I got home from work today, and my house was torn apart.

No, we weren't burglarized. Our new dog, Beau, whom we just adopted Sunday, was left alone for the first time for just four hours. We have discovered that we have one huge case of canine separation anxiety at Casa Gonzalez. He had torn down two gates I'd set up and tipped over a chair by the front door.  He had dumped over a stack of incoming mail and scattered it about. Stuff was strewn all over. He had torn up a rug near the door as if he had tried to tunnel out.

I should've seen it coming. We had discovered on Monday that he can open doors inside the house.  He can turn a doorknob with his teeth and get himself out of any room.  He's an escape artist-a "Hairy Houdini," if you will.  He wants to be next to one of us at all times.

Of course I called the vet immediately this afternoon. He could see us within two hours. "What can we do?" I asked. "We can't sit at home with a dog all day-we have to earn a living!"  The vet explained that that our dog (estimated age 6) obviously had been through an early life experience where he couldn't count on owners to come through for him.  Since he was abandoned at a pound, and no one claimed him, there's evidence to support this. But what to do?!

The vet put him on Prozac! Apparently, Prozac is a good anti-anxiety agent for dogs. Beau may relax in time, learn that we will meet his needs consistently, and then we can wean him off his antidepressant.  But the vet said he may need to remain on it long term. I work just two miles from home, so I may be running home during the day for a few days to reassure my dog. Hmmm. I wonder how my colleagues at NCFR would feel about a "Take Your Dog to Work Day?"

Fortunately with our family's frequent comings and goings and telecommuting, he will never be alone very long. When we are at home, he'll get plenty of companionship.  But it was a reminder to me that trauma takes its toll-on humans and animals-and can result in lifelong impairment.  

Bless the beasts and the children.  Give them shelter from the storm.  Keep them safe.  Keep them warm.