I've been having a lot of symptoms of peri-menopause since July. I've been doing research and my dh is a physician, so I kind of run stuff by him a lot. Anyway my symptoms started with that weird "out of sorts feeling" like I wanted to crawl out of my skin. Then I started having anxiety attacks in the most unlikely places, like the grocery store. I talked to my obgyn about it and they said "we could prescribe an anti-depressant" but I knew I wasn't depressed so I said no. (Hate the side effects). I said what about anti-anxiety medication just in case this happens at work or if I feel really out of control. She said "well, anxiety is not clinically associated with peri-menopause so you will have to ask your internist." But the weird thing is that on every menopause forum (like this one) women talk about anxiety. So at least I didn't feel crazy. I only found one clinical study that associated anxiety with hot flashes. To make a long story short, I went to my internist and asked for Xanax for anxiety. It was hard to do anyway and she wasn't eager to prescribe it so I felt like a jerk. I wanted to say "look lady, I'm not a drug addict." I just wish there was more help for us in this phase of our lives and I'm sorry for all the women on this forum who have to go through it and feel humiliated to boot. So anyway, that was about a month ago and I have taken the Xanax 3 times, at night when feeling anxious to help me sleep. It's been a great blessing. I know it's not a natural remedy, but I tried everything else and it hasn't helped much. I just think the best approach is to tell our docs that we are having anxiety attacks and not blame it on peri-menopause because they don't believe it's related.

Every time I hold a new object in my hands, whether it be something I am thinking of buying, or a gift from someone else, I ask: "Is this going to become clutter?" If the answer is no, it is allowed into my house. After all the years I spent living with the misery of clutter, and all the work it took to get rid of the clutter, I don't want it back. I don't want to swap old junk for new junk.

Obedience class will do little for her. She really needs to be in a day care situation. Is it possible to leave her with someone you know? Pay a neighborhood kid? A family member, neighbor or friend she and stay with? I would contact the local humane society and ask if they can help. Also contact the police and let them know you recently adopted the dog and are diligently working on the barking issue. Seperation Anixety is a very very hard issue to deal with if you dont have the time or someone to assist you. It took me close to a year of very careful work with my bull mastiff husky mix to help him over his anxiety - I am retired and hoave the time. You really need help with this. If you can find someone to assist you when you are at work, I do have techniques you can use when you are at home in order to combat this problem but I warn you now it takes a considerable amount of time and patience.

I sure see what you mean, but supposedly a dog's attention span is short, so you certainly don't give him a reward as soon as you go back in. You catch him in the act of negative acting out. It's like catching a dog in the act of peeing in the house. I don't buy into not verbally reprimanding a dog when you catch him in negative things. That's why I said 'supposedly'. But I do buy into NOT yelling at them when they bark inappropriately. They just think you are barking along. LOL. Neither would you make over him, or in any way make him think you were happy with him until he settled and you gave him a diversion. Then rewarded him. Tubby needed me to come back in repeatedly for a week or two. It was easy for me, because I work outside in a greenhouse range on our property. I could hear him acting out. He really, really needed to know I was coming back, I suppose. He's a smart little guy, and he caught on. I was also in a position I could gradually space out the time I was away from him until he got used to me leaving him for longer and longer intervals. He's up to four hours now and gets into no mischief, other than counter surfing when nobody's looking, and that's pretty typical of iggy's and we may never break him of that. But, we're working on it. After he got comfortable and trusting with me leaving for periods of time, my saying "Stay, I'll be back" seems to prepare him for the extended 'home alone' experience. He seems to understand I won't be back immediately and usually runs to his bed to stay until he gets bored. I'm sure no expert in dog training. But, Tubby has been the only one we've had who had real issues with being left alone in our house. I even got a crate for him, but immediately when I left his sight, the tail and cage chewing begain and that just wasn't safe for him or an option. Good luck, hope you figure out what shall work for your fella soon.