Stressed spaniel

[firewatch]

Our poor pup (9months old) is stressed beyond belief today. Shes gone mental at a lawn mower and is cowering because of road works going on behind us. Shes nearly gone through the fence to the neighbour's dogs and wetting herself a lot, something we have got down to one accident a day, but when shes stressed it happens more.
Have created a safe space for her by bringing her bed crate down and filling it with toys and treats, then covering it with a blanket. To no avail!!!! help would be appreciated!!

[rowanwitch]

How about taking her for a long walk away from the things that are stressing her to tire her out

[woofgang]

how about seeing a behaviourist (APDT registered) and finding out why she is so stressed

[firewatch]

Domestic abuse woofgang has left her highly strung and easily stressed Rowan I will take them both out in a mo to the dog field, but the noise has stopped temporarily. shes killing a tennis ball and winding spritley up currently so hoping the noise start again. Shes such a lovely dog i hate to see her stressed out!

[rowanwitch]

Had a very highly sprung springer collie cross walking her for miles used up a lot of her 'nervous energy' but an animal behaviourist might be able to help with strategies with you... what is it abour springers and tennis balls

[woofgang]

oh okay firewatch. There are things you can do to teach her to deal with the stress and also desensitise her to noise, you can also use something like Zylkene, Dene's Valerian and Skullcap or a similar non prescription calmer. I have also found an Adaptil diffuser slightly effective but pet remedy diffuser works better for mine.
http://www.petremedy.co.uk/
http://www.adaptil.co.uk/
http://www.zylkene.co.uk/
http://denes.co.uk/products/tranquil-powder

[firewatch]

Brilliant thanks you two!!!i honestly dont know rowan shes destroyed (with the help from our lab) 6 tennis balls!! Will look into a difuser as it appears we only got told half of what she went through as we are picking up on more and more things that upset her. The crate works well as a safety zone so long as Sprite dosnt get in there first, a lab and a spaniel in a small space i really should get a pic!!

[divegirl]

Please before you consider drugs, which can be effective but a doped up dog is not a happy dog, you are just masking the problem, have a look here.....

http://www.ttouch.com/whatisTTouch.shtml

I know loads who have had success with the Tellington Touch method.

Lisa x

[woofgang]

the neat thing about the remedies that i have suggested are they are natural relaxers and do not dope the dog up in the same way that a prescription sedative would. The zylkene is made from milk protein.

[firewatch]

Hey Dive girl, i practice Ttouch and its fab, shes had loads today when shes been at her worst.It works, but only for a while. Shes back in her crate at the mo as our bloody lab wont leave her alone he wants to play she want to be quite. My friend uses homeopathy with her staphies and highly recommends it as does another friend with horses (all rescues and from difficult situations). Just ordered a plug in, and will have a look at some others bits.

[firewatch]

<<this is her btw

[Tilly2]

We bought a cd from the Pets at Home which has lots of 'frightening' noises on it. Fireworks, thunder, motorbikes reving etc.
You play it v-e-r-y quietly at first and the dog gets used to them. Then you up the volume and it desensitses the dog. It worked a treat with Tilly1 and she she fears no noises at all. The GSD has never batted an eyelid at anything except the postman.

[firewatch]

will keep an eye for it as she pees when the hoover goes on! washing machine she likes to watch, she almost zens out watching it!

Both dogs are asleep on seperate sofas, but have let them have a run round outside whilst i was doing the bins, and she met our bald neighbour (she normally hates bald men) and didnt pee!!!! Bonus!!!

[divegirl]

Oh thats so cool that you are using TT on her, I use it on one of my Danes when there are fireworks.
Sweet looking little girl isn't she, I really hope you manage to settle her down.

Lisa x

[firewatch]

I have used it for years with differnt animals, my in laws westie benefited the most from it and when he first went to them i spent three hours on the floor with him doing TT and it allowed them to handle him more easily.

Shes very sweet natured, and has only nipped me once when i went to break a fight up.
I call her my companion dog as she such a sensitive thing she knows when im upset etc.

[Goofy]

The Blue Cross also do a CD - called Sounds Familiar - as suggested by Tilly2. Bought it for the puppies, but in fact it's helping Mom as well!. She was very nervous about the fireworks to begin with but now is OK.
Cost £4.