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We had a cat that literally peed on everything. EVERYTHING. It was ruining all our belongings, even our house--he peed on the walls--and cat urine is an impossible smell to get out when it's in your paint and the wood--not to mention that after about 6 months of this we were at our wits end because we wanted to sell that house. So. We spoke to the vet (the kitty was angry because of a new cat being introduced to the home) and the vet suggested kitty prozac. It worked wonders. Very small amounts, but very effective. I know this is slightly different, since it's a cat, not a dog, but I thought I should say that we have been there with a pet and it really worked for him. Good luck!
My dog was exactly like this (lab/chow mix) when I got him. He destroyed EVERYTHING when I wasn't home. I kept him in a crate with WITH 40 ZIP TIES on it to keep it closed and he still learned how to break out of it. He destroyed so much of my property I don't even want to add up the total.
Now he is 2.5-3 years old and he has stopped! I thought about giving him "calming" pills but never did and now he doesn't need them. I don't have any advice for you but just wanted to say I can sympathize with you because I have been there!
I am so sorry...
We had a little Shi-tzu. She passes away from old age 5 years ago. She was only 8lbs on a good day, but she also was a holy terror when left alone. We couldn't crate her because she would work herself up into a frenzy of wet mess; it would mostly be water from her body. I would cry when she was crated because she wasn't used to it and she would drive herself crazy. We only crated her twice. We tried to crate her because we had moved into an apartment and I had to work full time, so couldn't spend all of my time with her like I used to. She was the sweetest little girl ever.
We tried to crate her because, she would also tear things apart. She destroyed blinds; actually tore them from the windows, she destroyed books, pillows, and anything else she could get her little teeth a hold of. It was quite stressful for both of us.
We ended up getting her put on valium, until we moved into a house where she had more room and was more comfortable, and I changed jobs and was able to work hours that allowed me to be home with her more often. We were eventually able to take her off the valium, but I think that was only because I eventually got to stay home with her all of the time.
Her hubby was perfectly calm through all of this and we never had any problems with him. He has also passed away; 3 years ago, but his personality was that as long as he got some play time with us, food and water, and pottied and walked, he really didn't care about anything else.
Short of staying home with her or having someone else stay with her, I think your best bet is to ask the vet for some medication to help her. She and you will go crazy if you don't.
My friend has a border collie that she put on prozac after she had a baby. I don't think it is okay. A dog needs exercise. I am not trying to be unsupportive, but a dog needs to run free (off leash) for at least an hour a day. Maybe a fenced yard would be a better option?
@cbee: If you re-read the OP post she stated that she did keep her dog in a fenced yard
"We did - for the longest time - keep her in our fenced back yard, but again - if she finds something out there, she will destroy it. The amount of times we've come home to find our garbage can destroyed and garbage strewn everywhere..."
So sorry you are going through this. You sound like a wonderful pet owner to be able to deal with so much! Are there any doggy daycares in your area?
I can't help you with the doggie medication because I know nothing about that, but what about this: Would you be able to build a large chain link box/cage where she could be put in your backyard? I have seen some people who have an area in their yard that has a high chain link fence (and roof in some cases), with a door or gate that can be locked shut. Then she would still have room to move around and see what is happening outside the caged area but couldn't get at anything else in the yard. Some of the ones I have seen have been pretty large, but that would depend on how much space you have to use. Just a thought to consider :) I hope it works out for you!
ohh I like @dance's idea! I found a link for what she is talking about but I'm sure you could go to home depot and build your own set-up!
@babyboo: Yeah! Something like that is exactly what I am talking about...I have seen lots of people use these - particularly with large dogs, and they have loved it!
We have a dog that's on anti-anxiety meds. She was peeing ALL over the house and we had no idea what to do. She's a lab mix and the sweetest dog. I got her at the SPCA and she's around 4 years old and we think she was abused by her previous owners. Anyway, the anxiety meds calm her down and she's stopped peeing on everything.
My BBF's Lab was on doggie prozac. She would jog him 2 hours a day and he never seemed to get tired. The instand he was left alone he would just tear around and destroy everything in sight. The prozac calmed him down so much, he was like a new dog.
I think since you are exercising your dog and it still not helping, you should definitely do it. Do you or your husband walk the dog in the morning? Maybe you could go out and make the dog run around some (expend more energy) in the morning?
Although, if it's anxiety, I don't know how much exercise will help.
Although I can not relate to your exact problem we have a very high strung 4 year old Lhasa mix. She is crippled with fear at storms, loud noises (fireworks, cars backfiring), etc. she pants excessively, runs from room to room, barks, scratches, and so on. She was prescribed Acepromazine which is a tranquilizer and acts, I am told, in a manner similar to Prozac.
