I’ve hit a milestone. I’ve gone from the kind of stress that makes you eat as if you’re preparing for a nice long winter hibernation, to the kind of stress that makes you not want to eat at all. Not even cupcakes. This switch in stress modes is what I like to call: not good. It means my stress is getting worse. Compounding the issue at hand is my trying to figure out why the hell I’m getting so stressed over this dog being so stressed. I’m pretty sure that soon I’ll start breaking out into hives along my jaw line, which is the step right before I willingly admit myself. And then the dog will HAVE to get over me because he’s not allowed in the mental ward.
I’ve been talking to my friend who is a dog trainer (as opposed to the dog trainer that I PAY to help with my dog) and the main topic of conversation is whatareyouwaitingformedicateyourdogalready. And then we both agreed that I probably should just go in and talk to my vet about getting a prescription, and then we joked about how it’s only fair that my dog shares the medicinal love with me and someone can then come over and peel me off my ceiling. Which would be nice because my ceilings are those bumpy popcorn ceilings and they leave such unflattering indentations on your face when you’re up there.
But because I worry and I’m a big fan of trying just about anything I can before going into hardcore SSRIs, she and I talked about happy little herbs and vitamins that just might do the trick. We talked about using DAP, an expensive little doggie pheromone, that supposedly makes dogs happy and calm. I tried pheromones for the cats a few years back when Payton was a little terror of a kitten with no real success. But because I figured that I’m committed to spending the money on a prescription for my dog for the next 3-6 months I might as well plunk down the cash on some pheromones and see if that might work first.
I’d like to say I’m cautiously optimistic about the herbal remedies but at this point, where I’m exhausted from researching and training, I’m really just hoping that I’ll go into a peaceful coma and wake up and someone will have fixed the dog for me. But because that’s unlikely, I went out and hit the pet store today with the intention of procuring some DAP spray AND a diffuser (I might be skeptical but I also like to have all my bases covered) along with some dog training treats and bullysticks only to discover that the spray itself was $41. Yikes. The diffuser refill was $24. Sixty five dollars on something that I was pretty sure wasn’t going to work on my dog? I mean, if it were 100% guaranteed to save my sanity then I’m all about handing over the credit card but even I have limits. Not to mention, once the woman at the register rang me up, I discovered that I had left my debit card at home and all I had was $40 on me. Hmmm… spray I’m not sure will work, or bullysticks? I chose bullysticks.
I ran back home and then straight back out. With plastic in my pocket and hope in my heart, the pooch and I went out to the health food store and picked up some vitamin B and some melatonin. When we came back home I ripped open the packages, gave him one of each, and have been watching him ever since. I don’t really know what I’m looking for. Maybe one of those animated Disney sequences where the beast floats up in the air, little sparkles start to twirl around him, and then there’s a bright flash of light and down comes a prince in his place. Only in my case, Hooper will come back down and rest happily and peacefully in his crate while I can go out and have margaritas and fried calamari.
I haven’t a clue when or if we’ll actually notice it easing his stress, but I want to say that I’ve seen progress already. Of course I also want to say that eating two cupcakes a day will help me lose 30 pounds but let’s be realistic. Chances are that I’m just going through (what I consider necessary) motions before I take the plunge and give Eli Lilly buckets full of money to ease open some new stress-free neuropathways for Hooper. I do hope the vitamins help though, but just in case I managed to hop online and buy both the DAP diffuser AND the spray at the bargain price of $43 for both.
Filed under: "Hooper drives the boat Chief", Crazy-ass theories, Neurosis-it’s not pretty but it gets the job done
I found your site through smells horsey and I just started to read about Hooper.
I wonder if I can help…I didnt read all that far, but I am guessing you think he has seperation anxiety??? That is exteremly odd in a dog of six months old. I am a behaviorist with a BS in animal behavior from a university in Wisconsin (UW Madison).
Send me an email and lets see if I can help. eamadunic@yahoo.com
Beth
Yep, at least that’s the diagnosis that I’ve gotten from two different trainers. My vet said that was pretty rare for a dog so young too but he does exhibit all the classic symptoms of SA. My guess is that it has something to do with him being from a rescue. I’d love to hear what you’re thinking though.
I tried to find an email, but couldnt (and I misplaced the link to the site, but I found it…) so, I will just leave my thoughts here.
That is mind blowing that such a young dog is exhibiting signs of severe SA. Being a rescue can have something to do with it, depending on what his background was.
I have an excellent book that I would be happy to send to you that I have all of my client read when starting SA modification, it is a slow and tedious process. It is “I’ll Be Home Soon” By Patricia McConnell…excellent advise and very easy to follow.
I would agree with your trainer friend that if you are having slow to little progress with counter conditioning, then you might want to try a drug to slow down the anxiety process when you do leave. I use holistic type drugs – Composure (being a liquid, I can get who it is made by from my holistic vet). I have also had excellent luck with a cooling herb called “Calm Spirits”. Just helps take the edge off. Or you can try Tranquility Blend by Pet Apawthacary. That may help him a bit too.
Have you thought about or discussed doggy day care with your trainers? That might help to ease the pain of you being gone all day. Usually they are pretty tired for a day or so after, so it may even help when you leave him the next day.
Is the trainer(s) you are working with a Behaviorist? While some trainers are qualified (and equipped) to work with these types of issues, some are not. When I need to work with a trainer/behaviorist I usually try to find someone who specializes in the area I need help in.
If there is anything I can do to help….please let me know. Sometimes fresh eyes or ears from outside the problem can help. I am truly not trying to butt in or be a know-it-all…just want to help you and that pup.
Good luck!
Beth
Hi Beth, my email address is on the about page. I spell out the @ (at) instead of using the @ symbol to avoid spammers picking up the address through trolling the internet. I would have emailed you this weekend but things were a little busy.
He’s not so severe. He doesn’t chew on himself or hurt himself like he did a first when the day I brought him home, so he is progressing but I really could do with him progressing a little faster.
You are the third person to tell me to read that book. It’s not that I won’t, but because I’ve read so many training books by Ian Dunbar and If Bones Could Rain From the Sky by Suzzane Clothier and someone bought me Marley and Me, my eyes are starting to bleed. I just want to read something else for a little while. Maybe something light like Finnigan’s Wake or something.
Thanks so much for all of the holistic recommendations. That’s exactly what I was hoping for.
Hooper goes to Doggie Day Care on Saturdays so I can get out of the house. We’re considering sending him one more day during the week but at $26 a pop, it gets really expensive after a while. Sean and I both work from home so it’s not like he’s in his crate all day without seeing us, but there in lies another problem… the problem that he ALWAYS SEES US.
My trainer is both CPDT and SFSPCA certified so I’m pretty sure we have our bases covered in terms of his psychological wellbeing. If I were to be entirely honest, it’s really MY psychological wellbeing that’s having the most trouble coping with the length of time it takes to rebuild this kid’s confidence.
I believe you’re not trying to butt in and I welcome any other advice you feel like sharing.
The Patricia McConnell book is a very very easy read and not very long….less than 30 maybe.
All those books are excellent, but this book is actually a systematic step by step on fixing the SA problem.
Good luck and let me know if you need more info on the holistic stuff.