Upon my return home, and in my eagerness to greet my new companion, I hadn't read the note left by the caregiver. I opened the laundry room door and splinters of wood fell from it. His bedding was torn up as well as an 1/8th of the base of the door.
My mood changed immediately. I was furious with him!
Mentally I was wondering what I was going to do with such a destructive dog as I walked him to the back door so he could relieve himself. Visions of my former dog's anxiety problems flodded my thoughts. As soon as he came back in, I got on the computer and did some research on seperation anxiety. I was determined NOT to go through such restrained living that a dog with accute seperation anxiety would bring.
I stumbled onto an article by a veterinarian who's first hand experience and descriptions of destruction by his two formerly well behaved dogs, rivaled my own, however the dollar amount was much less. His dogs had just destroyed a 3,000.00 couch. Apparently the time he'd taken for his 3 month holiday had changed how his dogs related to he and his wife. The dogs now come to expect constant affection.
He'd listed a few of their behaviors they'd changed to get their dogs used to his going back to work again. He promised that with diligence you could expect a change in 4 days.
The list went something like this:
Upon waking in the morning, greet the dogs calmly and matter of factly.
If there is any destruction, act like nothing has happened. Clean up any mess while the dogs are outside. (Dogs read body language. Their memory is short term so unless you catch your dog in the act, he will not know why you are yelling or angry)
Do not give the dog any affection or undue attention until they've gotten their exercise
Calmly get the dog its food after exercise
After its meal and when it is either sitting or lying down give the dog affection or attention
Whenever the dog demands attention get up and leave the room
Pet the dog only when it is in a calm state and only when its your idea, not the dogs
20minutes before leaving, sit down with a paper or watch a TV program. Just before leaving say to your pet "Take care of the house" like you've just given it a job.
Determined to change Jupiter's destructive behavior I mustered up all my will -power to impliment these new techniques into Jupiter and my life.
The first day was the hardest. I so enjoy greeting Jupiter in the morning with excitement and happiness. But this time, I just calmly walked right on by him and said non challantly, "Mornin" Jupiter" and opened the door to let him out.
His normal morning high energy level dropped drastically on his way outside. He bounded back into the house after relieving himself and sniffed me out pushing my hand with his nose to get me to pet him.
I resisted.
I took him for his morning walk, insisting he walk directly beside me. There was no voice commands just kinistic clues as to what I wanted from him. Our one hour walk took on new purpose.
Upon arriving home, I prepared my coffee first before getting him food. He tried all kinds of antics to get me to pay attention to him.
Barking, prancing back and forth, whinning, leaning against me.
With each of his attempts I would walk away, move sideways, turn my back on him - whatever it took to disrupt his focus.
We did this for 2 days. Day three, he was a new dog. No longer demanding attention, whinning, or destroying my clothes, furniture, or his bed.
He now gets to sleep in the living room on his mat in front of the fireplace and has never given me any cause to fret about the state of the house when I return.
When I first got Jupiter he was unable to sit down. He could only stand or lie down. This is him sitting on his now strong haunches. Isn't he a handsome lad?
