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nicole
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Looking for something to soothe my adora...
Looking for something to soothe my adorable and terribly anxious Cavapoo, Cleo Pepper. What are your small-medium pups favorite toys, mats, etc? 🧘🐶
20w
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11 responses
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All Requests
Looking for something to soothe my adorable and terribly anx...
D
19w
Separation Anxiety Training Tips
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I was talking to a friend yesterday who has a Dog with separation anxiety/isolation distress. They did the full protocol which basically means not leaving your Dog alone, using physical cues before you leave, and doing very short exits (like seconds to minutes). It’s a lot (i.e., logistically hard unless you work from home or can take your Cleo to work with you) which is why I didn’t link it before but it does really help and her Dog can be left alone now without SA/distress. So I thought to send you this handout as well. (This is Orchid, one of the sweetest puppies at the shelter. I would have adopted her if I could have— look at those cute teeth and that ear!)
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5
Karin Connor
20w
Towel knot
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I no longer feed my dog from a bowel, we use her daily kibble as enrichment opportunities. The towel wrap is a favorite over and over. There are different variations of this that can add variety and you loosen or tighten the knot to change the difficulty. Keep the highest value treats for activities she only gets when you are away for separation anxiety.
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D
20w
multispecies ethics
Teach Your Dog or Cat “Touch!" :)
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Last one, promise! Touch is my favorite training tool. Targeting can be helpful if you end up moving to agility or doing other activities together. I have also used it for recall; my Dog, sweet departed Cliff, would come running from anywhere when he heard "touch!" Try not to repeat yourself, say it once, wait and change the distance if it doesn't work. Start close and increase the distance as you go.
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1
D
20w
multispecies ethics
ASPCA Separation Anxiety
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I think this article on SA from the ASPCA gives a useful overview. You can see where you all are at in terms of SA and if consulting a vet is needed or if the intervention can be simple like adding more enrichment into the fold, which is sounds like you already have (yay!). See previous enrichment handout if that's the case. Patterns, timing, and habits can also be useful to switch up. SA can be complex so I don’t want to overstep but here’s a starting place to assess. (This is Jacks, he was a very sweet pup in his shy era-- loved him too!)
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D
20w
multispecies ethics
Demand Barking
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Here's a handout on demand barking from a shelter where I used to work. This could pair nicely with the previous video on clicker training for barking at stimuli. (This is SunMoon, I loved her.)
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1
D
20w
multispecies ethics
1, 2, 3
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Super fun game for overstimulated dogs, 1, 2, 3. It's very easy to learn together and can help to redirect from distractions (like a door, perhaps?).
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5
2
D
20w
multispecies ethics
Clicker training for barking at stimuli
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This is an old video, but I like this trainer, and I think the basic principles are the same. Clicker training can help to recondition the stimulus or trigger.
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Jamie
20w
pupsicle with calming mix
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my dog is obsessed with her pupsicle and one of their DIY recipe packages has calming ingredients. 10/10 recommend!
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6
3
D
20w
multispecies ethics
Enrichment: Supporting Your Companion's Wellbeing
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AAHA article that provides a great overview on the different kinds of enrichment that can be implemented to promote natural and healthy behaviors in Dogs and Cats. Food enrichment is widely used and understood because it's great and easy. And I think other forms of sensory enrichment can also be helpful in combination (or if there are other limiting factors like diets or just less food motivated) for non-human companions. (This is Sunny, I loved him and he was wild lol.)
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2
2
D
20w
multispecies ethics
Dog Body Language Chart
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This classic chart from Lili Chin can help to decode and understand what your Dog is feeling / communicating non-verbally through body language. It also helps to have it printed for fellow caregivers like sitters, kids, partners (and on that note, continuity of care + schedules can really help with anxiety). After doing animal care professionally for many years, I still use this a lot as a reminder.
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2
D
20w
multispecies ethics
Maddie's University | Animal Welfare Education
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What kind of signs or symptoms of anxiety is Cleo Pepper exhibiting? Sound/stimuli, separation, social (e.g., stranger danger)? Maddie's Fund has a lot of educational resources. It's specific to shelter Dogs (so high stress experiences / environments) but maybe that is part of your Cleo Pepper's history? Happy to share more if I know a little about Cleo Pepper, their behaviors, and body language. (This is Cornia, I loved her too.)
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