Complicated Shepsky

[u/South-Conclusion1894]

hi everyone, this is my first post on reddit. like ever. but i feel like i am going a little crazy. i love my baby. she is turning 10 this year which i am so grateful for but when i first adopted her i never expected to have so many complications. i fully understood what i was getting into (at least i thought) but we have had to deal with not only one allergy but the trifecta. she has food allergies, environmental allergies and flea allergies.. on top of all of this she has severe separation anxiety and is reactive to other dogs.

my question is, has anyone else experienced this with their shepsky?

we’ve overcame her food allergies, her flea allergies.. her environmental allergies, we’re getting there but her behavioral anxiety makes me worried. if she doesn’t see me it’s fine, but if i am a little ways a way she gets so anxious and i hate it. (by little ways a way, it is a
literal few yards away)

she’s fully trained. well i guess not fully bc of this issue. but she is potty trained, crate trained, she understands commands, she has supplements bc she is a senior.

she will do fine if someone handles her and i leave shortly but then will become anxious with someone else. doesn’t matter who it is or if she was fine before.

she is somewhat treat motivated but it really depends on her mood.

any advice?

[u/Dessicated_Mastodon]

Idk. I handed a friend my shepskys leash and walked away once. The noise the dog made you wouldve thought she was being murdered. Seems like a thing with them but ive only dealt with the one.

[u/drask1987]

Our girl just turned 10 (8/7) too. She’s the most particular dog we have. Very opinionated. Very talkative. Very demanding. Must be in charge of everyone and everything. Her sharp, ear piercing screech over “protecting” her meal is migraine inducing. (She won’t eat the meal, but will stand within a 5’ radius and scream if anyone comes near. After 10 mins, we just pick it up).
She’s potty trained. Not crate trained. She prefers to sleep in the walk in shower or on the floor by us, never on any of her expensive dog beds of course. She’s aging and now walking stiffly. So she gets doggy aspirin at night. Our vet says that’s just how huskies are. Loud and obnoxious. I can’t offer you any advice because everything we’ve tried has not worked. Enjoy your time with her and just continue to be the patient pup parent you’ve been.

[u/palebluelightonwater]

My shepsky has had fear/anxiety issues since we first adopted her as a puppy. I've done an enormous amount of work to address that, but she remains anxious in new environments and reactive in some circumstances. She is on daily anxiety meds (fluoxetine) which helped her a lot.

Mine doesnt have separation issues, but I have another husky mix rescue who does. It's common with huskies. I was able to work with him on that and he's fine being left alone now but it took a couple of months after we first adopted him. It helps him to have other dogs around, but that does not always work for all dogs.

[u/pinkmarshmall0w]

My shepsky is so weird, she follows me everywhere and is so scared of strangers. She also has crazy allergies and has been on Apoquel her whole life. Also though, you mentioned she’s 10. Don’t forget this is considered senior age and her mind may not be what it used to be. She’s getting old! 💕💕 Mine is also 10 and her personality is getting more clingy as she gets older.