Axel

Day one. 

A good trip home from the centre.  He was not a boot dog. He got a bit distressed. Calmed a for a few minutes when I opened the windows but was soon unhappy again. It looked like he just wanted to be nearer. I stopped, moved him to the back seat and he was much better., even lying down and settling, as long as his head was resting between the front seats. 

He walked around the garden a few times and seemed very keen to go in the house. I let him in and he had a good sniff, then was out, then was in., then was out, then was in. This went on for thirty minutes. I left him to it and just gave support when he came over to me to check in. He eventually came in and did laps of the one room (not too much too soon). He was restless, pacing, settling and then pacing again. I sat on the floor with him, he loves this and soon relaxed a bit more, eventually leaving me and going under the dining room table where I’d set up his bed.  

We had one wee incident. Made no fuss, I just got up and walked outside, he followed and finished off in the garden. About an hour later he wanted to go again and I think he’s got the hang of it already, he sat at the door and wined. I let him out and he weed outside. Could be a massive early result.  He is drinking loads of water.

Still restless and coming in constantly for reassurance, all normal so far. He is settling, but in a different spot every 10 minutes or so.  

May have cracked it. I’m just sitting quitely, ready/typing this, classical music playing. It’s been 4 hours, but he has now settled and comfortable, after so much has gone on, he has crashed and feels safe enough to sleep. He is peacefully snoring away. 

He got twitchy at about 5 so I assumed it was tea time. His appetite is fine! Very good and waited patiently for me to put his food down, and eat it slowly. An hour later I took him into the garden and he had a full ablution. We played a little and then he crashed again.  A relaxing evening, just checking in from time to time for some fuss and asking nicely. As he was so relaxed we thought we’d see how he was alone…..not good…I have an infrared pet camera and he was obviously distressed. It’s his first night, so even though relaxed before, it is still all new to him. I slept downstairs with him. He chilled instantly and slept a full 9 hours.

Day Three. 

Another good night’s sleep. He waited until I got up before he stirred and was straight to the door for a morning toilet break, he picks up on routine really quickly. 

I left him this morning to run with other dogs and Karen’s report was that he had a relaxing breakfast and then had his first case of the zoomies in the garden. I took him for a tiny walk when I got back and we met a couple of neighbours, he was as good as gold. He is asleep again at my feet as I do some work. He’s slotted into my routine very quickly.

Now he’s more relaxed and less stimulated by “unfamiliar” surroundings I think he’s med side effects are more pronounced. He’s been very sleepy today. About an hour after breakfast he had one walk around the garden and then crashed for a good few hours, had a little flurry of activity for 30 minutes in the afternoon, and the. Crashed again. It did mean he’s a lot more relaxed about us leaving him and now waits in his bed rather than at the room door. I have been able to leave him alone for 5 minutes before he gets restless which is excellent. He gets better each day.

After his tea I did note he was a bit wobbly on his back legs during his toilet break, this is  a side effect of his meds so not worried. He’s still got about and I’ll mention it tomorrow during his vet visit.

Day Four.

Another car journey back to the centre for a vet check. He is not a fan of cars, when i take him for a walk we have to go past the car and he doesn’t like it until we get past it. He had to manhandled in and was very vocal on the way there and agitated. Stopped a couple of times just to fuss him and calm him a little. Good vet visit, reducing his meds. Didn’t want to get back in the car, but I plopped him in and actually the trip back was ok. He’s a lot happier with a window cracked he can stick his nose out of and he even lay down and chilled for the second half of the trip (I assume his busy morning helped tire him out and helped a lot).

Another great day of relaxing, sleeping, a few tours of the garden with some playing.

I moved my bed to the furthest part of the downstairs tonight and it went well. He did try to get into my sleeping back and lay near me for a while, but there was nothing comfy for him so, making his own decision, he left me and went to the room with his safe comfy bed. He came and checked on me five times in the night, but just to check in and then went back to his bed. So a good night where he was alone in a room by himself and able to sleep. Progress, a little every day.

Day Five.

A beautiful bright morning. He didn’t move when I got up, so he is seeing his bed as a safe place to relax. He had a lovely early morning walk, more neighbours and more lovely hellos with no mouthing or jumping. He says hello really well now, much calmer and relaxed. Still had issues getting him past the car. I plan from tomorrow is to take him for really short trips in the car to the beach, to hopefully instil the thought car rides are a positive thing in his mind.. Breakfast and a little play in the garden, and then sleeping. 

Today we are doing some “it’s okay to be alone” training….on each work break I’m leaving him alone in his bed and going upstairs. Just 30 seconds to start with. When I come back (all casual like coming and going ain’t a big thing) if he’s still in his bed, treat. So far we are up to 3 minutes with 100% success. 

