Big problems with King Charles..getting desperate

xoaudhep

Ok so...

Basically I'm having some big issues with my dog and I really really would love some help/advice. If I leave anything out feel free to ask!

We have a cavalier king charles, she's a gorgeous little dog. Really cute. She turned 3 last month. We've been having some issues that have intensified in the last year and everyone is getting to the end of their tether, especially those living here who have less patience than me!

We have a fairly big back garden and we have a large playroom that she sleeps in at night. During the day, she scratches at the door in the playroom (ruining the door) if someone finally gives in and lets her into the kitchen she follows everyone around for a little while before starting to scratch and whine at the glass door trying to get out to the garden. If we tell her no or try to discipline her she stops for about a minute then starts again. If someone finally gives in and lets her out (I know we shouldn't but she's ruining the glass and the noise of her at the door is unbearable) she runs around the garden barking like crazy. We tried to train her out of the barking using several different methods, none worked. So I went out and spent 30 euro on a collar which makes a noise when she barks and is supposed to train them to stop. It stopped the barking, but she obviously doesn't like the noise so when she's inside she frantically scratches at the door to go out and visa versa.

She did this before but it has intensified since I got the collar. On a day where it's not raining, I put her bed and her food outside and there's bones, toys etc for her in the garden. She stays outside for about 5 or 10 minutes before scratching like crazy on the door to get in. If we let her on she then wants to get back out after a while! I've tried ignoring her, shouting NO, going out and tapping her on the bum with a newspaper..the list goes on. It stops her for about a minute then it starts again. Everyone in the house is sick of it and are threatening to insist on her going. There's a new baby in the house too who she has woken up several times which didn't help her case.

Any advice? And before people suggest that she sounds like she's bored and not exercised enough, she's walked every single day and sometimes twice a day. When I bring her on an extra long walk she seems to have more energy and is more excited when she gets home. Cue the scratching at the door and barking.

are you serious

Can you not leave the door open all the time when your home? I do this when I'm home to save myself from getting up every toilet time to let him in and out..

xoaudhep

garkane wrote: »

Can you not leave the door open all the time when your home? I do this when I'm home to save myself from getting up every toilet time to let him in and out..

I do this when it's sunny out just to save getting shouted at about the dog from other people in the house but unfortunately it can't be done all the time as the kitchen gets freezing and there's a new baby in the house.

andreac

Have you had her checked out by a vet? Sounds like there could be something medically wrong with her and Cavaliers can suffer from a condition called Syringomyelia so i would get ehr checked out first and rule out and medical condition.

Also, please get rid of that collar, its obviously not helping and its probably doing more harm than good and is distressing for the dog.

Dont hit her with newspaper either and this is unfair on her.

Something is obviously triggering this behaviour so i think you need to look into why shes doing it.
Apart from her walk, what other interaction and company, attention does she get each day?

are you serious

save and get a doggy flap...

xoaudhep

andreac wrote: »

Have you had her checked out by a vet? Sounds like there could be something medically wrong with her and Cavaliers can suffer from a condition called Syringomyelia so i would get ehr checked out first and rule out and medical condition.

Also, please get rid of that collar, its obviously not helping and its probably doing more harm than good and is distressing for the dog.

Dont hit her with newspaper either and this is unfair on her.

Something is obviously triggering this behaviour so i think you need to look into why shes doing it.
Apart from her walk, what other interaction and company, attention does she get each day?

She's been to the vet several times but they've never said anything about that to me? I only turn the collar on when she's in the garden as the neighbours have complained about her barking so it'll have to stay on for the time being unfortunately as there doesn't seem to be any way to stop her barking!

Don't worry I don't hit her with the paper, she just gets a tap to get her into bed as when I shout etc she seems to think I'm just joining in with her barking! She gets a lot of interaction. There's two kids in the house who play with her during the day and she gets talked to and given attention a good bit. She also gets a cuddle at night which is the only time she's calm.

andreac

Well i would look into getting a trainer into the house to help you and train her a bit better.
Its unusal for Cav's to bark like this as they are usually very placid dogs so theres obviously something bothering her.

I still wouldnt use that collar, im not a fan of those types of training aids at all.

xoaudhep

andreac wrote: »

Well i would look into getting a trainer into the house to help you and train her a bit better.
Its unusal for Cav's to bark like this as they are usually very placid dogs so theres obviously something bothering her.

I still wouldnt use that collar, im not a fan of those types of training aids at all.

