Loki is pressing my buttons!

Lokismom

New member
Jul 22, 2013
1,569
65
Prescott, Wisconsin, United States
Country
United States of America
Bulldog(s) Names
Loki Beans
I posted the other day about Loki only eating when we are home but he is taking it to a whole new level:confused:
So this entire week I have been late to work... why? Well Loki is on this I am not going to eat until I know that I am coming to work with you. Problem is he isn't coming to work, this morning I had to trick him by taking him for a car ride, then I had to unload and load the dish washer and sit down on the couch and he finally ate. It is really frustrating since I know unlike most dogs he won't just eat when he get hungry he will wait till we are home and then eat and on the longer days we can't have him not eating since the night before. I am really at a loss as to what to do. I was reading about thundershirts last night and we have pretty much figured out that he has separation anxiety pretty bad especially from me since we spend the most amount of time together. Has anyone tried them and had success? I have tried everything that we can think of to get him to eat in the mornings but it is getting no where except for me being late to work and getting up way to early since he won't get up because he knows what is going to happen after he eats. He has never been this bad about it. Please help we are open to anything that you all can give us.
 

ddnene

EBN's SWEETHEART aka our little GOOB
Staff member
Jun 19, 2013
14,554
1,249
Nashville, Tennessee
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Willow (2015) Walter (2014-22) Winston (2012-13) Wellie (2012-13) Bella (2007-13)
I don't work outside the home, so I don't have personal experience w/this... but my friend has a German Shepard that she got at a shelter, and she was having some major separation anxiety. She got one of those thundershirts, and she said it was the best thing EVER!!! Hopefully you will get more advice from the bully perspective, but the shirt may be worth a try!!!
 

Lauren31287

New member
Nov 8, 2011
1,004
38
Rhode Island
Bulldog(s) Names
Winston
I don't have any experience with the thunder shirts but was just wondering if you have tried to mix anything into Loki's food to try to lure him to eat it??? We had the same problem with Winston not eating and initially thought it was some kind of anxiety...come to find out he was just entirely sick of his food. We started mixing diff things into it such as pumpkin, or yogurt, or plain rice cakes and we never had a problem again! He just couldn't resist lol! For your sanity I hope you get a solution figured out soon!!!
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,672
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
So, the issue is him just not eating? Or is he tearing up the house?
 
OP
Lokismom

Lokismom

New member
Jul 22, 2013
1,569
65
Prescott, Wisconsin, United States
Country
United States of America
Bulldog(s) Names
Loki Beans
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
Just him not eating unless I am hovering but he also cries when he can't follow me and more and more every day he is hiding from people. He is almost being shy which is not like him at all. He loves his food normally but when he knows that I am going to be leaving he just wont eat it. I caved in went home and got him brought him to petco and normally he loves the store but today he was scared of everyone! He was literally hiding between my legs the whole time and there was hardly any people there. I got him the thundershirt and put it on him right away we are back at my work now so I am curious to see how he does with patients as far as the hiding goes today. He does seem pretty relaxed at the moment not to mention super handsome with his shirt on.
 

Texas Carol

Texas Carol....put the heart in EBN
Community Veteran
Jul 4, 2012
7,581
832
Central Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Brutus & Cami live in Heaven
Nicole, I'm hoping the thunder shirt helps him, it does many dogs.

Also, there is a calming spray called Rescue Remedy that works
really well, probably available at PetsMart or can be ordered online.

Poor Loki, he must be traumatized from his episode, you know I'm
praying over precious baby boy ~I thought I stopped too early :(
 

TubbysMom

New member
Community Veteran
Jan 15, 2013
891
67
Country
Toronto, ON Canada
Bulldog(s) Names
Tubby
Just him not eating unless I am hovering but he also cries when he can't follow me and more and more every day he is hiding from people. He is almost being shy which is not like him at all. He loves his food normally but when he knows that I am going to be leaving he just wont eat it. I caved in went home and got him brought him to petco and normally he loves the store but today he was scared of everyone! He was literally hiding between my legs the whole time and there was hardly any people there. I got him the thundershirt and put it on him right away we are back at my work now so I am curious to see how he does with patients as far as the hiding goes today. He does seem pretty relaxed at the moment not to mention super handsome with his shirt on.


I hope you know we now require photos of Loki in his new shirt. :yes:

As for the eating part. Tubby started doing this. He just wouldn't eat or he'd eat once per day. We give him a 30 minute time limit and if he doesn't eat food is gone. He started back eating breakfast and dinner but the problem reappeared. We have transtioned him to a new food and he eats every thing in sight
 
OP
Lokismom

Lokismom

New member
Jul 22, 2013
1,569
65
Prescott, Wisconsin, United States
Country
United States of America
Bulldog(s) Names
Loki Beans
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #8
Nicole, I'm hoping the thunder shirt helps him, it does many dogs.

Also, there is a calming spray called Rescue Remedy that works
really well, probably available at PetsMart or can be ordered online.

Poor Loki, he must be traumatized from his episode, you know I'm
praying over precious baby boy ~I thought I stopped too early :(

Thank you Carol, I just want our sweet happy boy back

- - - Updated - - -

AS soon as my phone charges up pictures are to come :pray:
 

Samantha Orts

New member
Jul 12, 2013
628
49
TX
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
June
I have heard from friends that the thunder shirt was amazing, and then from someone else that their dog tore it off. Hopefully it helps calm him :)
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
I'm going to go back through your posts now ... but was there something that happened that has made him like this???
 

