Jealous/Seperation Anxiety

jrs1984 · 11-07-2011, 11:29 AM

My 3 yr old GSD male (unaltered) starts crying/barking when we show attention to something else. He is aggressive towards other dogs as well. My wife is 3 months pregnant and we are worried about this jealous behavior. He also cries and whines if we leave our home just to get the mail or anywhere that he can't get to us. He has never been aggressive towards people, he just gets overly excited when a person first arrives and then calms down after about 10 minutes. He absolutely loves elementary age children (my wife is a piano teacher), but has never been around a baby. Earlier this week we were walking our dog when my aunt pulled up with her grandson in the car (6 months old). My wife was baby talking the child when our dog started barking and whining (he could not see what she was talking to however. Please Advise....

N Smith · 11-07-2011, 11:38 AM

What is this dogs daily exercise routine?

What about daily routine(feeding, crating, Obedience training)? What sort of daily structure have you implemented to help him cope with his anxiety?

Dogs don't experience jealousy in the sense that you are thinking. What it sounds like to me (from the very limited info) is a dog who is anxious, bored and has very little pack structure and is attempting to control his environment through vocalization and behavior.

jrs1984 · 11-07-2011, 11:59 AM

We get up at 6:30am and let him out of his crate and into the backyard for bathroom. We then interact with him while getting ready for work and put him back in his crate at 7:15am. My wife gets home at 1:45pm and lets him out for bathroom and then feeds him. She plays/pets him, etc until her piano students show up at 3:30/4:00 depending on the day. He is put in the backyard until lessons are done. He usually gets to come in and spend time with her in between lessons and the children who take lessons will usually go outside and play with him in the backyard. I get home at 5:30pm and we immediately take him for a 1 mile walk. We play/pet him/let him out to use the bathroom, etc while doing our normal activities and he gets fed again at 9:00pm. He is put back in the crate at 10pm when we go to bed. The reason we don't feed him in the morning anymore is because he absolutely refuses it (he used to, but after 1 year and 15lbs dropped we found the 1:45 feeding the best option). He usually spends his evening laying across our laps on the couch and/or bringing his toys and playing fetch with us in the living room.

**MaggieRoseLee** · 11-07-2011, 06:36 PM

I bet he'll be fine BUT if I were you I'd make 100% sure by STARTING UP SOME DOG CLASSES! Right now.

A good set of classes and a good instructor will put you in the leadership (not ALPHA) but leadership... and give you a much better idea of your relationship with your dog and how he'll be with your wife and a new baby.

I don't have kids but I KNOW my dogs could care less about a baby or child or old person or someone in a wheelchair or with a hat or or or or or.

I KNOW how they behave and that they will be just fine. I also know what they will obey and listen too and if they will get too excited and that I'd probably not leave the baby on a blanket on the floor.

But not cause my dogs would purposely harm a baby on the floor as much as treat it like the cat or anything else fun on the floor and maybe step on it or get overly friendly!

It's great you have so much time if you take this seriously and sign up for some classes this week, to attend for the next few MONTHS. This will also 'force' you to spend time with your dog now, and hopefully AFTER THE BABY IS BORN! Cause it's fairly common that our beloved dog that was the center of the house is 'suddenly' in the way and ignored as a bother when the new human baby arrives. SURPRISE, that dog may cause some big issues!!!!

Introducing Your Pet and New Baby : The Humane Society of the United States

Your New "Pack" Member

Preparing a Dog for a New Baby - Your Pregnancy and Your Dog

Dogs - Bringing Home the New Human Baby

New Baby, Old Dog, Ask Victoria Stilwell : Animal Planet

jrs1984 · 11-08-2011, 10:10 AM

He knows commands well...he just loses all senses when something new comes around...he's not agressive (unless its another dog) he just gets super excited. Group classes don't work for us because he HATES other dogs (thanks to our first trainer)...the second trainer made it manageable, but only if a clicker and treat is involved.

