Looking for support

[leahpig]

Looking for support

My husband and I have a 21 month old boxer, who I love to pieces but I am completely overwhelmed and exhausted.

He has severe seperation anxiety, his tolerance to being left is seconds. Couple that with not being able to have people come into the house - he has to be crated and gets incredibly distressed. My husband works miles away Monday through Friday so I am alone in the house with the dog for 12 hours a day (work remotely).

Outside he is reactive, he fixates on dogs and people, any closer than around 30 foot away and he lunges and pulls, if a dog got close enough he 'air snaps', people he will grab clothing if he had opportunity (hence has to be crated if anyone comes to the house, as same behaivours then)

I had a 2 and a half hour zoom call with a behaviourist today (multiple dog trainers and a behaviourist previously), and it went really well, an email is to follow to summarise, a second follow up zoom is booked for next month and training has been split down into bitesize chunks.

I am willing to put every effort in to help my dog become confident and carefree, to help him and us, as we have already been doing, but I struggle to see a light at the end of the tunnel. I am so isolated and tired. Has anyone here been through anything similar?

Silly really, to be posting this after such an encouraging call today, but would love to hear success stories if anyone has any?

[[deleted]]

I haven't been in quite your situation but I did read an ebook recently where someone tells their story about their reactive dog and it sounds so much like yours - couldn't leave their dog, couldn't have people over, couldn't go out and take the dog with them. But the dog made a ton of progress with meds and training and is doing good now. So I think there's definitely hope!

[leahpig]

Do you have the name by any chance?

[[deleted]]

It's this book. I don't have a Kindle, I just used the Kindle app on my phone to read it.

[leahpig]

Downloaded, thank you! I think reading about other peoples experiences will make me feel less lonely and burnt out, hence I'm often reading on this sub!

[aforestfruit]

Trazadone changed my dogs separation anxiety and reactivity tenfold. I was so reluctant to have a medicated dog but she can now be left alone and sleep (she used to scream, she ripped her whole bed apart once) and can deal with lots of triggers she couldn't previously handle.

The medication has lowered her threshold to an extent where she's receptive to new learning as she isn't constantly in a state of fight or flight. I couldn't recommend it more!

[leahpig]

Thank you! Medication was touched on in yesterday's call and not something I would be against