Marine91

The New Casper
Staff member
May 15, 2013
8,698
556
Blips and Chitz
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Harlea 5/4/13 - 8/25/22
I have a thunder shirt for my ridgeback and she loves it when there are bad storms, fireworks or other really loud noises around the house. We will eventually be getting one for Harlea when she gets a bit older as she is growing so much we would be buying on every few weeks.
 

Pati Robins

I'm Polish what did you expect! A lady like person
Community Veteran
Jun 12, 2013
2,888
238
Cardiff UK
Country
UK-Cardiff
Bulldog(s) Names
Lily (British Bulldog) & Shy (American Bulldog X)
I meant to buy tundershirt for Shy when she gets wind up -what i found is a tight tshirt worked just as good ( i did borrow friends tundershirt for few days to compare )
 

kazzy220

..........
Jul 31, 2010
8,556
441
Grafton, OHIO
Country
England
Bulldog(s) Names
Maggie (My Angel Baby 5/31/2012). Daddy (2 years). Linus (1year). Bella (4 years)
OK .. so I only took a quick glance through and can't see any major incident that I may have missed. So I apologise if I have!!!

First of all it's not important that he eats twice a day. Put his breakfast down just as you would normally, and before you leave pick it up. whatever he hasn't eaten you can keep and then just add his evening meal to it. So really the first thing to do is to stop stressing yourself out about him not eating in the morning because THAT is what he is picking up on!!! That evening when you're home he's just going to have a slightly larger meal, or he could have dinner and then supper before bedtime. Ultimately it's total calories going in during a 24 hour period, and not how you happen to split them up.

Secondly, stop going home and taking him for car rides. As fun as it is you are feeding the problem by giving in to him. You are unfortunately making the problem worse. He will only react to how you are acting. If you are freaking out, upset, and stressed then that is what he will respond to.

Also the separation anxiety - what signs is he showing. Does he destroy things? Maybe give him toys where you can put treats inside, but he has to work hard to get to them. That will keep him busy for a while. And you could always put a radio on in the background so he has some "white noise".

It's so distressing when they do these things .. but you got the title right, he is DEFINITELY pushing all your buttons .. and seems to be very good at it!!! :crazy:

Good luck and hang on in there!!!!! :assurred:
 
OP
Lokismom

Lokismom

New member
Jul 22, 2013
1,569
65
Prescott, Wisconsin, United States
Country
United States of America
Bulldog(s) Names
Loki Beans
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #14
I'm going to go back through your posts now ... but was there something that happened that has made him like this???

He has an "episode" about a week and a half ago. At first I thought that maybe it was a seizure but he has never any one before and he was lacking some of the major symptoms of a seizure. Every since then he has been acting like we are going to leave him and never come back. He has always been attached to me but since his episode he has been acting scared of everyone and everything which is not like him. He knows that I won't leave until he eats because I know he won't eat after we leave. He has been completely normal health wise since this episode but not acting like him self in the way of objects or people.
 
OP
Lokismom

Lokismom

New member
Jul 22, 2013
1,569
65
Prescott, Wisconsin, United States
Country
United States of America
Bulldog(s) Names
Loki Beans
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #15
OK .. so I only took a quick glance through and can't see any major incident that I may have missed. So I apologise if I have!!!

First of all it's not important that he eats twice a day. Put his breakfast down just as you would normally, and before you leave pick it up. whatever he hasn't eaten you can keep and then just add his evening meal to it. So really the first thing to do is to stop stressing yourself out about him not eating in the morning because THAT is what he is picking up on!!! That evening when you're home he's just going to have a slightly larger meal, or he could have dinner and then supper before bedtime. Ultimately it's total calories going in during a 24 hour period, and not how you happen to split them up.

Secondly, stop going home and taking him for car rides. As fun as it is you are feeding the problem by giving in to him. You are unfortunately making the problem worse. He will only react to how you are acting. If you are freaking out, upset, and stressed then that is what he will respond to.

Also the separation anxiety - what signs is he showing. Does he destroy things? Maybe give him toys where you can put treats inside, but he has to work hard to get to them. That will keep him busy for a while. And you could always put a radio on in the background so he has some "white noise".

It's so distressing when they do these things .. but you got the title right, he is DEFINITELY pushing all your buttons .. and seems to be very good at it!!! :crazy:

Good luck and hang on in there!!!!! :assurred:

Thank you! I know that feeding into his problem is going to make it worse but I want to make it better before I can't get him under control. I can get over the fact that he is being a brat and won't eat in the morning but the thing that gets me is why all of a sudden is he scared or shy when he was never like this before. He used to love coming to work and meeting new people and going for walks and now he just hides or runs for cover when someone comes in. I hate it because I know how he used to be. As far a separation goes he will not let me out of his site if I shut the door to go to the bathroom he cries or grunts until I come out. He has to be near me which usually I don't mind but when he is so consumed with being by me that he can't even go in the yard to potty for 5 mins without running back up to the door to make sure that I didn't leave is what gets me. We haven’t left him other then work for over a year now. He does have a radio on during the day to give him something to listen to. Luckily he hasn't torn up the place in quite a long time and we recently started giving him kong toys with treats to play with during the day but same with the food it is still there when I get home and he is still laying in front of the door waiting for someone when I get back. He is also very noise shy and thumps or random noises he get this sheer look of panic on his face and shakes until we tell him it is ok. I know that he hasn’t been sleeping that well because of the aforementioned problems which I am sure is also feeding into this whole mess. I just want to make him the happy loveable Loki that everyone knows again Sorry if I am rambling I am just at a loss with this situation.
 

Most Reactions

📰 Latest posts

Members online

Top