11-07-2011, 11:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
jrs1984 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 36	Jealous/Seperation Anxiety My 3 yr old GSD male (unaltered) starts crying/barking when we show attention to something else. He is aggressive towards other dogs as well. My wife is 3 months pregnant and we are worried about this jealous behavior. He also cries and whines if we leave our home just to get the mail or anywhere that he can't get to us. He has never been aggressive towards people, he just gets overly excited when a person first arrives and then calms down after about 10 minutes. He absolutely loves elementary age children (my wife is a piano teacher), but has never been around a baby. Earlier this week we were walking our dog when my aunt pulled up with her grandson in the car (6 months old). My wife was baby talking the child when our dog started barking and whining (he could not see what she was talking to however. Please Advise....

11-07-2011, 06:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 22,215	I bet he'll be fine BUT if I were you I'd make 100% sure by STARTING UP SOME DOG CLASSES! Right now. A good set of classes and a good instructor will put you in the leadership (not ALPHA) but leadership... and give you a much better idea of your relationship with your dog and how he'll be with your wife and a new baby. I don't have kids but I KNOW my dogs could care less about a baby or child or old person or someone in a wheelchair or with a hat or or or or or. I KNOW how they behave and that they will be just fine. I also know what they will obey and listen too and if they will get too excited and that I'd probably not leave the baby on a blanket on the floor. But not cause my dogs would purposely harm a baby on the floor as much as treat it like the cat or anything else fun on the floor and maybe step on it or get overly friendly! It's great you have so much time if you take this seriously and sign up for some classes this week, to attend for the next few MONTHS. This will also 'force' you to spend time with your dog now, and hopefully AFTER THE BABY IS BORN! Cause it's fairly common that our beloved dog that was the center of the house is 'suddenly' in the way and ignored as a bother when the new human baby arrives. SURPRISE, that dog may cause some big issues!!!! Introducing Your Pet and New Baby : The Humane Society of the United States Your New "Pack" Member Preparing a Dog for a New Baby - Your Pregnancy and Your Dog Dogs - Bringing Home the New Human Baby New Baby, Old Dog, Ask Victoria Stilwell : Animal Planet __________________ MACH2 Bretta Lee Wildhaus CGC TC TQX Glory B Wildhaus NA, NJ, NF + LOL (still) "*Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde*

11-07-2011, 11:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
N Smith Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Whitehorse, Yukon Posts: 310	What is this dogs daily exercise routine? What about daily routine(feeding, crating, Obedience training)? What sort of daily structure have you implemented to help him cope with his anxiety? Dogs don't experience jealousy in the sense that you are thinking. What it sounds like to me (from the very limited info) is a dog who is anxious, bored and has very little pack structure and is attempting to control his environment through vocalization and behavior.

11-07-2011, 11:59 AM	#3 (permalink)
jrs1984 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 36	We get up at 6:30am and let him out of his crate and into the backyard for bathroom. We then interact with him while getting ready for work and put him back in his crate at 7:15am. My wife gets home at 1:45pm and lets him out for bathroom and then feeds him. She plays/pets him, etc until her piano students show up at 3:30/4:00 depending on the day. He is put in the backyard until lessons are done. He usually gets to come in and spend time with her in between lessons and the children who take lessons will usually go outside and play with him in the backyard. I get home at 5:30pm and we immediately take him for a 1 mile walk. We play/pet him/let him out to use the bathroom, etc while doing our normal activities and he gets fed again at 9:00pm. He is put back in the crate at 10pm when we go to bed. The reason we don't feed him in the morning anymore is because he absolutely refuses it (he used to, but after 1 year and 15lbs dropped we found the 1:45 feeding the best option). He usually spends his evening laying across our laps on the couch and/or bringing his toys and playing fetch with us in the living room.

11-08-2011, 10:10 AM	#5 (permalink)
jrs1984 Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 36	He knows commands well...he just loses all senses when something new comes around...he's not agressive (unless its another dog) he just gets super excited. Group classes don't work for us because he HATES other dogs (thanks to our first trainer)...the second trainer made it manageable, but only if a clicker and treat is involved.

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