Sophie Is Here!

[daunting]

When your leaving the room or going out anywhere, don't say anything to her, touch her or even look at her, yes I know its hard  Practice leaving the room for 5 mins at a time through the day, gradually build up the time according to her progress  You can then start to put your coat on, and leave the room, then pop back in a minute later then prolong the time, till your actually going to leave the house, when you do leave the house, hang around for a bit and see if you can hear any noise, each time you leave prolong the time. When you return, don't make a fuss of her (yeah another hard thing to do) don't go straight to her, pop the kettle on and maybe go to another room, for a couple of mins before going to her!

I tried this with Max ( had him when he was 9mths ) and it worked well.
Mind you he has many 'time-outs' in the kitchen by himself for being naughty  and i don't hear a sound out of him
Did a similar thing with my 2 girls as pups too!

She will never stop following you around completely, but will soon get used to being on her own so don't worry too much.

I still can't go from one room to another without 3 apparantely 'sleeping' cockers jumping up and following me.

Tia,19mths, is the only one who will fuss if i shut them in the living room, she does a 'raptor' impression and snorts under the door and cries.
But a simple 'quiet' shuts her up

Have you tried putting her in a room on her own for a few minutes yet to see how she reacts?

 

[tiggerbabe]

apparantely 'sleeping' cockers

LOL!!  Yes, Sophie has perfected this art!!  Even through her snoring she can hear me getting up and moving to the kitchen!  

I have been going into my bedroom, shutting the door for about 2-3 mins, then doing it in the bathroom a bit later on and although she does that heavy breathing bit - she has not barked or whined out loud.  

I have been outside to the bin for a few moments too and same thing - just stood at the door waiting on me - so when I came back in I ignored her for a few moments then said "good girl".

The crate is coming this afternoon, so we will see how things go!  

 

[Sheila]

I've only just got here today and I'm thrilled for you. It sounds like Sophie is just the right one for you.
I'm so glad that the introduction to your cat went so well and that Sophie is settling in.

I hope that the crate will be a big help, she may settle well because it will feel a familiar and safe place.

Please post some piccies when you are able, I'm dying to see her.  

[Nat]

Congratulations, sounds like little Sophie has landed on her feet and is now loving life  

Please can we see some pics    

[lizzy]

Welcome home Sophie!

I'm so pleased for you T, she sounds like a little love.

[Cob-Web]

Its been lovely reading this thread, the joy in your posts has been wonderful, t

I hope Sophie continues to settle into the family well.

Was she kennelled at all at her previous home? This may explain the odd accident; I'm sure it won't take long to house-train her.

I've read loads of different resources on how to tackle separation anxiety - I think it depends on the dog as to what works best for each; have you tried searching Google when you've got a minute to see what comes up?

Good luck
x

[PollyKay]

Lovely to hear you and Sophie are getting along so well.
As 'daunting' says she will probably always be behind you around the house.  It always amazed me how well Sammy could walk to heel around the home, but not outside on the lead.  You get used to having a Cocker stuck to the back of your leg.
We were 3rd owners so he must have thought that if he let us out of sight we would go away like the others.
The knowing when you are going out of the room must be some sort of 6th sense as he still did that even when he was blind and deaf, even if we tried to creep out to the kitchen he was always there within seconds.
She sounds lovely though, look forward to seeing her piccy.

[PennyB]

Was she kennelled at all at her previous home? This may explain the odd accident; I'm sure it won't take long to house-train her.
 

This can happen with rescues whether from a home or kennels as they settle in to a new regime and depending on the dog can vary.

[PennyB]

Morning!

Well - everything still seems to be going well.  The cat is venturing out a bit more and still no "nasty outbursts"!!  

We have tried putting a clothes horse in front of the kitchen door (to act as a gate) so that she can go in and get her dinner without Sophie stealing it! But I will have to buy a proper gate, as the cat is 12 and I don't want her having to jump up high to get her dinner, so I will have to continue to leave it on the kitchen floor.  

Went a lovely long walk with Sophie and Paul yesterday to some local woodland - but it started lashing with rain so we all got soaked!!  When we came home Sophie got dried off with the hairdryer - and she was great with that!  She has been to Crufts so is used to getting showered, dried etc!  

