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Thread: Traumatized dog

  1. #1
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    Traumatized dog

    We have a big yard fenced for our dogs. The other night, a bear got in somehow and ransacked the garbage cans and dragged them all over. It was obvious what had happened, but totally obvious to one of our dogs, who came racing in trembling, even though bear had left by then and she was going off the scent.

    The problem is this was two days ago and she is still anxiously yipping, coming up for reassurance, not shaking, thank God. When we go out in the yard it's worse--when we tried to sit outside she comes up and climbs in your lap and starts yipping. This is a big dog, not a little dog.

    Any ideas of how to calm her--I thought by now she would be over it, but she is not. The other dog could care less. This dog is a very anxious dog anyway, so this is like confirmation of her worst fears.

    And frankly, it's not doing me much good thinking of that bear a foot from the house.

  2. #2
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Wow...poor pup! Are there any products that neutralize the scent of the bear?
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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    Quote Originally Posted by catherine View Post
    Wow...poor pup! Are there any products that neutralize the scent of the bear?
    I don't know. I told my husband to start peeing at the fence line.

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    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    This is too bad. I have no solutions to offer.

    Our dog has phobias and it can be a pain to live with. Your dog is, if course, reacting to something REAL.

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    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    This is too bad. I have no solutions to offer.

    Our dog has phobias and it can be a pain to live with. Your dog is, if course, reacting to something REAL.
    She is major league reactive anyway. This has pushed her into the freak-out zone.

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    am mowing the lawn now to try to neutralize order with cut grass odor.

  7. #7
    Senior Member littlebittybobby's Avatar
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    Okay---I am not a Canine Clinical Psychologist, but I have several possible explanations. So anyway---the dogg that is exhibiting anxiety may be concerned that you don't believe a Bear entered the property and scattered the garbage around. Dogg may fear culpability, actual or otherwise, and is afraid that you might drop him off at a shelter, so that they can try and find him another "furever" home. Or, the dogg may be VERY fearful that the Bear(if there is one), may return, find that you've not left any garbage out, and devour the doggs, instead. See? So yeah---you might want to a)feed you doggs hot dogs and hard-boiled eggs with dry dog food and vegetable oil. Plus, keep the doggs in a safe place, such as your garage for awhile. Hope that helps you some. Thankk Mee.

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    Dog is an indoor dog that goes out when we go out. It was an actual bear, who left forensic proof. She is doing better today--only was yipping in the morning, and was outside while we were planting in the garden and not demanding to come in. So I think maybe the worst is over, unless the bear returns. I am really hoping that the bear stays away.

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    You probably would have done this were it possible, but can you keep your garbage cans indoors until pickup day? Or get
    bear-proof containers?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Simone View Post
    You probably would have done this were it possible, but can you keep your garbage cans indoors until pickup day? Or get
    bear-proof containers?
    Yes, good point, we moved them into the barn the following day. It's funny we had just bought two metal cans to replace the plastic ones that had split, and still had one plastic one left to empty. He could only drag the plastic one and only got the top off of one metal one. So score one for the non-plastic old-fashioned metal can.

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