thing. If it's not thyroid-related, she may be hurting somewhere we can't see and trying to respond to the pain. Sorry to jump into the issue late in the game, but has a vet been over her with a fine-toothed comb?


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## Bogart (Nov 14, 2009)

I also would take her to the Vet to make sure it's nothing physical. Then I have another question, how much exercise is she getting before you leave?
Did something happen that she is reacting stressed about being home alone? Scout is probably freaked out because he knows that she is breaking the rules and he is worried about getting in trouble with you. 
I hope you find the reason for her strange behavior.
All the best,
Elke, ZsaZsa and Bogart


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## GoldenOwner12 (Jun 18, 2008)

Don't worry i know what your going through Shelley has problems too. **** it i thought everything was going good with her but not no more. When i wasn't walking her much she was behaving hardly no digging but now since i've uped her exercise she has started digging every night again. I'm like you but basicly at my witts end with Shelley. I just don't get her don't walk her she is a well behaved dog, walk her she misbehaves. Walking her should tire her out but it doesn't it makes her more destructive.


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## sameli102 (Aug 23, 2009)

Just a warning for anyone that does leave pups loose when they leave the house (even in a confined room)......it happened to me last week. Actually, thankfully I was home.

7 mo old Parker was confined in the den while I was in another room. Parker heard a neighbor using his snowblower and kept jumping up at the window to bark at him. I'm not sure how he did it but he bumped the lamp on the desk and it toppled over landing on a chair.
I hate to think what could have happened but if the lamp had been on the hot bulb which did not break could have started a fire. If the bulb had broken he may have checked it out and got shocked.

When left alone the dogs usually just nap but you never know what might get their attention out a window. The way he pounces on things with his huge paws he could also have broke the window and seriously hurt himself. From now on when I leave a mishievious young one alone they will be in a crate no matter how good they are.

My biggest fear leaving my dogs home alone is a house fire.


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## the S team (Dec 8, 2009)

Here's an update and some answers to the questions:

She goes to the vet Wednesday at 4:30. I wish it could be sooner but I asked specifically for the most senior/trusted vet in the clinic and am willing to wait a few days to not have to go to the vet that I was not a big fan of last time.

The crate did not go so well. I didn't put her in there to sleep that night and then did a trial run and put her in and left for 30 minutes. When I returned she had rubbed her snout through the bars so much that she had rubbed it completely raw above her nose. She was crate trained from the time I got her (8 weeks old) until she was 2 1/2 so she has had a lot of crate time in her life....but she hasn't been in it once in over 2 years until the other night. I tried again yesterday but stayed at home and she yelped and cried and danced around for over an hour without ever settling down.

Last night I doggie-ized the kitchen, bought a new latching child gate that actually screws in to the door frame and that is the latest attempt. The crate is in the kitchen with her with blankies and toys so maybe she'll crawl in on her own. 

As for something happening out of the norm, no...there is nothing I can think of. 

As for exercise, they both get a 30 minute walk every day and then 30 minutes of something else....like working on their skills or playtime in the backyard. I call it 'undivided attention' and just make sure that we do something active every day for at least an hour. I know that's not perfect but I do work and teach and manage a house, property and a slew of animals on my own...so that is what they get. They never seem bored or worked up b/c of lack of activity.

However, it has been extremely cold where I live so we haven't been doing the normal walk and I've been limiting their access to the doggie door (usually when I am home they have the run of an acre of fenced in property that they play in at will b/c of the doggie door). But this is all just in the last week...where the change in her behavior began over Thanksgiving. 

We'll just wait and see what the vet says. Today is my first full day back at work in 2 weeks and I'm worried about her.


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## Ranger (Nov 11, 2009)

My childhood golden retriever acted crazy like that whenever he heard a high pitched noise, like a pager going off or the fire alarm beeping when it needed batteries. It never bothered the border collie, but the golden would go nuts. It might be a silly suggestion but could anything be "beeping" in your house? Like a dishwasher when it's done or a cell phone alarm?


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