I need help with my elderly dog’s behavior issues (anxiety related with possible dementia)

I posted a year ago about my dog’s sleep issues: LINK. Many suggested she was sun downing and showing signs of dementia.

Thankfully we’ve gotten her sleep issues managed. She takes 100mg of trazadone at 9pm and sleeps just fine through the night in her own space. She’s had a few urine accidents, but it’s very rare.

Her latest development over the past 6 or so months is extreme boundary issues when it comes to our food. It’s like something escaped from her brain that regulates her ability to comprehend that our food is not her food. She’s never really struggled with this outside of some typical begging behaviors.

My dog will persistently jump onto the table or onto your lap to take food off your plate or out of your hand. Any food left anywhere near the counter is gone as soon as you turn away. You don’t even need to turn away. She’ll just jump up next to you to take it.

Absolutely nothing is working to stop her. No redirections, corrections, positive reinforcement for staying in a different spot. She doesn’t care at all. She’ll literally spend her time running around you trying to get to the food.

We’ve had to resort to removing her from the room when someone is eating and giving her a chew or kong ball. Once she’s done, she barks incessantly while we finish eating.

The past few weeks, her anxiety while we eat has led to her peeing when she’s removed from the room. Even if I’ve taken her out right before we’ve eaten, she’ll bark and then pee while we finish eating.

Today my son had some friends over and they were making cookies with my wife. The dog kept trying to jump up to get the batter, so my wife took her outside to the bathroom (to prevent peeing) and then placed her in the living room. The dog barked nonstop and pee’d on the fricking couch.

My wife is done. I’m feeling done too, but I’m not sure what to do for her. My wife thinks she’s purposefully throwing tantrums, but I don’t think dogs have that in them. I think it’s more anxiety related and she’s peeing as a response.

I’m considering upping her trazadone to twice a day - once in the morning and then before bed. But I’ve done that before and she’s an absolute zombie. Doesn’t want to go for a walk or anything.

Would CBD chews help at all? Any other suggestions?

She’s still healthy physically. She’s 14 (German Shepherd mix) and a healthy weight. But this is becoming untenable.