Me and the girlfriend have recently bought our first place together and moved in two months ago along with her 7 year old Jack Russell Pug cross bitch. We introduced the dog to the new house by taken it across every few days for an hour whilst work was being done so it was familiar with the layout, garden and area around. When we moved in we purposely kept our routine, feed times and walks exactly the same as in her old place even going back to the same fields for long walks as they are only 5 minutes away.

We expected it would take a few weeks to settle in properly but after two months we have a dog that has totally changed in personality, waking us up at 6 every morning by whimpering then barking until one of us gets up, jumping up and begging when we are having meals at the table, barking at anything and everything in the garden and barking at the TV when ever an animal appears. It never did any of these things at the old place where it was use to me staying over three or four times a week. I would also add that my girlfriend only works part time, 10 minutes away, so the dog is not left for no more than 5 hours max a day on its own during the week.

So does anyone have any advice or tips on what we can do to get our old dog back?

The poor dog is terribly unhappy.

You don't mention any calming and relaxing techniques such as canine massage and music.

Hmm. Maybe she's confused about living in a new house with all its new scents, yet having walks in the old area? Could you maybe give her daily walks in the streets around your new house, to let her get used to the scents there? I know you said you did take her around, but it may not be enough.

Also, you may have to go back to basics with the training at dinner, that sort of thing. If she continues to jump up at the table etc, do what you (or your partner) did when she was a pup.

Apart from those two things, I'm very sorry, but I'm a crazy old cat lady. Good luck, though.

This is when you need to get a dog behaviourist round to take a look. Nothing you say jumps out, but something isn't right. It may be sounds or smells, who knows, but things have changed and the dog isn't happy. Good luck going forward with it all.

As others have said a behaviourist may be best, but your dog has had a massive change, you moving in, change of home and circumstance. It's still early days looking at all you are wanting him to get used to.

Walking the dog round the new area instead of going back to the previous one could help. If she's always taken out onto the old area, she could be distressed at not going back to the home she associates with the smells of her old walks. Perhaps if you took away the expectation of going 'home' she might start to accept that the new area is where she lives now. I once moved from one side of my dog-walking park to the other and my dog went through a distressing patch of howling and trying to pull in the opposite direction when we set off back home to the new house. He settled after a couple of months but I got very upset that he was so unhappy while it lasted.

She's also having to get used to a whole new set-up as well. I know you say she was used to you staying over but you were a visitor in her home and now you share it with her. By attention-seeking and being demanding, she's trying to find her place in the new order of things. The barking at other animals, even on TV, is because she hasn't yet established the new house as her territory yet but sees it as being threatened by other animals invading and feels insecure.

Mollipops is right - there are a lot of changes for her to get used to and it will take time. I know how difficult it can be for you to cope with her changed behaviour (as shown on my thread last week about my rescue cats) but keeping calm will help you all get to the end of this rough patch. When I stopped getting wound up and panicky the cats calmed down as well and we're all getting on much better now.

Are you rewarding the dog with petting and sympathy when it gets distressed? If so, you ned to stop that.

The dog will get used to the new place. As others have said, it will take time. It is in a new and unknown environment. Not the one that it is used to and feels safe in.

In the meantime, completely ignore its stressed behaviour. Just behave as if it is not happening. If it cries and whimpers, tell it firmly to be quiet.

The dog will soon realise that there's nothing to worry about.

My son and his partner are going through a situation very much like your own with Otis (their dogs name).
They moved house about five months ago,to one about one mile from their old house so Otis knows the area and his scent must be everywhere.
But he can not settle down, so my son came down to our house yesterday and asked if could take Claude (our dogs name) to play with Otis, they do know each other and have played together many times but not since they moved house.
He texted me last night to say how much more settled and happy Otis was since Claude had been to play.
Has your dog any friends from where you lived before, it may be worth a try to see if this works with for you.
It is very distressing for your dog and yourselves, I do hope you can get her settled.

I get the feeling you don't like the dog as you keep referring to her as "it" instead of "she". Nor do we know her name.

You've got to remember that it's a massive change for the dog, from being in a different place with just your gf, and a lifestyle she'd got used to. Now it's a new environment and you're also around. Maybe she feels abandoned to some extent.

I'd recommend giving her a lot of love and reassurance - from you as well as your girlfriend.

I have always found that the less you make a fuss of them when they are scared or stressed the less scared and stressed they become.
I have had a few rescue dogs that have been terrified of fireworks, water and other things. But I soon found a way to stop them being fearful.
If you say "oh my sweetie its OK its OK" or hug them while soothing them, then you are reinforcing their idea that something is wrong and they are right to be worried and they will continue to be fearful or play up. I make a play and laugh of anything they are fearful of .. I will take a shower and sing and laugh and play in there until they come and investigate .. slowly slowly until they start to also play in there.

Its not like a child where you can sooth them at the time and then explain why there is nothing to fear or to worry about.. Your first actions will be what the dog learns from not the talk after.. other way round in humans.

I would go back to basic training and be firm and act matter of fact and nothing is wrong around her. If she barks to get you up, then maybe get up to tell her firmly its still sleep time and go back to bed. Put then in another room while you eat until she is back to her old self.

BIB is a good point that holds a lot of validity, i'd keep her local to nearer your new area and play with her in your new garden....she might get some reassurance from that.


BIB is a bit of a leap there, i think it's more semantics than the OP not liking the dog.....and as for needing to know her name.....WTF?

OP, i'm sure more time and patients will pay off....i agree with the other poster who said about going back to basics around eating and stuff, you need to keep her boundaries in place whilst at the same time making her feel secure again...i'm sure you will get there and wish all 3 of you a happy life in your new home.

No, I disagree. The tone of the post is cold and impersonal. You don't call a pet cat or dog "it", unless you feel absolutely no attachment whatever or actively dislike the creature.

But maybe the OP can assure to the contrary. If he comes back to the thread.

OP, it's a dog. Put it in its place when it wakes you up in the morning or jumps up at the table. Do not pander to it. Just keep things normal and calm and it will get the message.

As for calling a dog it, we'll I call mine a lot worse than that. Doesn't mean I don't like the little poo eating git.

Plenty of people use turns of phrase like that, if you notice the OP says 'the girlfriend', its clearly how he talks rather than an indication of affection.

OP, I think 2 months is too soon and I agree with another point here which is that if you fuss and soothe when your dog is upset, it validates their being upset. Ive noticed that if I ignore our dog, he calms down if he is upset, whereas my partner keeps saying 'alright x' (you dont need to know his name!), 'come here x', and I think it makes him more upset.

I love my dog and prefer him to most people, he has a name but i still refer to him as ''dog'' most of the time!
maybe the OP has been scared off his own thread by judgemental comments when all he wanted was some advice ?!

Sadly you may be right we have lots of nice nicknames for ours but when Elsie has been naughty once too often she is sod or git or its your dog you deal with it, love her to death but at times I think many people use it or worse.