Sheltiemama
Forums Enthusiast
My 13 year old, Casey, paces and pants. You'd think the house was on fire and it was his job to put it out by pacing and panting. Drives me absolutely NUTS because it goes on and on and on and on.
He loves to be outside and I think he'd live there if I'd let him! He lays on the porch and barks at the cars that go by. But it's been too cold for him to stay out very long.
Doc put him on Clomipramine (anti anxiety) and as long as the routine stays the same in the house, he does MUCH better! When the routine varies, he goes right back to pacing and panting and driving me nuts.
During the Christmas season, I have to be downstairs (pet free zone) packing the stuff I sell online to ship to my customers. I'm down there most of the day during the season. Casey does NOT take well to that at all. We had a lot more pacing and panting then. I thought we'd have to increase his meds or go to something else.
Then when the season was over and things went back to normal (me being downstairs only an hour or two), he went back to being much calmer again.
I've also noticed he paces and pants a lot more in the office when I'm at the computer. So if it gets bad, I put him outside the office and close the door. In a VERY short time, he stops and lays down right outside the door.
So we're also doing some behavior modification. It's working too! You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.
He loves to be outside and I think he'd live there if I'd let him! He lays on the porch and barks at the cars that go by. But it's been too cold for him to stay out very long.
Doc put him on Clomipramine (anti anxiety) and as long as the routine stays the same in the house, he does MUCH better! When the routine varies, he goes right back to pacing and panting and driving me nuts.
During the Christmas season, I have to be downstairs (pet free zone) packing the stuff I sell online to ship to my customers. I'm down there most of the day during the season. Casey does NOT take well to that at all. We had a lot more pacing and panting then. I thought we'd have to increase his meds or go to something else.
Then when the season was over and things went back to normal (me being downstairs only an hour or two), he went back to being much calmer again.
I've also noticed he paces and pants a lot more in the office when I'm at the computer. So if it gets bad, I put him outside the office and close the door. In a VERY short time, he stops and lays down right outside the door.
So we're also doing some behavior modification. It's working too! You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.