When is completely calm on the Acepromazine and sleeps through anything but she is obviously drugged. I feel terrible that we have to medicate her and would be worried about doing it on a daily basis but it is for her own good (ie she doesn't hyperventilate, have a heart attack, hurt herself). I would definitely discuss is with your vet and try to use the least amount possible that is still effective for your dog. We found through trial and error that our dog needs now where near the 1.5 pills perscribed to her but can be just fine with 1/2 pill if she is already upset and 1/4 if we are proactive about impending weather/noises.
Best of luck!
My dog isn't on doggie prozac, but if it's between trying that or getting rid of your dog, then I would at least give it a try! Like some PPs have said, your dog will probably grow out of the destruction phase, so you just need something to get you through the next year or two.
pls try thundershirt before meds
i sell this in my store and it flies off the shelf, we haven't had 1 return yet
read reviews, best part is...it's guaranteed
(no, i don't work for them, but i do run 2 dog bakery/boutiques)
I feel your pain, we have a ger. shepherd mix that is a nervous eliminator and a black lab who was easily led to destruction. Had a lab mix when I was a kid who ate a wooden chair!
Exercise exercise exercise and more exercise. And remember that a healthy dog can exercise about 3 times longer than a healthy human. As my vet said, "Run them until they just about collapse."
Bored dogs are destructive dogs, especially this breed which likes to put everything in their mouths. And just leaving them outside does not mean they exercise. My lab gets run at least 2 hours a day. She likes to fetch, so we play about an hour in the morning (Hubs drinks his coffee on the deck) and another hour in the evening. We also have more than one dog and they play together.
Switching the food may help too. I have noticed a decrease in behavioral and health problems since we switched to the no gluten/no colors diet. I have not had luck with the calming supplements
Also, just put all your good stuff away. After 3 comforters and a couch were eaten (yes, they ate a SOFA) we bought a used sofa from a friend and an el cheapo comforter. All the rest of our "good stuff" got packed away and now that they are 3 ish I am just now bringing stuff out.
Plus they must be on a schedule, just like little kids. So every day mine get run at specific times of day and fed at the same time. It just seems to make them more calm. And if you think they can't tell time, you should be at my house at dinner time. Everyone is sitting in front of their dishes at the prescribed time!
The good news is by the time your dog is 2.5 -3, as another poster said, they chill out. But my Gracie is still a royal mess if she goes a day or two without exercise. Can't advise the Prozac except in some extreme case, and I have to say this all sounds pretty normal!
thank you all for your replies!!! sorry i didn't get back sooner (busy day yesterday!) so we went out to a friend's last night and didn't get home til 2. The "locks" (the metal ones) on the crate worked well - but we only had enough for the front and sides...used ties on the back - and she got those open and got out! ugh. we are going to buy more of the metal ones today and - as much as we hate it - make sure she's as secure in her crate as alcatraz. :(
the GOOD news is - nothing was destroyed, as far as we could tell...but yeah - it sucks. again - we both love this dog (well me more than him right now) and she's so great when we're around...but we can't keep replacing everything all the time! :(
Like I said in the first post, (and obviously would have to get it THROUGH the vet anyways) - i'll be talking to the vet at her next appt next saturday. I'm hoping that the "calmplex" does the trick first - but if it comes down to it - so that we DON'T end up giving her away and we don't end up hating her...we may have to go the prozac route...
@puppymom2006: we already switched her food because of her skin/fur issues (we're using the no soy, wheat or corn food) - the fur seems to be growing back, slowly - but the skin is taking forever to heal...but again - that's just another reason I personally DON'T want to give her away because I don't wanna feel #1 like we're "dumping" her on someone else, especially if they don't understand that she IS a special needs dog and they end up getting her dog chow or something because it IS cheaper...and #2 we know what is going on with her.
and she IS on a schedule. We do the same thing every single day with her. Our exercise for her - includes walking her every night, when we get home from work, AFTER running her ragged with the ball - and when I mean ragged, I mean she pretty much collapses and we let her catch her breath for a good 20 minutes before taking her for a walk. So yes, she DOES get exercise. :)
Also - thank you all for understanding and not just saying "you're horrible for wanting to do this" believe me, we have tried SO much and it's just not working and if it comes down to "drugging" her or getting rid of her - obviously I'd prefer to try the former first.
@JuneBride_26June2010: I apologize, I phrased my response poorly. Wasn't sure how long she'd been on the other food. It did take some time for me to notice the difference in behavior. It's like it takes a while for the garbage to work its way out of thier little bodies. And it is good that your dog is on a schedule, so many people don't seem to have much of one with their pets. Maybe once the skin issue calms down a bit more you'll also see a difference 'cause being broken out and itchy like that has got to be annoying!