How much roughly would a trainer be? I definitely couldn't afford one at the moment but maybe if I saved up I could get one... would need to try and work out a solution in the mean time though.

lorebringer

Cavaliers can be very clingy dogs, many of them need attention constantly. The scratching on the doors to get from the play room into the kitchen is obviously an attention thing, she wants to be in the same room as you. Trying to get out into the garden is also an attention problem - she is wanting to get you to go out and play with her. Her booting it around the garden barking is her way of burning off excess energy and looking for you to play with her. Lots of dogs do this, wanting to play. The reason she then wants to come in after a while is because she wants to be part of the household again. All she wants is attention and is getting it any way she can

Your wife (I'm assuming, excuse me if I'm wrong) getting pregnant and having a new baby is a big change for your household. Your dog may be feeling "left out" or displaced and stressed and is expressing it in a very annoying way. It's essentially the same as a child giving out about having a baby brother or sister coming into the house. You'll need to give her some one to one time, playing with her, sitting with her, etc. Cavaliers can be very energetic dogs, barking is not unusual (please remember, even though they are cute toy dogs, they are essentially mini spaniels (well, they are!) and can get a lot of pent up energy) along with being needy. Long walks will help curb the madness, and will let her get some one to one time with you. Bells, and training her how to use them instead of scratching on the doors (put the bells onto a string so that she can ring them when she needs to go out), will stop the scratching on the doors. You could also install a doggie door in the back door

DO NOT use the collar on her - this will stress her out even more and (as you have been finding) will worsen the situation. If she is behaving in a way you don't want, say a firm "no" and place her in a time out (sounds a bit crazy but with such a social breed, this really drives the message home). Teach her "quiet", and perhaps some other commands, so that she understands what you want from her (and she will also get the vital one to one time with you).

This really sound like an attention issue. Training her, giving her one to one time and walking her lots will really help. You could bring her to training classes to help with this also, or you could do it at home. Either way, until she knows what is, and is not, expected of her and until she gets some extra attention until everything settles down after having the baby she will continue to acquire random bad habits.

Feel free to pm me if you need any more information or help with your Cavalier.

carwash_2006

You know what, it sounds to me like she could be a little overstimulated.

Has she ever learned to settle and just be quiet when things are going on around her? If it is a very busy house with kids playing with her and a lot of toys for her she may just never have learned just to lie and be quiet. It sounds like you have tried everything from the trying to keep her entertained end of things, some dogs actually need to learn to just settle and spend time relaxing, they don't seem to have an off switch without being taught.

Of course the training to help her learn to settle will help to keep her mind occupied without having to run around too. Have you spent much time teaching her things like Sit and Down or anything? If not I would start with these first, but you probably want to get a book or google for information on basic training to help you learn how to do this. I would reckon to get a crate where she can learn to settle quietly would be useful too. You would need to acustom her to the crate first, start by getting her to go into it for treats and not closing the door. When she is comfortable going in and out close the door for 1 minute and give her a treat before you let her out again. As she is ok with you closing the door for short periods slowly build it up to longer periods but stay beside the crate. You can give her something nice to chew in there too to help her feel comfortable and if she is busy or just quiet pop out of the room for a couple of minutes, but make sure you start with very short times again and gradually build it up.

By giving her somewhere safe that is her space and teaching her to settle there she will hopefully learn to calm down and be quiet for parts of the day giving you some peace.

DBB

xoaudhep wrote: »

She's been to the vet several times but they've never said anything about that to me?

Don't let this rule out that your Cav has a neurological problem like syringomyelia: believe it or not, some vets in Ireland don't actually know that this condition exists in Ireland, that the problem has only appeared in other countries, but not here yet.
It can also be very difficult to diagnose without an MRI scan, but symptoms can be used as an indicator of the condition.
That said, it does sound more like attention-seeking, or boredom, or self-rewarding behaviours which might be addressed by changing the current routine, perhaps a dietary change, appropriate management, and retraining her in certain issues. I think there is a lot more going on here than can really be dealt with here, so getting a good behaviourist in to pinpoint the problem and address it for your particular circumstances could be a good investment.
Just make sure you get the right person to help you, some are better than others!

suziwalsh

I would look also at her diet....she maybe getting too much sugar and causing her to be unsettled. You would need to get someone to have a look at her and see is her behaviour anxiety based etc..

barbiegirl

Quick question how much does she get walked? Just it's not mentioned.

Shazanne

This is probably not what you want to hear but I feel she might benefit from a canine companion. I had similar and other issues with my girl when I first had her but they have settled down alot since I got her a companion. They entertain each other, which means they are less demanding of human attention. I'm not saying it will totally cure your problems, or that you won't have other problems when you have two dogs, but I certainly found it very helpful.

carwash_2006

Shazanne wrote: »

This is probably not what you want to hear but I feel she might benefit from a canine companion. I had similar and other issues with my girl when I first had her but they have settled down alot since I got her a companion. They entertain each other, which means they are less demanding of human attention. I'm not saying it will totally cure your problems, or that you won't have other problems when you have two dogs, but I certainly found it very helpful.

