Reply With QuoteSounds like he is feeling insecure. I wonder if doing some training with him would help? Even just trick training. Tends to tire them out and build confidence.
 |
|
|---|
My husband and I both work from home, which is great for spending time with Thor. He spends his day wandering between our offices making sure both of his humans are doing okay. I am the snuggler, husband is the fun guy. In other words, the husband is who Thor goes to for play time and I'm the one he goes to when he wants to cuddle and relax. He's kind of a Velcro dog, but it's never annoying, he just likes to always be near one us and depending on his mood he'll prefer one of us over the other.
Well the husband is traveling for work this week and when he's gone Thor amps up his snuggles and clinginess with me. It's mostly adorable and endearing, but one behavior is a bit annoying. See, Thor is not a reactive dog to noises. He never barks at home and any crazy neighborhood noise could be going off and he'd sleep right through it, fireworks included. But when it's just me that's home every little noise seems to get his attention. He's constantly jerking awake, running down the hall to check out noises, and barking at squirrels. He NEVER does that when we are both home.
The problem is that the behavior is so unusual that I react out of proportion as well. Last night Thor started barking at a possum in the back yard and I almost had a heart attack since he never barks at night. Of course I jerked out of bed and turned on all the lights and thought there was a prowler in the back yard (my first thought was "what's the combination on the gun safe??" - that's how unusual this behavior is).
Anyways, I'm just venting. I'm working on regulating my response to his out-of-character overreaction to noises, but it's hard for me NOT to react since it's so unusual. I certainly don't object to a certain amount of protectiveness, but I don't want to encourage it going overboard. I guess I have to look at it as a training opportunity for both of us. Luckily my husband only travels occasionally!
Sounds like he is feeling insecure. I wonder if doing some training with him would help? Even just trick training. Tends to tire them out and build confidence.
Poor pup. Our Fran was really neurotic when my husband started traveling regularly a couple of years ago. He just went on a trip though, she was fine, he came back an hour ago and she was just like yeah, whatever.
If I may make a suggestion. Don't react. Now that you know he is insecure, it's probably best to just tell him to go lie down or what have you.
My Sisters dog did this as well. If my sister and her husband were home, she slept in the living room at night, never barked or anything. If her husband was away for work. She slept right at the top of the steps guarding all the bedrooms, no one was getting past her. Any strange noises she would bank and alert people too.
Some dogs do that. They take it on as their job when there are differences. He only does it because he wants you to be safe, and its his job while dads away. When dads home he can handle the guarding.
charliebbarkin (10-01-2015), labsnewfy (10-01-2015), Maxx&Emma (10-01-2015), Mollysmomma (10-05-2015)
Agree with Jeff, your little guy is just stepping up to take care of you and tell you everything that is going on in and around the house.Originally Posted by Jeff
Hidden Content
Coleman - CGC blk lab 6/02/97-2/25/08 adopted
Tootsie - choc lab 10/19/99-8/03/13 adopted
Bailey - CGC newf/fc 7/12/00-07/15/14 rescued
Ginger - BT 11/16/05 - 10/14/19 rescued
Sarah - blk lab 6/22/06 - 12/30/19 rescued
rescued felines - AJ - 8/00 - 1/11, Merlin - 5/20/05-8/23/21
Tucker - 8/3/10, Penny - 7/7/13, Toby - 6/14/21
Mollysmomma (10-05-2015)
Agree with Jeff as well. My guys are similar, Burton more so than Charlie at night. They did feed off my anxiety more at first, when we first moved and my husband's schedule changed (more travel, more hours, working nights etc).
We have the same dynamic here, so Thor may just need more exercise while hubby is away. When my husband comes home, he and B will play upstairs for a burst. It's minimal but it's five mins a day he's lacking, know what I mean?
Charlie and Burton
Have a similar situation here. Mardi does not bark unless the doorbell rings. Archie is the reactive one. DH works at night and for a while Archie had me hopping. It has gotten better. What I did was acknowledge to him that he was aware of something, check it out in a calm manner and then tell him it's OK. In other words, I am taking the responsibility of protection from him to myself, thanking him for letting me know, and then telling him all is safe. Did not take him long to catch on.
Hidden Content
Kissing Bandit
Another vote for what Jeff said! I see the same thing from my 2 when I am the only person home during the evenings and overnight. I have learned to pretty much ignore it if when I tell them "thank you" they go back to what ever they were doing.
I can think of one time it persisted, years ago with another Lab and I thank God it did!
Hidden Content
Tammy
Maxx and Emma Jean
Ozzy - 10/2002 - 06/2011 - Rest well my sweet boy. You are forever remembered, forever missed, forever in my heart.
I think we're both adjusted now. It's funny, I KNEW that I shouldn't react to his overreaction, but it was often so sudden that I couldn't help it either! He's calmed down a bunch since yesterday, although the snuggling is still going full-force (I'm having trouble typing because he's trying to wedge his head in between my laptop and me). It's weird because my husband travels for work about 5x a year and this is the first time Thor has been so reactive. The clinginess is normal, the reactions aren't. I guess the pesky possum has moved on now, so he's calmed down a bit!
I know exactly! My neighbor has a boxer that is Thor's age and her husband is also traveling this week. We've been getting the pups together to blow off some of the steam. I think it's helping!
Not a Member of the Labrador Retriever Chat Forums Yet? | |
| |
Posting Permissions
|
|