Dog Stress, Is It Real? – 6.13.12

For the last month Chazz and I have been staying with my friend in Long Beach. In addition to Chazz there are two other dogs and two cats living here.

This change in environment, situation, and routine has  had a big effect on Chazz – and mostly not for the better.  I decided to reach out to Chazz’s trainer, Tanya from Urban Dog S.T.A.R. for some advice on what I could do to help my lil buddy.

We had a lengthy conversation where i described Chazz’s recent behaviors. I admitted to my frustration with him as well.  She explained that it was neither my fault nor Chazz’s.  The radical change of being in this new and different household accounted for most of the “bad behavior”.  The obsessive licking and barking was his response to feeling the stress of the other dogs and cats, which Chazz had never experienced.

Her suggestion was to introduce more normalcy to the day to day. Do some training with Chazz, remind him that has a job to do for me.

This seems to be helping. Maybe Chazz thought he lost his place in the pack with the appearance of all these other animals; when he is used to being the only one. And kittehs are involved now too.   There is that big change as well.

We have one more week before we can move into our new hone. Once we are back  to AdoptedMom and ChazztheDog, I think Chazz will feel better.

It’s what he knows and what he’s used to.  Keep your paws crossed, please.