Depressed?
I think Appa is depressed. She's acting very out of character but I'm not sure how to tell exactly if it's depression and if so what to do about it.
Lotttts of changes have been going on in our household:
1) my husband deployed about a month ago
2) I had to go out of town for a few weeks so she stayed with friends (who have two corgis that she loves, and an 11 yr old--however she's used to a family of two humans and herself)
3) I'm now working 4 days a week for 4-6 hrs whereas before I was pretty much home all the time.
What's been going on: She's hiding in my closet a lot curled up on a blanket in there (never done that before), even when I'm here she does it and my friend who kept her said she spent most of her time alone and not with them when they were all together in the living room and such. Is aggressive and standoffish with other dogs (she usually LOVES to play...and when I took her to my neighbors house the other day she keeps growling and her hackles raise and her ears go back around my neighbor's dog and her other friend's dog that were there). If I'm not petting her, playing a game or she's not occupied-- she's whining and restless or retreats to the closet.
I'm worried about her. Could it just be that she's adjusting and I shouldn't be freaking out about it, should i take her to the vet, what do you guys think??
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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I checked and she is still a puppy and may be going through a stage . The changes you describe would be difficult for an adult dog so she has a lot to deal with. The best thing you can do for her is make sure you have a really good bond so she doesn't feel alone. Classes with a very up beat, positive trainer are one of the best ways to develop a good relationship in a contained environement that involves being around other dogs. Lots of walks, even short ones also help a pup bond with you and feel safe with you. Training tricks is also great. You are both dealing with changes in your life and can be a tremendous help to each other. I hope your husband returns safely!
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Permalink Reply by Appa and Iroh on
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Thanks Bev :). I've definitely been trying to do a couple short walks a day and taking her with me on rides in the car when I can. Playing with her a lot. Maybe I will find a new trick to teach her--I think that sounds like a great idea to try. We haven't done much new training in a while--just maintenance on stuff she knows. Good suggestion.
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Permalink Reply by Jane Christensen on
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Sage is going through something like this right now too. The only thing that has changed with us is that we haven't done her Therapy Dog visits and she doesn't get out as much since it's winter...she likes to retreat to her kennel. Sage had an encounter with another dog also standing over her but no fight or anything ...could something have happened with another dog? I would watch the whining and restlessness...if it doesn't get better you might just want to take her in for your own peace of mind. Could you leave her with an old shirt of yours when you leave so she has your scent near her????
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yes--i hadn't even thought of the shirt idea. Good call. The restlessness has gotten better the past couple of days so I think it's definitely just some sort of stage. She's still being weird around other dogs though and it is possible that she got in a squirmish with my friend's older dog (that she was staying with). Lucy is 8 hand has little patience for young'ins, hah. Plus--the dog she's been around almost every night is trying to assert his dominance (he's 3 months) and I think she's not having any of that/he's annoying the crap out of her.
Still keeping an eye on her though.
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Permalink Reply by Tomi and Story on
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Oh Appa, poor baby. Don't you wish she could tell you? I know this is something that you were worried about when you knew there would be changes in your household. Is she still eating and drinking normal and going potty normally? I'm betting it's just a lot of changes for her in a short time, and she needs time to adjust, but watch for symptoms that might be a sign of illness.
We are all back at school and work after a nice long winter break, so Story is definitely having some adjustment issues, too. She stays with Grandma and her "cousin" during the day, but has gone back to being very needy (and quite demanding with her "daddy") when we all get home, so I am trying hard to give her extra playtime and work on training with new "tricks". She took to "crawl" "roll over" and "roll over the other way" very quickly.
Corgis can be more sensitive than some breeds, and they tend to "read" their people really well. How are YOU coping with the changes? I'm sure it is very stressful for you to have your husband gone and have new demands on your time. If you are stressing about Appa (as I would be, too!) she may sense that, also.
I agree with Jane about the shirt, I think that is a great idea! Bev's suggestion about classes is a good one, too. I am wondering if there were some issues with the other dog(s) while she was at your friend's house. You said they have a kiddo, too. Kiddos can be quite demanding on a puppy's energy, so maybe she is worn out or craving some alone time. Do your best to spend as much quality time with her as you can (which I already know you are doing!) and keep us posted! I still wish we lived closer to each other!
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