Max is getting very clingy to me

[blueyezz74]

He must be with me at all times. If I run downstairs for a second, I have to bring him with me becuase he doesn't go down the stairs on his own, or he cries. When I leave for school or work, he cries. When I put him in his crate at night, he cries. When I'm using the bathroom he wants to be in my lap and will jump into my lap. :shocked: My DH thinks he is definitely a momma's boy and that I baby him too much. He is strarting to drive me crazy! :whack:

This is separation anxiety at it''s worst, right?? :scratch:

[Courtney]

It's not really separation anxiety at its worst. Trust me, it can be much worse. Honestly it just sounds like he's being a brat. If he was really having anxiety, he'd be panting, whining, shaking, destroying things....can you try giving him a Kong and/or ignoring him till he is quiet? Patricia McConnell's book "I'll Be Home Soon" does a great job explaining what separation anxiety is and isn't and how to treat it!

[Bella's Mom]

No, definitely not at it's worse. I agree, he's probably being a little bratty but I would definitely nip it in the bud. Try the kong, ignoring, etc. The book suggestion is a great one. I read a review on it and I'm thinking of getting it myself.

[Rae]

Did you say Max or Butters? Tres has the same thing wtih Mr. Butters...

A bad case of "Mommy anxiety".

good luck. Duchie has it to a degree, and I am a bad example becusse I cave every time.

[blueyezz74]

A stuffed kong does work but Harley is on a diet and I feel bad giving one a stuffed kong to one and not the other. Harley just gives me that look - you know the look that says but where's mine?? :sad1:

[Courtney]

Hey my two are on a diet too and the fosters aren't. My two don't cry when I leave, and the fosters do. So the fosters get kongs, and they don't. yes, they give me the look as well, but too bad! They plumped up big time when they got kongs every day too!

[Anatresia]

Yep- here I am! That's Mr. Butters to a tee! Yesterday, I was on the laptop, and he's sitting next to me, staring at me and crying. Why? I thought maybe he had to go potty, so I put the laptop on the table to stand up and he pushes my hand as I move it, waddles his fat butt on my lap and plops. He was crying to sit on my lap. :rolleyes: (I got up anyway, as to not let him think he got his way.)

He also gets the real separation anxiety, from throwing up out of stress, to pooping his crate as a puppy, to destroying rugs, etc. etc. Much better with the advent of Rigby.

The mommy clinging doesn't seem to be going away, however. I do ignore him 99% of the time when he gets all whiny like that. You should have seen the production he put on one night for a Combo pretzel! It was Oscar worthy.

Just keep ignoring him. Force him to be without you- lock him out of the bathroom when you go, etc. He'll get used to it. You don't want a Mr. Butters on your hands. (Well, who wouldn't want a Mr. Butters? I should say you don't want a crybaby fattypants on your hands!) If you do find anything that works, let me know so I can try it, too. :)

[blueyezz74]

Tracey, lock him out of the bathroom? :faint: But you don't know the damage that little guy could do without being watched. We may have to rescue him out of the inside of the boxspring....again.

[Anatresia]

Butters would just sit at the door and cry. He's not too destructive anymore. Too lazy, I think, to destroy things.

[Tex]

Hum........I don't have much experience here as my two just sleep if I'm not around or giving them my full attention....sending lots of anti-cling :bigrayz: :bigrayz: :bigrayz: ! I hope you find something that works!

[Jen]

I think Max is taking a lot of control, and you as pack leader may need to ignore his cries for attention more--or make him work for it with basic obedience commands. I own the McConnell book and highly recommend it too!

[Alex's Mom]

That was Alex to a tee!!! I did all the SA things though when she was younger (see SA bootcamp thread) and it definitely worked. As I've mentioned before, as she's losing her sensory cues cuz of losing her sight and hearing she's become really anxious if I'm not around, and even if I'm near, but she "loses" me. She'll also destroy stuff if she feels she's being ignored...have learned to put things like fluffy slippers and jackets with even a HINT of biscuit crumbs up where she can't reach them (although lord knows she tries :rolleyes:). I just ignore her...kinda like a mom tuning out a whiny toddler, although no doubt it drives everyone else crazy. :sosad: I'm now starting to do bodywork with her a la Brenda Aloff (which is based on Tellington Touch, which I've done with my horses over the years) and even after just a few days am finding it helps. However, the secret is to do that kind of stuff on MY schedule, not hers. It's a control thing too a bit, as Jen says, and redirecting through things like a kong is a great idea...what if you only stuffed it 1/3 full of peanut butter or whatever?

