My new girl Josie doesn't seem to want to relax very often. Unless I let her lie on the couch with me, she will pace around the house for hours on end. She may lie on her bed for a minute, but then she goes back to pacing. What should I make of this?
If I remember right , you haven't had Josie for very long ? Maybe she is still finding her place in the family ? Is this a recent development or something she has done since you had her ? If its very recent , I would have her checked over by the Vet before addressing the issue, just to put your mind at rest .
Is this something that has just started or has Josie never settled? You say she will settle next to you on the sofa, will she settle if you sit on the floor or in another room?
It's something that she's done since I got her (1 month in)... Well, at first, she wouldn't get off the couch. Once she did, she started her pacing. It does seem to be worse now, but that's probably because she's been on lock down after being spayed. But, even before I got her spayed, I would run her ragged chasing balls, dummies, and searching the field behind my house for them (it's easy to tell that she was trained to quail hunt (not to point, but to flush), because she'll work over a 2 acre field in no time flat) and she would still come back in the house and pace. Perhaps I'm just expecting too much too quickly from her (I was definitely spoiled by the last lab that I adopted, who took less than a week to adapt to her new home). It has been a big lifestyle change for Josie (hopefully she'll stop waking me up with the chickens soon) and for the last week and a half, she's had the least amount of exercise she's ever had. But, she's getting her stiches out today and hopefully the vet will give me the all clear on running her again. To be totally honest, Josie has been a lot of work. Much more than I expected. As my mother put it, it's feast or famine with her. She either wants to stay as far from you as possible, or wants to be on top of you with your undivided attention. So, since I've had her, I've been trying to coax her closer or ward her off constantly. Which brings up another thing. The constant kisses. I don't mind the occasional lick, but she takes it too far. Any good way to slow this down?
One month isn't long, for some . I rehomed a GSD many years ago who made himself at home within days, whereas my current rescue terrier girl took a fair while longer before she felt safe , and I think this is the case with Josie , she is still adapting . The spay will also have affected her, her hormones will still be all over the place, this should settle within a couple or so weeks . My rescue also gives lots of kisses , she is very needy which is how I interpret the constant need for cuddles and licking , again she will settle down once she knows she is safe and secure .
A month is a very short period of time for a dog to settle in a new home particularly if during that time she bas been spayed and its a big lifestyle change for her. I think I would stop trying to coax her closer and then warding her off when she wants to be close to you as she could be getting very mixed messages as to what she can and can't do which is leading her to keep pacing. You could train a settle on to a mat so she has a specific spot to curl up and relax which is close to you but not on the couch. I can't help with the licking, it depends upon when and why she is licking. Juno is a licker, but for me that's not a problem, I like her kisses
It is still very early days and all dogs are different. I think Rosemary's idea of training a settle on a mat is a great idea and you could do this with a clicker so as not to give mixed messages, tone of voice etc. It sounds to me like Josie does't really know what you want her to do hence the pacing. I would treat her from her daily meal allowance for EVERY 'look at me' on and off lead, in the house, hopefully she won't stay away as you are the giver of all good things. You can also mark this with a click & treat. I wouldn't ward her off at all especially as she is a rescue dog it's too confusing and you want her to focus her attention on you My rescue boy Charlie is VERY needy, he leans on us, has to be where the family are, cuddles and kisses and we love it, as hopefully it makes him feel safe and happy. Josie sounds like a clever girl so inbetween your walks you could do some hunting games inside, hide bits of kibble and send her to find them, hide a ball or toy that she loves, all of this training will strengthen your bond with Josie, you can again use her meal allowance for all kinds of games/training which will exhaust her brain Keep going you will get there. xx
