|
Post by antoniaalfie55 on Mar 14, 2015 8:24:53 GMT
Lovely! A great ending/start for Archie and his new family. I hope we will get lots of updates and pics. Exactly. and be happy you gorgeous boy xx
|
|
|
Post by sighthounds on Mar 14, 2015 9:04:17 GMT
Great news, be happy Archie.
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 16, 2015 11:11:43 GMT
Thanks for all your nice words and best wishes for Archie and us. Apologies I am writing only now but have been a bit knackeroonied and not sure I could write anything sensible.
Archie has been with us for a few days now since Brenda and Steve dropped him off Friday lunchtime. It has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride but things are becoming easier.
Archie missed Brenda and Steve very much and was very distressed at being left with us with lots of heart wrenching howling and crying. We took him for a walk along the village lanes to take his mind off things and this did seem to work. He was impeccably behaved on the lead and was happy to sniff the hedgerows and took and interest in the wildlife. But when we got home he became distressed again. He was only placated by his dinner which he woofed down.
He did have about 30 mins kip on the settee next to David (he has taken a real shine to David) but the rest of the evening there was incessant howling and pacing. No number of cuddles and calming strokes would ease him.
It didn’t help that David had to leave for work and ‘disappeared’ at 9:00pm so of course when David left Archie was completely distraught.
I tried to settle him down for the night on his big new comfy bed and prepared to sleep next to him on the floor in the kitchen diner. But he wouldn’t settle and was very stressed so I ended up taking him for a walk with head torch at 1:30am. Clover stayed behind, as she was happy to go off to sleep. He was perfectly fine on the walk. When we got home, Archie curled up on the settee next to me and went to sleep. I moved on to the floor beside him and we did have a few hours sleep. I woke up at 5:00am because I was cold and wanted to go to the loo and glanced at Archie who was asleep on the settee on his back with legs in the air. Unfortunately, I woke him when creeping out to the loo, which made him very anxious again.
He was very pleased to see David come in 6:15am and somehow we managed to settle in the lounge with a cup of tea for a few moments of quiet. When David went up to bed he became unhappy again so I took him and Clover for a loooong walk. When we got back and David got up, he had about 1 hour’s sleep next to David on the settee before he become uneasy again.
David took them for another walk in the afternoon and when they returned, CALM WAS RESTORED! Archie climbed on the chair in the lounge and fell into a deep sleep. Later when he woke he was much more settled with no whining or crying.
When it came to bedtime, I settled Archie on his bed in the kitchen diner and sat beside him and he fell asleep which meant I could too ☺. Unfortunately, David had to start at work early on Sunday morning so he came down stairs at 4:30 and woke us both up. Once again Archie was very unhappy at David leaving. So when it started to get light, I took the dogs for a long walk. Sadly, he was unsettled (howling and whining) the rest of the day except whilst on another walk, until David came home. Cheese in a kong kept him occupied off and on for a while, Brenda suggested trying Adaptil so David bought an Adaptil collar on the way home from work.
Once David was home from work, he was very calm and contented and I had a lovely cuddle on the settee and when he got a bit hot, he laid stretched out on the floor with a big heavy sigh. I desperately needed some sleep so David stayed downstairs with him last night but because he fell into such a deep sleep David left him and went upstairs to bed and Archie stayed a sleep until about 5:45 this morning which is excellent ☺ ☺.
We are not giving him eye contact when we come and go about the house to help with the separation anxiety. I think this is working for me and I can leave the room and he will stay where he is. Not quite yet working for David all the time but yesterday evening when he was lying on the settee he was happy for David to leave the room without jumping off and following him. We are trying not to reward the howling with cuddles although very difficult but by doing something different and ‘interesting’. He is quiet and calm for a while when watching us when we are doing something that he thinks in interesting.
Archie is loving the walks. When I say “walk” he gets very excited and wags his tail. He has met many dogs on the walks mainly on the lead and ignored most of them. No pulling on lead or looking reactive. Sometimes he looks like he would like to play and looks a bit cheeky. We had one little staffy not on the lead, fly out at us on our dawn walk , yapping and jumping up and Archie jumped back a little but wasn’t reactive at all. He couldn’t have behaved any better. The owner had problems catching the staffy and even fell over trying to make a swiping catch for him.
I’m keeping him on the lead for now but when we enter a field he has gone all playful and wants to be off the lead for a play and run with Clover.
David has just come in from walking them and he has let Archie off the lead several times in safe places so he can have a play. He ran madly up and down with Clover and his recall was fantastic even when some little border terriers appeared on the scene. I'm so happy I could cry!!!
Any help on what we can do to ease Archie's anxiety would be much appreciated. Tomorrow David's back at work and would like him to be more settled with just me.
Photos coming in a sec.
