Author Topic: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.  (Read 22527 times)

Offline zrebny

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HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« on: June 10, 2005, 05:59:19 pm »
Hi all I am hoping someone can help me, I am desperate.  I have a Berner that is two and has become so afraid of thunderstorms, which we are having an over abundence of right now.  She pants and shakes and is inconsolable.  I have tried as vet suggested to find her a safe place, held her and everything else I can think of.  She will go out and lay in the rain if it is a plain rain shower but god help us if it it thundering.  She also hates fireworks.  Any imput you have will be greatly appreciated.  It is especially hard at night when she is roaming around the bed as she is a little hard to ignore at 100 pounds!

                                                      Jennifer the Mom
                                                       Zoe the fur Baby

awo

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #1 on: June 10, 2005, 07:19:40 pm »
You might want to go back to your vet and ask for medication that will help calm your dogs nerves down.  I know plenty of dogs that this happens too.  It sounds like you are doing all the right things, but the pills might help you out even more.

awo

Offline NatsaintB

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #2 on: June 10, 2005, 08:14:48 pm »
Maybe you could try some white noise in the house that would drown out the sound of the thunder.  Turning up some music, a scrambled tv channel or running a fan might help her.  I hate thunder and lightening too so I know how she feels, poor baby :-[  I hope the storms let up and give the little girls some peace and comfort!

Offline moonlitcroatia

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #3 on: June 10, 2005, 09:36:56 pm »
Hi all I am hoping someone can help me, I am desperate.  I have a Berner that is two and has become so afraid of thunderstorms, which we are having an over abundence of right now.  She pants and shakes and is inconsolable.  I have tried as vet suggested to find her a safe place, held her and everything else I can think of.  She will go out and lay in the rain if it is a plain rain shower but god help us if it it thundering.  She also hates fireworks.  Any imput you have will be greatly appreciated.  It is especially hard at night when she is roaming around the bed as she is a little hard to ignore at 100 pounds!

                                                      Jennifer the Mom
                                                       Zoe the fur Baby

Maybe there is a web site or book out there that deals with anxiety in dogs and ways to condition them to feel better.  I would think, perhaps, some sort of positive reinforcement like giving treats every time there is a terrible, scary sound...or something your pup really, really loves!  Like a toy or game...or chewing up the paperback book club catalog, like Betti is doing RIGHT now...(Hee! Hee! I have my own shredder!"

I know it can be difficult.  It took forever for Betti to overcome her fears enough to care about the treats.  I had to be very patient.  :)
I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love.  For me they are the role model for being alive.  ~Gilda Radner

Offline Kermit

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #4 on: June 12, 2005, 08:11:54 am »
I have found something that really seems to help scared and nervous dogs. It's called "Rescue Remedy", I have found it in natural food stores like Wild Oats or Earthfare, if you have anything like that nearby. It's natural homeopathic and completely safe, not like a tranquilizer at all. It just calms them down. I think it's about $10 for a bottle and the dose is just a few drops in the mouth or in the water bowl, so the bottle lasts a long time. It's for people but it works on animals. It's made by Bach Flower Essences. Hope this helps!

Offline Jason

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #5 on: June 12, 2005, 09:58:02 am »
I know someone who uses "Rescue Remedy"  on their psychotic cat and they say it works wonders. My boy is a bit jumpy too, and I've been considering it for some time. If you can find it, check it out.

Jason

Offline mamadog

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2005, 08:23:14 am »
Well I want some for me too...I'm scared of thunder!!  Fortunatly we don't get many.  I had a friend who had to get meds for her dog for that reason. When it would storm her poor baby would curl up under the coffee table and shake and cry. it was sad. But with the meds she was fine.

Vicki

Offline zrebny

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #7 on: June 15, 2005, 04:11:25 pm »
Thank you all for the help.  I feel sooooo bad for her, she is just petrified.  I will look into the natural remedy.  Vet said he would give me the heavy duty stuff for 4th of july since she is also afraid of fireworks.  Volitile weather has calmed down hopfuly for a while. have tried everything I can think of.  Playing the radio, running a fan, holding her, giving her treats, even a mild sedative with very little success.  It is so nice to talk to other owners and get new ideas.  Thanks again! 