My God those muddy Cocker feet can cause havoc!  I have now learned to close the bedroom door PRIOR to going out for a walk so that I can dry her off before she leaps onto the bed for a roll about!!      

One more peeing incident last night in the living room this time - just outside the kitchen door.  Whisked her outside!  I have been giving her a small treat (a single piece of Iams) when she does pee outside and saying that she is a good girl etc.  So hopefully that will resolve itself with time.

I bought her a car harness yesterday too - but she is a dream traveller - she just goes to sleep within minutes!  

I am still worried about how clingy she is - I can't move anywhere without her following me.  Having had a dog with separation anxiety before - I feel that these maybe worrying signs of thing to come!!  

I would welcome any help on how I can try to resolve this.  I am getting her crate today from the breeder as tomorrow will be her first time left alone - I am dreading it!!

 

A lot of rescues will be clingy in their new home (no matter where they have come from) but recognising it for what it is and working on it straightaway will work wonders.

When I took in Rocky as a foster his owner had died that morning and  he'd obviously had 24/7 attention from his elderly owner. Like Sophie he began to follow me everywhere so I knew then I'd have to work hard with him so that he didn't go to his forever home with worse SA that he'd arrived with (I couldn't leave the house without him howling the place down even though he had my two for company and he'd howl at night as my dogs don't go upstairs). Rocky went to his new home able to be left while the owner goes to work and has settled in really well but it took weeks of work on my part to get there. I did feel it was easy for me as I knew he would go on to a new home so emotionally I didn't get attached to him but it also meant I didn't give in to him while he was here (I felt like a real 'bovine' sometimes as a I had to be quite firm with him especially as he was also the worlds most stubborn cocker and ignore those liquid melting eyes).

You're doing the right thing but it will take time and patience.

[mojo]

very pleased for you that it all worked out and you finaly have Sophie home with you ,she sounds a real sweetie

[tiggerbabe]

Well, we got her crate yesterday and she slept in that last night - took her out once during the night as she was whining and she did actually need out so that made me feel a bit better - knowing that she was whining for a reason not just for me!

I am work just now and I feel absolutely ill!!  

I took her out at 7 this morning for 45mins and didn't take my coat off again when I came in from that - so she wouldn't see me putting my coat back on again.

She was whining a bit, but not too bad.  I have left a note with the neighbour upstairs saying that it is Sophie's first morning alone and can she let me know if she barks - and I have left my mobile number.

I am going home at lunchtime tp take her out again, even though it entails a 36 mile round trip!!  So I will find out then what she has been up to - if I don't get the phone call before hand!

I am worried sick!    

[Sheila]

Oh you poor thing.....I hope when you get home at lunchtime that she has been fine.
You are a great mummy doing all that driving to check on her.


Hugsx

[tiggerbabe]

Well, I drove home.......and what greeted me at the entrance to the house - yes a barking Cocker!

My neighbour wasn't in so I have no idea how long she has been barking for.  There was a builder walking in the door in front of me (I live in a block of 4 houses with a main door entry system) so I don't know if she has heard him coming and going and that started her barking.

I feel like crying!

I spent the whole of my remaining lunch hour (ended up taking 25 mins longer than I should have) walking her to try to tire her out a bit!

I will have to wait until tonight to see if she has been barking again this afternoon.

   

[Mike]

It's still very early days, so even if she was barking, there's still plenty of time for her to get used to being alone.

Can't remember if you said you were going to leave a radio on or something; other things that people use to help their dogs keep occupied or settled are kongs stuffed with healthy treats to occupy her, and maybe even a DAP diffuser to help calm her down, or some rescue remedy. Have you an old teddy bear you can put in her basket?    

[tiggerbabe]

Thanks Mike!

I left the radio on and my jammies in her crate with her.  I will think seriously about getting a Kong too though!  Anything for a quiet life!

I will not know until tonight if she had been barking all morning, as I say it might just have been the noise of the builder going in and out and banging about upstairs?

I have Bach rescue remedy in the house - I use it for the cat when she is having to go in the car!

Sophie has an underactive thyroid and is on medication for the rest of her life - is it ok to give her Bach?  I did think of that this morning, but didn't want to chance anything!