Day Six

A good night last night. Lights out and it took him 20 minutes to realise there was nowhere comfortable to lie down near where I was sleeping, so, off he went to his bed in a room alone. He checked on me once at 1am (and it was a quick 30 second check) before going back to his bed. He didn’t check again until 0630 when we get up anyway. So that was one check in 7 hours and the rest of the time he was alone in a room. Excellent. He was relaxed alone as well, the Camaro recorded him turning a few times, but he never left his bed.

He really isn’t keen on cars. He knows ours now and backs away from it. I got him in this morning and we only had a 3 minute ride to the beach. A lovely little walk with loads of sniffing, then a freeze as soon as he saw the car. I had to carry him 20 meters back to the car. He didn’t struggle but did whine. My theory is that he likes to stand, but feels unstable and when he lies down he is stable, but can’t see anything. Either may it unsettles him. He was more settled on the short trip back, but couldn’t wait to get out and back into the garden. I’ll try regularly and hopefully turn his idea of going in the car into a positive experiences.

Day Seven.

Last night was the same as the night before. He’s getting better when we leave for short periods. He stays chill alone in his bed for a little longer each day, only up to five minutes, but better than the instant get up and wait by the door. 

Morning walk had the issue of getting him past the car. Even the suggestion he’s going in the car makes him anxious. We just walked up the road today. 

Big breakthrough. Karen and I were just chatting in the kitchen/dinner. Axel had had his morning phys and breakfast, and, after a post breakfast lick and flop, he decided to just get up and wander off to the lounge to be by himself. He chilled and decompressed from his morning excitement and even slept. All alone by his own choice for 30 minutes. If it was for us making breakfast noises, he would have stayed there longer!

Day Eight.

Now he’s settled I tried some training getting him to be by himself. It was just the two of us and I spent the day leaving the room and leaving the house. It did not go well. He can be in a room for short periods as long as he knows you’re in the house. Leaving, or it going quiet at bedtime, leads to full on howling. 2 hours in once and he was still going. He’s getting better each day at being in his own company (in his bed or in the garden), but is a way off being alone in the house. He’s not destructive, he just paces, wines, howels and wees even when he’s been recently. 

We’ve notice a change in him since meds were reduced. He still seems perfectly happy and comfortable , and now has a 12/1 ish new burst or energy. He active seeks play, and after about 10 minutes he’s happy to chill out again.

Day Nine.

He is now fully embedded in the house. Fully into our routine, he’s now clear on the boundries so We’ve not had any jumping, mouthing or chewing for days. He chews his toys (lots of those need to be to hand, and rotated). He now just observes and is constantly looking to do the right thing. He is pretty much the ideal dog. 

Passed some dogs in the street today. He’s alert and observant, but not distressed or lunging. As son as they passed, he was eyes on me and ready to carry on with the walk.

Day Ten.

First visitor training today. He was perfect. It’s easy as he loves people, but he was straight in with the neck out wanting to sniff and say hello, but no jumping, no overexcitement, and no mouthing. After a few strokes he went back to his bed and just calmly observed. Excellent. 

Everyday after…..

I’m not recording any day to day stuff, as it is now just the same, but better each day. His mouthing is almost gone (now just when he gets really excited when playing), zero jumping, he can sit by himself in a room now (with our contact coming and going, not making a fuss, sometimes getting ready and going nowhere, sometimes not getting ready and leaving the house and always being calm with no touch no speaking no eye contact he has learnt how to be chill really quickly. He is so chill that now when I come back into the room, not only is he no longer waiting at the door, so Thames he doesn’t even get out of his bed!……his only issue is if he knows we are both out the house at the same time…..then he still gets a bit frantic, but calmness in a room by himself is getting so much better, the rest will follow). 

Bedtime is now perfect (ish). As soon as I settle he watches me then just wonders off to another part of the house where his bed is. He checks in about 1-2 am and goes back and he knows when we get up as he comes and stays with me. When I’m up and about doing breakfast he stays in the lounge on the camper bed. He knows the noises, finds them familiar, and doesn’t come out until,he wants the toilet……he is now all over asking to go out and we’ve had no accidents since day two. Out in the garden, after we’ve had a play, he now happy to amuse himself and sniff about. His confidence has grown and he doesn’t follow us back in. 

His personality has come out more, but it is just more relaxing, sleeping and cuddling. He’s more playful, but still likes guidance, reassurance and to be near someone confident. His walks are great, he has just seemed a bit more nervous over the last few days which I can only explain by the men on the roof a few doors down. I don’t think he’s keen on the noise. 

He learns quickly and picked up by day two we don’t like him in the kitchen hen we are cooking. He waits very nicely and calmly for his meals and doesn’t beg when we are having ours.

All in all he is just about the best, most well behaved dog we’ve ever had stay with us. It’s just so sad when you see him forget himself and he face-plants!