And congratulations! She was out of her crate and didn't eat anything! Yeah! (This was a red letter day in our house, I think we actually celebrated with a steak dinner.) Its a good sign that your puppy is becoming a full grown dog.
@JuneBride- I have a friend that has a chocolate lab & that dog was CRAZY, I mean destroying everything, jumping on everything, terrorizing her other dogs. The vet gave her doggy prozac and the dog is great now! Not laying around all the time drooling which is a common misconception that you drug the dog into submission but just calmer. He still jumps to show he's happy, runs around and plays etc but he is just calmer and doesn't destroy things. The dog is happier b/c it's out of it's crate a lot more now and my friend is happier because the dog can be calm and around plays nicer now!
@puppymom2006: haha - actually I did give her a treat yesterday for staying in her "alcatraz prison" and not getting out - course we literally have metal ties all around the crate so it is IMPOSSIBLE for her to GET out. But I had some fish from bonefish grill leftover from thursday - and while the vet said no table scraps - he DID say fresh fish was ok to give her! :)
Again - I am really hoping the calmplex works before actually resorting TO prozac - since the calmplex is more of a vitamin made with natural ingredients...but if it comes down to it, I think we will...her next vet appt is saturday. I will be talking to him about all of this then.
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Ok. So we have a year and a half year old lab - who seriously, as long as we're home is the most sweetest incredible dog. So loving and great...
However - when we're not home - she is a terror. Here is a list of stuff she has DESTROYED while we are gone...
A three person swing - ripped out the bottom while we were gone.
A wire on the central air conditioning unit outside. We built a huge WOODEN fence with posts in cement around the unit - she ripped that down. Yes, the wooden fence.
The front of her own doghouse - no joke, it is just three walls and a roof now.
The WOODEN gate that separates our deck and our back yard - she pushed her way through it.
Numerous blankets and a doggie bed we put in her crate (yes, we've learned she can't have ANYTHING in her crate with her).
Kongs. Yes the "non-destructable" kongs.
Now yes, I totally get it is "separation anxiety" but we have no choice - we HAVE to go to work! lol
We don't have any friends or family that could stop by and exercise her and don't have the money to hire anyone either. We've looked into that.
We did - for the longest time - keep her in our fenced back yard, but again - if she finds something out there, she will destroy it. The amount of times we've come home to find our garbage can destroyed and garbage strewn everywhere...
We did not start with her in a crate - but we bought one and she HAS taken to it pretty well...however it is collapsable and she has gotten out of it twice. We have it in the basement (mainly because it's too hot to keep her outside in it) - and the first time she got out, she destroyed our futon mattress. Yes, pulled off our HUGE FUTON MATTRESS and completely destroyed it.
A few days ago, she destroyed an $80 down comforter we got from my bridesmaid as a wedding gift AND our really expensive camping air mattress that was down there...
We now have "rigged" the crate with screw ties that are impossible for her to un-do and the crate is good to go.
We DO all we can with her when we're home. We DO exercise her and walk her every night when we're home - she sleeps in the house with us (on a big doggie pillow) on the floor in our bedroom...
Like I said, when we're home she's GREAT but when we're not, she's a terror.
We are SO close to getting rid of her - but both my husband and I feel that would be irresponsible since she IS our dog. Plus she's got medical issues we are taking care of (skin problems) and I would HATE to give her to someone else and know/think they aren't taking care of her the way she needs to be.
Most of my friends - while they think she IS adorable (and again she's great when she IS around people) - say they'd have gotten rid of her a long time ago...
We also have a 7 year old black pug and a 9 year old cat. We love our animals - but she is absolutely eating us out of our home. Literally destroying EVERYTHING...
I bought some "calmplex" from a site that a friend of mine at works gets some stuff from (http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/stress_free_calmplex/dogs) Hoping this more "natural" will work (yes I've already discussed this specifically with our vet) - he said it might be a good thing to try - but I have to wait til after her next appt (next saturday) to give them to her because she's on an "elimination diet" right now to help with her skin problems (she's allergic to either corn, wheat or soy which is in most dog foods and we have her on natures recipe which is corn, wheat, soy free...) and so I have to wait because these vitamins do have beef in them - but she can't add anything back in til after he sees her again.
NOW - here's my question. Have any of you honestly ever had a dog on doggie prozac? I'm going to ask the vet about it next saturday - but have you ever dealt with a pet like this?
Is there anything you guys have done / used?
TIA!!!