[catstamm]

Sounds like a dachshund to me.....:scratch:

[quavec]

Cricket throws himself at our feet - literally. He will plop his not so small hiney on our feet while we get ready for work. And he WHINES when I am in the bathroom. I don't let him in. No one comes in while I am in there. It is the only semi private room I have - it's my sanctuary. He barks at DH all the time. Growls, backs up, then barks. He wants attention. He isn't allowed on the furniture and he wants DH to get on the floor so he can sit in his lap. He doesn't have SA, he is just spoiled.

I suggest some alone crate time and a kong or chew toy. He will need to learn to keep himself occupied from time to time. When we ignore Cricket's 'pleas' for attention, he 'harrumps' and finds his nylabone and gnaws at it like he wishes it were our toes or something :rolleyes: .

[lotsadox]

ITA, time to take control. Miller used to be my whiney baby (still is when I let him). I just have to ignore him or crate him if he's really obnoxious. After a few times of being crated AND ignored. He got the idea that it was better to not be so clingy. :duh:

[Bella's Mom]

Tracey, lock him out of the bathroom? :faint: But you don't know the damage that little guy could do without being watched. We may have to rescue him out of the inside of the boxspring....again.
If you guys could've seen what Cooper did to our bathroom! :rotfl: It's funny now but it sure as heck wasn't when we came home to find poop smeared all over the floors, walls, cabinet, toilet oh, and of course his poop filled, shredded wee pad!:rotfl: All because we locked him in the bathroom! :shocked:

[Bella's Mom]

You don't want a Mr. Butters on your hands. (Well, who wouldn't want a Mr. Butters? :)
Yeah, who wouldn't want a Mr. Butters!? He is just a precious baby is all and loves, loves, loves his mommy! :hearts: I think I have a Butters in training too... :rolleyes:

[Lori]

Okay this is interesting because today for the first time Pippin scratched at every door I was behind. He is not allowed in the bird room until vacuumed because he snarfs pellets and bird food, so he cried and scratched at that door, then the bedroom door downstairs when I was folding laundry and finally the bathroom door. I opened the bathroom door and told him NO NO (I don't want him scratching the oak doors) and I snapped my fingers and said go. I was flattered in a way but worried also because he knew it was close to me going to work and he hates to be locked behind the gate in the kitchen. When I came out of the bathroom he had gotten under the couch afgan making himself small like a little pretzel. I uncovered him and he rolled on his back all contorted. I picked him up, he shook (that trembling stuff) and I kissed him, hugged him said, "sorry I gotta to go to work" just like I tell all the dogs and parrots, none of them like it, neither do I. LOL. The birds all yell, "bye bye gotta go to work I'll be back" LOL LOL. The older dogs go to sleep and Pippin cries a bit but he stops by the time I'm in the garage. Hey life is tough. Luckily I come home for lunch but then he gets upset when I leave after lunch too but not as upset as in the morning. Luckily he has Ginger, my aussie girl who is his best friend and she takes over for me sometimes and wrestles much better than I do. I teach him fetch, she plays keep away his favorite game. LOL. He seems to have accepted our different styles but runs way more with Gin. hee hee.

[blueyezz74]

:conf4: Kong Bedtime Test #1 - complete bust

I gave Max a stuffed kong full of treats and peanut butter. He was quiet for about 30 seconds and then started to whine. When I went to bed he was still whining. Ugh!

Dh is working tonight. I gave Max a kong when I left this am. Not too much whining. I tried to get out of the house quickly though. Not sure what he did after I left. That's DH's problem. LOL

[Patt]

I second the SA boot camp! http://www.doxielovers.com/dlc/showthread.php?t=7107