my puppy problem

**rosey7415** · 11-10-2010, 04:03 PM

does anyone know what this is or what is happening?

my 3rd dog is a rescue dog. mickey (male, approx. 3 yrs. old) shitzu/something mix. we have had him for about 3 or 4 months now. he was wandering the street and you could feel all the bones in his back when we got him. so we know that he was starving. now he is getting slightly overweight....can't find a bone....lol from the beginning he was very loveable, kisses and wags his tail till it about falls off. but he was very aggressive. for a while there he didn't fit in with my other two pups. (female shitzu that was also rescued, and a bought baby male pekinese.) ok.....now they get along together a lot better but some fighting still going on. mickey is usually the instigator. we are keeping him and are a good family now.

when we go out ......say food shopping, errands, etc. we leave all 3 in the kitchen with the gate up and they each have their little beds, toys, etc. when we come home mickey is soaking wet! the other 2 are fine and never had the problem. we moved the water dish out figuring that maybe he was jumping in it.......that wasn't it. i smelled them all figuring maybe some one peed on the floor....no it wasn't that either. what do you think it could be? i know he misses us like crazy.........but they all do. seperation anxiety? but how does he get wet? we will take him to the vet, but i want to know if anyone has heard of this or has a dog that this happens to? he has also scratched all the trim around the bottom side of the door. the others never did this, so i know it is mickey.

any help or hints would be appreciated. thank you.

**frugalwarrior2** · 11-10-2010, 04:11 PM

Do you have a video camera you can put up?? Is he getting in the sink? Does he work himself up into a sweat or are the others mouthing him so badly he's wet? Only way to tell is tape it.

**shoiji** · 11-10-2010, 04:47 PM

Sounds like the puddles of water I used to find near the water bowl. Only to see the cat standing in the middle of it having a grand old time splashing around. It sounds like he may have a lot of anxiety with all the scratching. Not sure why he is all wet. He may also need to alot more physical exercise to get rid of the anxiety.

Hope you can figure out what is going on.

**Mom2-3** · 11-10-2010, 04:48 PM

I would try and video tape it too. Have you thought of crate training? It really works

**stinkbug** · 11-10-2010, 05:26 PM

I had a cat with seperation anxiety that would suck on her paws, fur, anyplace she could reach, and would be a slobbery wet mess.....really sad.

**frugalfranny** · 11-11-2010, 12:44 AM

Sounds like some sort of separation anxiety.

I agree with more exercise and crate training.........when you find out for sure be sure to let us know.

Hope you find a solution soon.

**sahm2boys** · 11-11-2010, 12:15 PM

dogs dont sweat like us..so i doubt its sweat..they sweat through their paws and when panting..not all over

maybe they are playing and he's getting chewed on??..the trash?

**RABBIT** · 11-11-2010, 07:52 PM

Sounds like seperation anxiety. My Border Collie, when she was young and was crated, used to drool so much that the whole front of her, including legs were soaking wet. This stopped when we were able to not have to lock her up. Once she had the run of the house the seperation anxiety got better.........................until she got old.

**rosey7415** · 11-12-2010, 04:33 AM

first off, thank you all for replying. we will solve this little puzzle together....lol

frugalwarrior....great idea on the video camera...never thought of that....now to see if i can borrow one from daughter.

shoiji..no on the water bowl. we tried taking it out and he was still soaking wet. the dogs get plenty of exercise. dh walks them, and about 4 times each day my ma takes them out (for her cigarette...shhh...) and they run around the yard like crazy. sometimes they do the same in the house (mostly rainy days) they have a raceway from the parlor down the hall through the bedroom into the den...then back (i swear it is like 100 miles an hour) to the couch which is like a big bumper pad for them to stop. it is really funny to watch them....and over and over of course....lol

mom2-3...crate training.........i think he would go totally nuts in there. he would feel singled out.....there is a lot of jealousy going on. we make sure they all are even...even with snacks for instance, no one gets anything unless they are all there and side by side. the white pekinese is very jealous if mickey jumps in my lap he will come up and tries to get between us. but i will not rule anything out at all.

stinkbug..sounds the same as your cat.

frugal fanny..will think about crate....

sahm2boys...no trash they can get into....i smartened up on that right away....hehehehe

rabbit..this sounds like it.....totally wet in the front only. actually dripping wet. if i only had one maybe this would work. hmmm....but three dogs loose would be scary. if i keep the other 2 in the kitchen.....hmmm....i think i will try this.

i will let you all know if i figure this out.......any more ideas will be tried......lol thanks

**krbshappy71** · 11-14-2010, 11:19 AM

mom2-3...crate training.........i think he would go totally nuts in there. he would feel singled out.....there is a lot of jealousy going on.

You wouldn't only crate train him, you would use crate training for all three dogs. It gives them their own space safely for when you can't be there. It helps them feel safer. It should help you feel safer, as well, knowing nothing can happen while you are gone.

now they get along together a lot better but some fighting still going on. mickey is usually the instigator. we are keeping him and are a good family now.

Another reason to crate-train when you are gone. A simple argument can quickly turn deadly. I belong to a dog forum as well and they had a dog that slowly escalated the fighting. It had been 1 full year since an actual fight and then one day the two dogs just went at it. Thank god they were home as one of the dogs ended up in Emergency Room with stitches, a drain, etc. Had they not been home at the time (say, at work for the day) the dog would have died from its injuries.

Please consider crate training for when you are not home. Rescue dogs have special needs that love alone cannot always overcome.

**rosey7415** · 11-14-2010, 11:55 AM

we have a solution!!!! we left the other 2 dogs in the kitchen with the gate up. mickey was allowed to be in the parlor. ( this is where we always hang out).....totally dry!!!! and he was separated from the other two so there was no fighting when we were not there. we tried this 2 x already hoping that it wasn't a fluke. thank you all for your help!!!