Sudden behavioral changes can be indicators that your dog is not handling things too well. It can also be a red flag for medical conditions needing attention. Resource Guarding (being "over-protective" of things, people or space) suddenly rearing its scary, fang filled face may not be your dog being bad...It may mean she isn't coping with these new living arrangements with grace, and is communicating this stress the only way she knows how.
While each case needs an individually catered approach, there are a few Universally safe things you can do to make things a little more stress-free for your furry friend.
Before undertaking any of the suggestions that will follow, please make sure your dog is healthy. Check with your vet to be sure we have ruled out any medical reasons for these behavioral changes. It isn't fair to expect an animal who isn't feeling well to suddenly "be nice," or "behave" if she isn't feeling good. That's like my asking you to host a party with a headache. Not cool.
Understand that Everything is Different.
Your dog is now experiencing having to share with many other people and dogs. This can make a confident dog insecure. It can cause a naturally fearful personality to suddenly lash out. It can take a seemingly balanced animal, and make her very confused. It can make you weird, basically. She is trying to establish what now belongs to her in terms of territory--Did she have a big yard, perhaps acreage, and now you have a hallway?
She Can Hear Everything!
Sharing walls, and ceiling can put a dog on edge, if this is something she is not accustomed to. The sounds of your neighbor walking to his fridge, or his pack-of-elephants kids might sound like a virtual nightmare to your dog. Keep rewards handy. Try playing with her, or otherwise engaging her mind, so she can begin to think those sounds are normal. Don't fall in to the "it's ok" trap (see my other article "When It's Ok is Not" if she is barking excessively.
Go Back to Basics.
If the sight of another dog, or person, causes her to lunge and /or bark, contact a good Teacher to show you how to help her get over that reaction. Pro Tip: The very moment she notices that approaching dog, is the moment you tell her "Good Girl," and offer a piece of chicken, as you turn to walk the other way. Do not offer food if she has crossed 'above threshold' and is in to the lunge or bark.
Are There Too Many New People in Her Life?
If your new situation has suddenly expanded your Human Pack, your dog may be feeling a little lost. Our dogs depend on us for pack stability, and order within that pack. Try to include these new Humans in your dog's routine a little. Invite them to go for a walk with you two, or have someone else give her a meal. Learning a new trick together can be an immensely bonding experience; perhaps a copy of '101 Dog Tricks' by Kyra Sundance is in your future?
Does Your Dog Have Alone Time/Space?
Even if your dog has known the new pack members for years, living with them on a day-to-day basis can be tough. Your dog needs breaks from this chaos. Make sure your dog has a place where no one is allowed to bother her. My dogs know that if they have chosen to lay on a dog bed (rather than a couch) they will be left alone. We may talk to them "good boy, thank you" but we do not invade their personal space. If you have a velcro-dog personality, this may be tough, so you might need to work on teaching a good Down and Stay before your dog can enjoy the peach and quiet of her bed. I have available beds on every floor of the house, so they can get peace and quiet, and still be "with me" if they feel the need.
Preferably, this alone time can be in another room. If you feel your dog is too stressed by trying to be with you among all the other family members, put her in another room, with something to do--a stuffed Kong, or an alternate safe, tasty chew. A crate is ok, but only if your dog is familiar and friendly with her crate.
Help Her Turn Off.
If she has developed resource guarding tendencies, or seems just obsessed with waiting at the windows for something to bark at, let's remove these things.
Pick up her food dish when it is not meal time (free feeding is not really the best of plans anyway), and put her toys somewhere else. Should the window be our 'trigger' for tension, try putting some waxed-paper on the lower portion, so the light gets in, but she won't be able to see as much. Or close the blinds.
Contact a good Teacher who can help show you how to eliminate these behaviors. Closing the blinds, or removing the dish may help her relax in the moment (and she needs this), but long-term, these are detrimental levels of stress that can, and should be worked through.
Help Her Relax.
Much like dealing with Separation Anxiety, there are some medications (vet prescribed) that can help her cope. These may, or may not, be long-term solutions, but opening a dialog with your Veterinarian is a good plan. They can help you determine if chemically altering the neuro-process of your dog's brain is a viable option. If medication is not necessary, there are some natural, or non-chemical ways you can go at this.
