A friend has just phoned me.  He has a 9 year old GR who has always been a bit nervous, disliking strangers and other dogs.  I meet him on the Park at weekends and he gets on really well with my girls.  The dog has always been the type to go over the top when the owners come in etc., has scratched the front door and destroyed mail and the like.  However they have always devised ways of counter acting these behaviours.  They rang a couple of weeks ago during the week to say Chester had destryoyed two internal doors and had started chewing the french windows.  I lent them puppy panels to put against the french windows and around the internal doors, hopefully to break the habit of chewing them. They went out and bought a DAP diffuser.  Last weekend they said that they had taken the puppy panels away as he had stopped chewing.  Have just rung to say he had started again so had videoed the dog whilst they were at work.  Husband and wife work full-time.  Wife is a nursery school teacher working approx 5 mins away and comes home at lunchtime to see to the dog. The video shows the dog in distress, walking constantly around the house whining pitifully and salivating and listening as cars go past the house then crying again.  Bearing in mind that this dog is 9 years old I have not got a clue as to why this behaviour has now become apparent. He has looked through the local paper and found a behaviourist and is now telephoning them for advise, but has anyone out there any ideas? The dog has always been a daddys boy and obviously doesn't like them being away from him, but why has this behaviour become so extreme now.  They have had him from a puppy.

Age! I definitely see changes in behaviour in my Goldens at that sort of age. In fact my oldest, 10 tomorrow, we've said for years already that he's lost the plot -he's forgotten things he's known for years, he now likes things he used to dislike and vice versa. Sometimes he barks in the night for no apparent reason etc.There is an actual condition known as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome -bit like Alzheimers in dogs.
http://www.cdsindogs.com/content_o.asp

Aging often brigns changes that cause a dog to loose confidence,amd an overattachement can becoem ful blown seperation anxiety, which I would say is classicly being exhibited by the dog.

In less extreme cases dogs that used to be bomb proof due to diminishing hearing and or dight start to be afraid of things that didn't worry them, cush as thunder etc.

Sadly I would say that if soemoen cannot be with the dog during the day, and they cannot pay for day care the dog might have to be put to sleep to sve furthr suffering, as it is definately suffering for prolonged periods basedon the video evidence.

There are drugs that can be given that can be helpful if the dog has the cognitive problem, but it may ony be a temporary solution.

Barbara, I see where you are coming from, but I can't see them wanting to take such 'extreme' measures.  The problem is that at one time the husbands parents who only lived around the corner may have looked after him for them, both his parents have died in the last two years. I wonder if they could talk her parents into looking after him or maybe popping in to him.  The problem with daycare is that the dog is not sociable (only with mine) so that just isn't an option. This is an awful situation, they absolutely adore this dog even though he has always been a problem.  They had to have him neutered before he was six months of age as he was attacking them.  When I tackled the breeder (a local lady who shows her dogs and always says her dogs have got wonderful temperaments) she said it was because they were novice owners!!!!!  I really am at a loss as to what I can advise them.

It comes down to what is best for him though.  If he is so extremetly distressed then there is no quality of life, so without someone looking after him during the day (which is what I meant by daycare as opposed to day boarding) then his welfare will only be seved by putting his misery at an end.

"He has looked through the local paper and found a behaviourist and is now telephoning them for advise,"

I hope that this behaviourist is a member of the APBC or similar, if so they will only accept dogs via a vet referral.

Unfortunately anyone can call themselves a behaviourist nowadays..................

I couldn't agree more, but he is desperate.  That is why I came on the forum tonight to ask for other peoples opinions and potentially some advise.  I have been around dogs for a lot of years and have gained quite a lot of experience but I am certainly not a behaviourist and wouldn't like to give advise on this and because I have no experience on this behaviour I wouldn't know what to advise.

Hi Alison,  Not clear on whether the husband's parents did used to come in and see the dog during the day or not?  If so and the dog was fine with them, could they not try and find some other dog loving retired people without dogs of their own who would be willing to have the dog during the day while the owners were working?  Maybe other dog owners would know of someone? 

I'm afraid I don't know what else to suggest.

Hi Annie
No the parents didn't used to have the dog, but the dog was used to them and if they were alive now the owners would be able to take the dog round to them before work.  Unfortunately this dog would be too challenging for anyone else to have him or come round to him..I would even offer to help but I know that I couldn't do it on a regular basis. Very difficult problem. I feel really sorry for the dog and the owners are really bothered about him. It will be alright during the Easter break and Summer Holidays as the wife will be there for him, they don't even go on holiday without him.

I think the first port of call here is to take the dog to see the vet for a full health check. THe seperation anxiety might be caused by a sudden decline in cognitive funciton, eyes, ears etc, may be due to some underlying health problem or most likely some form of senility as suggested earlier. There are things that the vet can prescribe that may help, vivitonin in particular seems to work wonders with dogs with brain aging problems. However, if the vet finds no physical cause then he/she can refer them to a good behaviourist knowing that they have ruled out any physical cause. THe dap is a good idea, perhaps the dog could have a den near the diffuser that he has free access to, may make him feel safer? Perhaps some rescue remedy or scullcap and valerian tablets may make him feel a bit more relaxed too. However, it doesn't look like there is going to be an easy cure unless some daycare arrangements can be arranged, but as you say this could be difficult. 
Just a thought, there isn't anything that has changed in his immediate environment recently is there? SOmetimes something as simple as a car backfiring outside or building work next door is enough to trigger such an intense fear reaction.

Try leaving the telly on and if some-one pops home lunchtime for wees', what about crating him and covering it with a blanket, which could offer him security if he an ageing dog and certainly better for him than wandering around the house like a lost soul. If being PTS is being talked about, then perhaps my suggestions would be worth at least a try

(I havent read all the post just incase I am repeating)

quite a few people nowadays rather than leave thier dogs alone especially older dogs have dog sitters where they also have the company of other dogs and someone with them throughout the day.

My friend looks after a older dog where the owners both work they drop him off in the morning and pick him up in the evening  two or three times a week he has company trips to the park and sleeps out the rest of the day until his owner come and pick him up.
He is a changed dog because he has company throughout the day.
I realise not everyone can afford to do this but after trying all other avenues it eworth considering before being PTS