Raymond is a 4 year old Shiba Inu. He lives in a nice home in Burnt Hills with his two adult humans. He has a pretty cushy life. He eats regular meals, gets a walk in the neighborhood twice a day, and goes to doggie day care every Wednesday to play with some other dogs. Yet, despite every attempt by his family to make him happy, his days are often fraught with paralyzing anxiety.
You would think “what could a dog with a life like that possibly have to worry about? He has everything a dog could want provided to him.” You are right, he does. But Raymond still worries, and he shows it, by pacing and panting and being unable to settle.
Here are his top 5 concerns:
5. The Yard. Raymond’s back yard is quite large and wide open, with a stand of trees at the end of the property. That bit of forest attracts squirrels, chipmunks, turkeys and the occasional deer. But being in the yard makes Raymond so nervous that he does his business in a hurry and in a flash is back at the door asking to be let in. See, Raymond made a mistake once chasing a turkey and got zapped by the underground fence. Raymond remembers the stunning pain, and would rather that never happens again. So, he worries that the yard will shock him. That means he is anxious about the yard whenever he has to do his business. As a result, Raymond has trained himself to need the dreaded backyard toilet only 2-3 times a day.
4. The Car. Raymond has had very few car trips in his life. In fact, going to the veterinary clinic and the boarding kennel are the extent of his travel experiences. Neither of those places are particularly fun for Raymond. When he is leashed and brought into the garage, he worries that a car ride to an unpleasant destination is imminent. This causes him to drop to the floor and cower miserably. He refuses to jump in or out on his own, so has to be physically lifted into and out of the car every time.
3. The Vacuum Cleaner. Raymond is a member of the Dust Buster/Dyson Fear Club. If a human so much as opens the door to the closet where the instruments of doom are kept, Raymond makes a U-turn and scurries to the nearest bedroom. He camps under the bed until the offending monster is back in its lair.
2. The Printer. Raymond might be fast asleep but wakes instantly when the printer begins to rumble and churn. He whines and paces until the noise stops, only to start all over again each time a copy is created.
And the #1 worry for Raymond is….
1. The Dog Down the Street.
It was more than 3 years ago, on a walk around the block, that a Schnauzer exploded from the doorway of a house and streaked to the street, aiming his missile of a body right at Raymond, yapping wildly all the while. Raymond was just a year old at the time. He was so startled – and terrified – by this event that he never forgot it. Every single time he nears his nemesis’ house on his daily walk, the hair on his neck rises. Sometimes he flattens on the ground, refusing to move. Other times, he emits a series of squeals and cries, pulling to get away.
If you have a worried dog like Raymond, you can help him learn to cope with his concerns. Read my blog posts Riding in Cars with Dogs and Fear of Flying Chairs for advice on desensitizing your dog to whatever makes him anxious, or ask a Certified Professional Dog Trainer for guidance.
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