Lavender: Yup. The very same scent spas use to chill us out, can also help soothe your pup's ragged nerves. You may think about adding a little of this essential oil to a cotton ball (remember, dog's noses are VERY sensitive--one drop may be enough) and put it into a diffuser ball hung from her collar. Etsy has some adorable options for this! You can also look in to an essential oil diffuser; these little, affordable, plug-in units look beautiful, and turn the oil and water in to a mist that just diffuses the scent in to the air.
NOTE OF WARNING!!!!! Many essential oils are FATALLY TOXIC)
Calming Pheromones: Products such as Adaptil, utilize synthetic pheromone technology to mimic the calming effects a nursing dog has on her pups. This can have an amazing effect on some stressed-out dogs. They come in sprays (added to dog's bedding/favorite areas; not the dog herself), plug-in diffuser units, and collars. The collars are cool because this means it goes wherever your dog does.
The Good Ol' Anxiety Wrap, or Thundershirt: K, here's the thing; this is either going to be the best fifty dollars you ever spend, or do absolutely nothing. I feel like they are worth a try. They work on the principles of pressure applied to acupressure points on your dog's body. When this pressure is applied, the canine system begins to release relaxing endorphins that can alleviate anxiety responses. I have personally witnessed both miracles, and nothing happening. The success of the shirt depends on where the anxiety stems from, what is creating it, and if it is a true anxious response, or something needing medical attention.
I once put one on The Most strung-out-hyper Beagle mix I'd ever met (one of the most active dogs I've ever worked with, period ). Her owner thought she was just a hyper dog--Extremely out-going, very friendly, just a go go go all the time gal. Add Thundershirt, and she literally stopped gasp-panting and flipping her head from one view to the next, slowed to a walk, laid down and with a relaxed sigh, closed her mouth and began to actually look at her world for the first time in her life. It was magical. As though she wasn't on fast-forward anymore.
Homeopathic Remedies.
Also a consideration, as they can be used along with most prescribed medications, or on their own. Bach's Rescue Remedy for Pets, or Homeopet's Anxiety Relief Drops can be wonderful! I pesonally use the Homeopet Anxiety Relief Drops for my big ol' scaredy guy. When we first adopted him, he was getting his recommended dose four times a day. Now, as with his Thundershirt, we only give them about an hour before anticipated anxiety causing events.
These are somewhat akin to having a relaxing cup of tea; not a heavy drug, not a fix-all. But a method to help him cope with stressors a little bit better. Speaking of tea, adding a bit of Chamomile tea to your dog's water bowl might also help. Not too much, as they tend to avoid the bowl if it is too concentrated. If you are unsure of how much is a good idea, call your vet. In this scenario, I'm assuming your vet is as on board with Natural Remedies as mine is :)
Above all, if you have a dog who is used to a lot of space, and physical outside time, making up for it with lots of walks and extra play time is very important. A dog who suddenly finds herself kept in the not-so-great indoors may act out more often. Exercise can be a sort of "magic bullet" in the search for a balanced, happy dog. A tired dog is a happy dog--and no, I do not think it's a good idea to drive your dog to exhaustion just so you can have some peace and quiet. Making sure your pup gets her physical needs met, as well as her mental requirements, are really the best ways to help her get over, and get in to this new life.
Lots of play, puzzle toys, busy feeders, hiring a dog walker (should you be unable to walk her yourself), or driving her to new parks to sniff are important tools. Speaking of which, it is time for me to spend some time with my own pups. Thanks for sticking in there and reading this rather long article. The more I thought about it, the more complex I realized this really was. It isn't as simple as Do this and Voila! Fixed Dog! Even with this discussion, I haven't completely covered all the ways your dog can act out behaviorally, in response to a sudden, extreme living situation change. So I will close with something familiar...
If you haven't found a "fix," please call your vet and ask for help, both in what to do, and for a list of qualified Teachers (you may know them as "trainers") in your area.
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