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 16, 2015 11:20:25 GMT
|
|
|
Post by rowlfsmum on Mar 16, 2015 12:15:10 GMT
Wow a bit of a roller coaster start but I am sure Archie will settle as time goes on. Sounds like you are doing a great job but must be kn******* by the lack of proper sleep?hHopefully the Adaptil collar will help to calm him. Fortunately we have never had to deal with separation anxiety, but I believe the best way is to keep leaving Archie in the room with praise when you come back to him then lengthen the time you leave him. I am sure others will have advice. Good luck. Love the pic.
|
|
|
Post by Romi on Mar 16, 2015 12:28:56 GMT
Aaaawww, that last photo.....a real daddy's boy. Sounds like you are doing the right things. It just takes a little time for them to adjust and to realize that they are now "Home".
|
|
|
Post by roderick (Gramps) on Mar 16, 2015 12:54:38 GMT
Sounds parr for the course, it is the magic three week period. Don't worry to much as it is early days if you are feeding him and walking him he will bond, talk to him a lot and they get used to your tones and match it with the body language. The more you trust Archie the more he will trust you, if you go to new places he does not know and it is safe, let him off the lead to explore. If he is unsure of the surroundings he will look to you and stay quite close to you and Clover and learn to trust you. Archie is a lovely hound and he got on very well with Paddy and Socks, enjoy him.
|
|
|
Post by dobbsdogs on Mar 16, 2015 13:15:54 GMT
Maybe get David to leave some of his clothes forvArchie to get his scent and calm him. A worn jumper or two, instead of a wash leave in his bed?
|
|
|
Post by antoniaalfie55 on Mar 16, 2015 13:55:42 GMT
Oh dear, poor Archie and poor you because it is so distressing to see them upset. But like the others have said, you seem to be doing all the right things and it just takes some dogs longer to bond than others. Saluki's in particular take a while, but when that magic happen's it is well worth waiting for. You are very lucky, he is totally gorgeous
|
|
feebee
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 27
I am offline
|
Post by feebee on Mar 16, 2015 16:01:13 GMT
bless his heart, he has been uprooted from two very loving homes in the last few weeks, i hope he settles with you soon and you dont give up, still love my boy so much,
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 17, 2015 17:13:53 GMT
Thanks for all your encouraging words of support. The last couple of days have been wonderful! Archie has had lots of walks which he really enjoys and which tire him out and now he is happy to just chillax when we get home. Sunday night at bedtime he fell into a deep sleep so David (who was going to stay with him downstairs) left him and came upstairs to bed and Archie slept through until 5:45am. Last night I was on bedtime watch and he fell asleep so I left him and went upstairs to bed. I heard a desperate kind of whine at 2:45am so got up - he wanted to go in the garden. I then stayed with him as I knew David had to get up at 4:30 for work. He fell asleep fairly quickly and when David came downstairs a couple of hours later he got up to greet him but soon went back to his bed and looked sleepy. When David left the house and his car pulled out the drive, Archie didn't bat an eyelid and fell back to sleep until 7:30am . He hasn't whined at all today. Been completely relaxed and chilled. Met my mum and sister and charmed them completely - did a little whinge when he wasn't the centre of attention for 10 mins . Going to practice leaving him alone tomorrow - just for 10 mins.
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 17, 2015 17:17:28 GMT
ha, ha, ha...fixed that for ya! Yep, brown muddy racetrack in no time! Yep started already. Clover and Archie had a good old run around the garden at breakneck speed.
|
|
Deleted
Posts: 0
I am offline
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 17, 2015 17:45:47 GMT
It sounds like you're getting there with him. The first 2 weeks are always difficult but after that there'll be lots more signs that he's settling. I agree that not making eye-contact and ignoring them when you leave or enter the house is the way to go. You're stars for spending so much time with him during the night when he is crying.... it's more than I would do! Although I hate hearing them cry and find it hard not to go to them, I'm tough when it comes to crying at night and will just grit my teeth and work through it. It usually only takes a few nights before they start to relax. He really is the most handsome hound and from what Brenda and Steve have said, he's going to be a wonderful addition to your pack.
|
|
|
Post by Romi on Mar 17, 2015 18:16:19 GMT
Sounds like Archie is settling nicely now, well done for your patience and understanding. Hope things continue getting better and better.
|
|
|
Post by rowlfsmum on Mar 17, 2015 18:38:42 GMT
WTG Archie. It sounds as though he is beginning to settle. X
|
|
Redbird
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 29
I am offline
|
Post by Redbird on Mar 18, 2015 8:08:55 GMT
... Although I hate hearing them cry and find it hard not to go to them, I'm tough when it comes to crying at night and will just grit my teeth and work through it. It usually only takes a few nights before they start to relax. He really is the most handsome hound and from what Brenda and Steve have said, he's going to be a wonderful addition to your pack. It's difficult because hubby really has to get his sleep. When he is next on night duty and therefore not in the house at night, I will do the 'grit my teeth' bit hoping that by then the crying will be due to wanting attention rather than feeling completely distraught. Oh yes he is definitely handsome. He gets lots of compliments when we are out and about the village .
|
|
|
Post by Socksmum on Mar 18, 2015 9:03:22 GMT
It's good to see this lovely boy is beginning to find his feet. He's such a loving boy that wears his heart on his sleeve, onwards and upwards Archie xx
|
|
feebee
Newborn Lurcher
Posts: 27
I am offline
|
Post by feebee on Mar 19, 2015 19:55:03 GMT
hope things are still going well with archie, you are showing lots of patience and love with him, xx
|
|
|
Post by threedogdad on Mar 19, 2015 20:40:57 GMT
Well done Lisa, your doing a great job, keep up the good work. And well done Archie for being such a good dog on your walks.
|
|
|
Post by jasqueen on Mar 19, 2015 20:47:29 GMT
Seems like he's starting to settle SA is the worst thing I think to try and work with but with time and patience it does normally improve they are draining at night times I had one that took weeks to move the crate from by my bed a inch at a time until he was the other side of the open bedroom door then the other side of the front room then when he was a lot better he got rehomed lol which was good for him but we were knackered xxx he looked quite a similar actually if u look in happy endings for Ozzie in about 2012 u will se his story x
|
|