scats
Well-Known Member
My mums nearly 5 year old corgi x Cockapoo has always been a bit of an odd bod, but her anxiety over visitors or ‘change’ is getting worse.
She is very confident outside of the house, loves people and other dogs and is very settled and happy in the house… until we have visitors or something is happening that is out of the ordinary.
On a walk, she has no worries about people. We joke that she thinks everyone was put on this earth to say hello to her. She is a happy little soul who loves a fuss and a stroke. But if someone comes in the house, even if she knows them, she starts with very odd behaviour. She will go and sit in the utility room on her own, or right by the door (hidden behind the fridge), she will tremble and go very wide-eyed. If she does get brave enough to come in where the visitor is, she becomes very ‘needy’, trying to get on our knees, pulling at our hands with her paws.. complete insecurity. Our other dogs don’t behave like this and they will happily be in the room with the visitor, but Bess is just a ball of anxiety and I have no idea where it has come from. She will do this even if she knows the person, such as my brother and SIL, who come round regularly.
Yet if she meets the same people outside the house, she’s her usual friendly, bubbly self.
She can’t cope with change very well and it affects her quite badly, but this is more understandable. When we had building work done last year, she took months to get over it and became extremely clingy.
When it’s just her ‘family’ and life is normal, she’s a cheeky, happy little soul. It’s so sad to see how anxious she gets over visitors. My uncle is living with us at the moment- he is a frail older man, very gentle and slow moving. Bess can cope when he is sitting down, but when he’s moving around she’s a nervous wreck. We try not to make a fuss or molly coddle her, but nothing makes a difference.
Any idea how we can help her?
She is very confident outside of the house, loves people and other dogs and is very settled and happy in the house… until we have visitors or something is happening that is out of the ordinary.
On a walk, she has no worries about people. We joke that she thinks everyone was put on this earth to say hello to her. She is a happy little soul who loves a fuss and a stroke. But if someone comes in the house, even if she knows them, she starts with very odd behaviour. She will go and sit in the utility room on her own, or right by the door (hidden behind the fridge), she will tremble and go very wide-eyed. If she does get brave enough to come in where the visitor is, she becomes very ‘needy’, trying to get on our knees, pulling at our hands with her paws.. complete insecurity. Our other dogs don’t behave like this and they will happily be in the room with the visitor, but Bess is just a ball of anxiety and I have no idea where it has come from. She will do this even if she knows the person, such as my brother and SIL, who come round regularly.
Yet if she meets the same people outside the house, she’s her usual friendly, bubbly self.
She can’t cope with change very well and it affects her quite badly, but this is more understandable. When we had building work done last year, she took months to get over it and became extremely clingy.
When it’s just her ‘family’ and life is normal, she’s a cheeky, happy little soul. It’s so sad to see how anxious she gets over visitors. My uncle is living with us at the moment- he is a frail older man, very gentle and slow moving. Bess can cope when he is sitting down, but when he’s moving around she’s a nervous wreck. We try not to make a fuss or molly coddle her, but nothing makes a difference.
Any idea how we can help her?