Offline lburrell

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #8 on: June 15, 2005, 05:48:03 pm »
Hi Jennifer.

First, it must be said, Zoe is adorable...I know she is grown up now from that picture, but I bet she is still beautiful!

I have heard tons about Rescue Remedy...it is worth a shot.  Also, and this will sound weird, but try wrapping a t-shirt tight around her body.  Put a t-shirt on her and pull it tight and pin it.  I don't know what the deal is, but have heard it works perfectly!

It is so disturbing to see our babies so stressed.  My Jack has just recently starting showing anxiety with wind.  I know, crazy.  We had some pretty windy days a couple weeks ago which caused some inside doors to slam and the curtains to blow in the windows....it took me a few hours to figure out what he was upset about (I thought maybe he wasn't feeling well).  Ever since, when the windows are open and the curtains blow in....he gets really clingy.  I am hoping this phase passes.

One thing to keep in mind (and this is hard) is don't cuddle her or try to soothe her with hugs when she is having anxiety symptoms.  That is the first thing we want to do, but you could actually reinforce her anxiety (she likes affection and affection is a positive reinforcer, so when you give her affection when she is anxious, in dog speak, you are 'rewarding' her for her anxiety.

I wish you luck with Zoe.  Hopefully you have success with the rescue remedy or the t-shirt!

Jack's Mum~ Lori

Offline lburrell

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #9 on: June 15, 2005, 05:51:36 pm »
Oh, one more thought.  If Zoe knows tricks and likes to perform them for treats, try getting her to follow commands and reward her for doing them.  It could take her mind off the storm, that is if she is not too preoccupied  by it.

Lori

Offline zrebny

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #10 on: July 04, 2005, 02:34:21 pm »
Hi all,
 
       Sent for rescue remedy will let you know how it works.  Thank you all for your suggestions.  Got perscription from vet for fourth of july but don't want to knock her out every thunderstorm so I hope this works.  Thanks again.

                                                    Zoe's mom

Offline LuvmyMal

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #11 on: July 04, 2005, 05:58:53 pm »
I was talking to some other malamute owners and they all suggest the rescue remedy instead of prescription meds. Right now we don't have a problem, but will soon find out tonight.

Offline bigdoglover

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #12 on: July 04, 2005, 06:27:37 pm »
my sister's english pointer gets crazy with storms and fireworks also-she has found that peppermint oil on the pads of her front feet helps calm her somewhat. i have heard that lavendar also is good for your problem-we also read in the greyhound for dummies book that a dryer sheet rubbed on their body helps so now her pointer smells like bounce! there is also something i think called comfort zone that petsmart sells-you plug it in like one of those scented air fresheners but it takes time to work-sorry i got in this too late to help you out-but if you read this and have a dryer sheet rub it on and it should help!

GYPSY JAZMINE

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #13 on: July 05, 2005, 12:07:10 am »
Balu is not scared of loud noises...He is trying to get away from you & that camera!...lol...He has the same look of someone who was caught on film on the toilet...lol!

Offline lburrell

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Re: HELP! My big dog is a big baby.
« Reply #14 on: July 05, 2005, 02:52:40 pm »
Hope everything went well with Zoe this weekend.

I heard of another technique for storms that may work.  It's a technique called 'pounding'.  During a storm, watch for the lightning.  ONce you see the lightning, pat your dog on his/her side through the end of the thunder clap.  Keep doing this throughout the storm.  If you need to, dim the lights in the room so that you can clearly see the lightning.  This is a way for you to have contact with your dog (which is what we all want to do when they are scared) and this kind of touch is thought to build the dogs confidence.  When I say pat...I mean a pretty hard patting...not a love pat.  I haven't had to try this, so I don't know if it works...my guess is that it works best if the storm anxiety is pretty recent.  I don't know that it would work on a dog that has been afraid of storms for a long time.

Just another thing to try.  Body wrapping, as I described earlier, is also a highly recommended thing to try on another list.

Lori & Jack the Berner