Five days ago, little Percy left his home of two years to live with a couple and their two adult children. They have three small dogs.
He had lived with a couple and their several other Miniature Dachshunds – all females. Percy was the quiet one.
His previous owners couldn’t cope anymore with so many dogs.
He’s now having to adjust.
Over the past five days the little dog has become increasingly attached to the young lady. The other members of the family ‘will do’, but the young lady is his anchor
In his past home apparently he didn’t rely upon human company all the time, but had all the other dogs. His new family’s dogs don’t fill the void for him – yet.
Night time is the main problem as he will cry for hours.
Like many people, the family are confused with conflicting advice. Old traditionalists say ‘you create a rod for your own back’ by having him in your bed or bedroom. I take the opposite view.
The longer he is left to cry, the more he will be on high alert for being left.
However, the more he has access to company when he needs it, the less afraid he will become of being abandoned. It makes sense.
Fortunately for Percy, the family are very happy to have him sleeping with them. They have done this with anther rescue. In the end he was happy to sleep downstairs with the other dogs.
I’m sure it will be the same with Percy also, given enough time.
The other is not being able to leave him in the daytime – most especially the daughter.
Working on walking out
They will work had on this. As mum ‘will do’, the daughter can gradually practise walking out of the door with mum to keep Percy company.
The next step is for the young lady walking briefly out on him when he’s alone. He will learn to associate this with something he loves. It could be food. It could be a peanut butter Kong.
Negative message
If the Kong is only produced when someone walks out on him, then it will have the opposite effect to what they want. It will signal his being left. He won’t like the Kong!
What should be a treat can become the opposite. If the Kong is only associated with the leaving him, it in effect poisons it. The positive associations need to be built up first. They initially give him Kongs in the security of company before giving it to him when they walk out.
The two ladies will work hard at increasing distance and going out of the door – in a sequence which we have worked out.
While work is done, it’s important that Percy isn’t left all alone at all. This is a questions of getting him to feel secure in his new environment. Fortunately the mother works from home.
He will soon settle in I’m sure. He just needs time. He gets on well with the other dogs and is already starting to play.
