Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
Wow!
Willow's confidence journal
- Thread starter snowbunny
- Start date
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
@snowbunny that is what I did with my gun shy dog, he was terrified of the merest bang, so every time there was a bang in the distance, I would throw his rabbit skin dummy and after a while he paired the noise with something pleasurable and I did manage to get him over it, in as much when the local shoot were about, it didn't worry him.wind gusted, she got a noise party. She hasn’t had a ball since December, so this was the Best Thing Ever, and we had a ninety minute walk with her happy and relaxed, no signs of worry at all.
Bloody wonder drug, it is!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Yes, but the big thing here is the drug; without that, she wouldn't have left the house again, and when she's in her worried state, there's no way she would chase the ball, even though it's her favourite thing in the world. The drug allows her to get into a place where counter conditioning will work; without it we have nothing we can work with.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Oh, just the usual - couldn't sleep, so thought I'd see what was going on on MLF
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Mine was on a Beta Blocker to start with. Gabapentin wasn't known then I don't think.
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
I've started weaning Willow off the Fluoxetine. She's been on a half dose for a week now, with no noticeable effect. She's still super happy, far more tactile than usual, and very smiley.
This morning, we got up at 4 to drive to Andorra - I thought she might be reluctant to get in the car because of the weirdness of it all. Yes, she was slow to get out of bed, but that's not unusual - she is NOT a morning person and the thought of getting up at such an ungodly hour - you must be mad, woman!
But, nevertheless, when I took the others out to load them into the car, she pulled herself out of her pit, went straight to the open door and climbed in. Not bad for a girl who would have had to be carried to the car this time last year
This morning, we got up at 4 to drive to Andorra - I thought she might be reluctant to get in the car because of the weirdness of it all. Yes, she was slow to get out of bed, but that's not unusual - she is NOT a morning person and the thought of getting up at such an ungodly hour - you must be mad, woman!
But, nevertheless, when I took the others out to load them into the car, she pulled herself out of her pit, went straight to the open door and climbed in. Not bad for a girl who would have had to be carried to the car this time last year
- Location
- Isle of Man
How lovely for her, much less stress.
Wonderful news Fiona!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
Well, this was a new one. We were a bit late going out for our evening walk, and went out just before 5:30. Willow seemed a bit unsettled; I put it down to it being overcast and feeling like rain. Maybe she was associating it with storms, although there weren’t any around. She didn’t want to come out the gate, and J was behind us, so I went out with the others a little way and played some clicker games. She tentatively joined us. I didn’t try to encourage her in any way, just let her do what she wanted. After a couple of minutes, she suddenly perked up, went quite silly and started bouncing around, as she does when she knows she’s been brave.
Well, I just read that at 5:29pm, there was a earthquake not far away, 4.2 on the Richter scale, that was felt over a large part of Catalonia, and certainly our part of it. I‘m sure that’s what unsettled Willow, and I’m amazed how quickly she got over it.
She’s completely off her drugs now.
My little superstar
Well, I just read that at 5:29pm, there was a earthquake not far away, 4.2 on the Richter scale, that was felt over a large part of Catalonia, and certainly our part of it. I‘m sure that’s what unsettled Willow, and I’m amazed how quickly she got over it.
She’s completely off her drugs now.
My little superstar
That just awesome in so many ways.
Isn’t it?! Just fantastic, such progress
Lisa
Moderator
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
So great to hear this, Fiona! 
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Says it all!
How amazing. Well done Willow xx
- Location
- East Sussex
That really is great!
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
The dogs were outside this evening, when there was a sudden clap of thunder. It startled me, as there was no rain at that point, no feeling of a storm coming, so it really came out of nowhere. I even went online to lightningmaps.org to see if there was a storm around and it wasn't something else.
Willow came straight in and upstairs to me, rather than going to her hidey-corner downstairs. She was trembling, but not massively distressed. When I moved away to sit on a dog bed, she came over to me instead of staying rooted to the spot.
I went downstairs to get the Gabapentin and some yoghurt to take it in. It was then I realised the flaw to this plan - when she's scared, she won't eat anything, even warm roast beef. So I wasn't hopeful, but I tried anyway, and she gobbled it up, no fuss at all.
She then curled up on a bed, no longer shaking, while I made myself a sandwich. I shared the crusts with the dogs and she was as interested in them as normal. We had a few more quieter claps of thunder, some heavy rain, and flashes of lightning, but she remained responsive throughout. Obviously not at her happiest, but a million miles from how she has been in the past.
I know we will have many more storms over the coming months, so hoping we can make even more progress with them.
Willow came straight in and upstairs to me, rather than going to her hidey-corner downstairs. She was trembling, but not massively distressed. When I moved away to sit on a dog bed, she came over to me instead of staying rooted to the spot.
I went downstairs to get the Gabapentin and some yoghurt to take it in. It was then I realised the flaw to this plan - when she's scared, she won't eat anything, even warm roast beef. So I wasn't hopeful, but I tried anyway, and she gobbled it up, no fuss at all.
She then curled up on a bed, no longer shaking, while I made myself a sandwich. I shared the crusts with the dogs and she was as interested in them as normal. We had a few more quieter claps of thunder, some heavy rain, and flashes of lightning, but she remained responsive throughout. Obviously not at her happiest, but a million miles from how she has been in the past.
I know we will have many more storms over the coming months, so hoping we can make even more progress with them.
Jacqui-S
Moderator
- Location
- Fife, Scotland
If you know storms are forecast would you use the gabapentin prophylacticly?
Willow....I would hold put for more than crusts
Willow....I would hold put for more than crusts