Hi All, Wanted to see if anyone has come across this before. When we got Vanilla and left her alone while going to the shop or work, when we came home she was all exited and used to jump up on the baby gate or run towards us slamming into us. We trained her out of this, ie: we did not enter baby gate area until she sat etc. We also asked our neighbour to do the same when she used to come in to help us out during the day when we where unable every couple of hours. She is now 10 months old and coming to the end of her first season. Now when we leave to either go to the shop or I go to pick my wife up from work, on our return, she really runs up and slams into me and rolls over with full excitement. Vanilla only does this if I am gone for more than about an hour (not my wife, she still says hello, but not in the same way). But mainly late afternoon (pick up wife) or evening if I need to nip out to the shop. During morning/day she is fine ie: take wife to work return she is just laying there and then picks up her toy for a play outside. She does not cry or anything while we are out as always settles with a treat and we can monitor her. It is only in the last week and a bit since her bleeding has stopped and she is in her 3rd/4th week of her season. My wife has been at home for past 5 weeks, given that is is school holidays, and I have also been at home as my contract finished (we also have my MIL living with us since September, so Vanilla is rarely alone at home). Could it have anything to do with us being at home for such a long period and now gradually going back to work. She did this when I was away for a week, but that is understandable. I am asking her to be 'gentle'as that calms her down, We use that cue for when she is too excited. It is just a strange behaviour over that last week and half. I am thinking it might have something to do with her season finishing and her not being allowed off leash for so long, nor have we been taking her out a lot due to us running into too many dogs off leash that where to hard to control. Luckily she just plonked her bottom on the ground and growled most times (or I would pick her up). Anyone come across this behaviour before? thanks
I think any change in routines can alter behaviour patterns. And of course things we train kind of wear off with time if we don't reinforce. Probably a combination of several factors?
Thanks could be, just strange given that she started like that before my wife went back to work. If we all go out and come back we still keep the training up on our return. She knows that we won't enter the baby gate until her paws are on the floor, which defaults into a sit by her. We will see how she goes once she has finished her season, I think it is more to do with that.