Or you could just end up with 2 manic animals. Until you have figured out a bit why she is behaving the way she is I would definitely NOT bring another dog into the household.

pokertalk

a second dog as shazanne said would be a great idea once the vet has ruled out any serious problems. my dog was the the same not wuite as bad but when i got the second he was a changed man ehhh dog;) . its double the work for you but it may be the answer to all your problems.you say that the dog has being like this on and off just wondering what age was the he when you got him?? also as already said the diet could make a huge difference

Shazanne

carwash_2006 wrote: »

Or you could just end up with 2 manic animals. Until you have figured out a bit why she is behaving the way she is I would definitely NOT bring another dog into the household.

Gosh - that's rather negative if you don't mind me saying.
I read and re-read the OP's original post and, to be totally honest, I feel that the dog is lonely, bored, attention seeking and feeling a bit left out in light of the new addition to the household. By all means I agree that a check by the vet is a good thing but I feel that the problem is largely behavioural and stress related. My suggestion on getting a companion dog is one that some of the problems at least and I think that suggestion that the OP could end up with "2 manic animals" as you have suggested is rather insulting to the OP as it implies that she/he or the living conditions may be at fault, which I don't think is the case.

Groom!

Hi and sorry to hear about your problems.

This is probably not what you want to hear.

I have been minding dogs in my home for 4 years. I have minded dozens of King Charles and I love them to bits!

However, they are the only breed of dog that I have come across that will incessantly do that scraping at the glass door thing. In every other way they are totally adorable, so affectionate and really easy going dogs. Some cocker spaniels have done it as well, so maybe it's a spaniel thing.

I suggest getting a dog trainer in. Maybe a water spray or the pet corrector (loud aerosol sound) might help but it means you have to be there every time the dog scrapes the door.

I would say definitely don't get another dog till this is sorted. Chances are your dog will be delighted with the company but will still do the door thing.

That's just my tuppence worth. Hope you get sorted. It could be worse, he could be chewing his way through the doors!

carwash_2006

Shazanne wrote: »

Gosh - that's rather negative if you don't mind me saying.
I read and re-read the OP's original post and, to be totally honest, I feel that the dog is lonely, bored, attention seeking and feeling a bit left out in light of the new addition to the household. By all means I agree that a check by the vet is a good thing but I feel that the problem is largely behavioural and stress related. My suggestion on getting a companion dog is one that some of the problems at least and I think that suggestion that the OP could end up with "2 manic animals" as you have suggested is rather insulting to the OP as it implies that she/he or the living conditions may be at fault, which I don't think is the case.

I say it because I have seen it happen before. You got lucky, but when you bring a second dog into a household where the original dog is indulging in inappropriate behaviour it is most common that the new dog will pick up the bad habits from the existing dog, so unless the behavioural problems are addressed through appropriate training first it can end up as a worse situation.

I'm just putting the warning out there. You made the suggestion and told how it worked for you, I'm just giving the other possible side of the coin. I would really want to have the current dog assessed by a behaviourist and given some methods to deal with her current situation before introducing a new one in the mix.

Shazanne

Point taken and accepted:) Yes, I got lucky and the solution worked for me, but I accept it may not work for everyone and it was just a suggestion based on what I read. But, I admit, not without its own problems.
I hope things work out well for the OP and I also hope that he/she keeps us updated as I would love to know how this works out.

faw1tytowers

Sounds like your dog has seperation anxiety. I would reccomend a DAP collar and infuser to be put into the room she sleeps in. This is what most vets and trainers have which omits a smell of a bitch and makes the dog feel secure like a pup would with its mother. I highly reccomend them. You can probably buy them online and most vets will have them or trainers. I think I paid about 50 euro for both and that lasted about a month. It did the job. I had a rescue dog that didnt like being left alone. But also I would reccomened not closing the door on the dog and maybe consider getting a baby gate for the door way. I have done this with dogs I have fostered in the past.

All the best and let me know how you get on.

xoaudhep

Thanks everyone for your advice. Just to answer a few of the questions that were asked she's walked every day and we got her when she was 8 weeks old!

A lot of people are saying she may be put out by the new addition to the family but I don't think so. She was like this long before the baby arrived and I don't think she's been getting any less attention etc since the baby was born. It's just making it more difficult as she keeps managing to disturb the baby!

I will be bringing her to a vet and maybe trying to get somebody in to help train her but at the moment that's not possible due to the amount it would cost. I would do almost anything to solve these problems but the money simply isn't there at all. I'm going to try changing a few things and seeing what happens. Fingers crossed...

zoby

Im sorry I have zero advice for you but i do know exactly what you are going through :rolleyes:


My Cavalier is exactly the same with the scratching to go out then straight away scratching to come in :rolleyes: resulting in badly scratched glass on the outside and broken blinds on the inside of the door :rolleyes::rolleyes: She also has a fondness for scratching to go out in the rain (the heavier the better) and then just sits on the deck looking back in at us while she gets soaked to the skin.


I do have another dog (bichon) who never ever scratches the door and judging from other Cavalier owners that i have spoken to it definitely seems to be a breed "thing"


If you have any luck sorting this out you might let me know