Papillon Kisses

Oh, would you look at that. Gorgeous, Kirty. :)

And Malcolm. :D I love the picture of Lola manding. Which puppy was it who manded to the speaker? That cracked me up.

We did it! We completed Task/Day 1. It took three attempts — I wasn't able to do it yesterday due to business. I am going to repeat it again tomorrow as I'd like him more relaxed before challenging him further. He was not quite as relaxed today as we were out of good-but-not-overly-exciting treats, and I was using the best treat in the world.

It was absolutely a win!! YOU GOT STAND FOR EXAM — AND NOT ONCE BUT TWICE!! And you got in some excellent behaviour modification with the trainer! Well done Thistle and mum! You're both doing so well. You might be the last in your group to advance, but you've probably come the furthest with your dog. Thistle has achieved the 10m drop before, right? I bet you'll be in advanced very soon. Either way, she overcame a huge hurdle today with her fear of people, and did not react negatively in a tricky situation with the heeler. She also did not get stung by a bee! That's a huge cause for celebration! That said, you've both been through quite a bit this weekend, so perhaps the celebration can be with ice cream, treats from the Dog Lovers Show, and a nice long cuddle on the lounge. :)

How's your little Buddy, Swain?

I just saw the picture above. Your Danny is such a darling little man! I'm so sorry to hear that he is unwell, losing weight and not eating well. Your description of him reminds me of our late papillon who passed on his 17th birthday. I too used to carry him downstairs for a "turn about the garden" (a little potter and sniff) and then back up again. He'd wait at the stairs for his chariot. Your dear little red man knows he is loved. :) It hurts. It feels like your heart has been ripped out. But when you feel like you can't cope you carry on, because they loved you fiercely and it's what they would have wanted.

:cheer:

If anyone wants to join the Facebook group for anxious dogs just PM me with your full name and I'll send a request to the mods for you. It's just become a secret group. Many many pages back there was comments about favourite blogs. A couple I like are Paws4udogs / Paws Abilities https://paws4udogs.wordpress.com which is written by a trainer who has a dog with Generalised Anxiety Disorder; and Mutt About Town. And it's not a blog as such, but Suzanne Clothier's articles: http://suzanneclothier.com/content/articles/ Thistle, here's a recent article which probably links into what I assume is said in Bar 2.0 about labeling dogs: https://muttabouttown.com/2016/05/09/fearful-dogs-are-not-broken/ You might also like to read up on "people-first language". There are pros and cons to person-first language, but I think the intention of it is good: to recognise that we are more than our diagnoses, that illnesses or physical or mental limitations are only one part of who we are, and to shift the focus from disability to ability.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

We've done a bit better today. To start he was a bit jack in the boxy, but then he got so bored he went and sat in his bed and then laid down. :laugh: He only started trembling at the stage of counting out loud to 20, so I back tracked, did some easy things and stopped. I need to re-read the handout another 5 times so so. It's a lot to take in and remember, and my brain is a little foggy as it is. I'm also a bit confused because it says if your dog is laying down that's a good thing, but if you're telling him to sit doesn't that confuse the dog about what the word sit means? I substituted 'stay'. But that's probably doing it wrong. I guess it's time to re-read the handout again, lol.

I gave it a go last night, but made mistakes before I even started. 1. Choosing the wrong place and time. Malcolm is more anxious at night and downstairs where he can see light reflections. I thought the treats would negate that but it probably wasn't enough. 2. Starting at all. It says to stop if the dog is concerned, but Mal was trembling before we even started. I thought he'd stop shaking as we got going but no. Sorry Mal. We got to the first of the 15 second stays, so about 1/3 way through Task/Day 1 (they are called task sets in my handout). At that point he kept readjusting his sit thinking that it wasn't good enough to earn the reward. He knows stay though, so I'm not sure why that happened. Perhaps it was all just too much. I stopped it there and asked him for a high five. He thinks (well I assume from body language) that high fives are a lot of fun, so we ended on a good note and with a bunch of treats. :) I'll try again today during be daytime as see how we go, and get back to our VB if still struggling. I did learn that the shaking lessened if I talked and gave him more feedback/reassurance.

I know this is an old thread but I thought it silly to create another. I need to start this program. Any tips? I am finding it very daunting and I'm not quite sure why. ???? I think I'm mainly worried about inadvertently stuffing it up and not training the actual relaxation part. That and it looks like a massive undertaking. ????

Naww, look at him. ☺️

I think the trolley is partly what makes it safe. It's like a little wall. I suspect he'd love a crate, but there might be other little nooks in the house.

He is so adorable. ????

Oh look at him in his red cape!

But would an African Swallow have the required air-speed velocity to grab a Chihuahua puppy?

I've seen plenty of obese black labs, both entire and neutered, both sexes. In fact a solid black dog will often look fatter than the same shaped gold, fawn or cream dog next to it - it's an optical illusion. But black is slimming!?! BRB buying gold & cream coloured clothes :laugh:

Or to give him a spot with similar features. It's pretty clear to me that he wants a comfortable, cosy hideaway. Which is particularly understandable for an elder, especially if the house is otherwise disturbing with kids running around or something. I'm glad you're looking into this, KismetKat. I'd prioritize that before getting the baby gate. I think it's important to give him somewhere to go before cutting off his source of comfort. A vet check wouldn't go astray either. Dogs can hide out if they aren't feeling well.

Just check up on dosage first. We would not want to make him sick! I've seen some pet formulations in pet stores which you could use as a price and dose/ingredient comparison. And if money is tight there may be more important things to spend it on. Medication with a more substantial evidence base trumps complementary medicine. These really are just the little extras. Veterinary care is important, but apart from that what does Scottie really need? To be loved. To be kept comfortable, with a warm bed and food in his belly. To be treated with compassion. He has all those things in spades. x

Selegenine has anti-depressant/anxiolytic properties. If you can't see a vet behaviourist due to the cost, there may be vets in your area who have an interest in behaviour medicine. Sometimes low doses of meds are prescribed in combination, but usually only by vet behaviourists as additional expertise is needed. I mentioned the sardines as it's probably a cheaper option. You can get omega 3 liquid supplements as you're probably aware, but they probably have a fishy taste. There are various chews too but most have added grains. I've sent you a PM about a Facebook group you might like to join. Oh and I agree with Perse — Scottie is blessed to have you as his mum. :)

It sounds like you and the vet are thinking Scottie might have something along the lines of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction? You might be interested in these two links: http://www.ava.com.au/sites/default/files/AVA_website/pdfs/NSW_Division/VETS%20%2B%20NURSES%20COMBINED%20-%20Kersti%20Seksel%20-%20Canine%20Cognitive%20Dysfunction.pdf http://dogdementia.com/ If Scottie can't have any grains for medical reasons, is there a grain free formulated food out there that is suitable for seniors and has some of the features of Hills? I've noticed that Hills has added omega-3s, vitamins and antioxidants, and l-carnitine, which are things I've seen added to super premium kibble. What are you currently feeding? Is Scottie completely grain free or just gluten free, because sometimes people get that mixed up? Alternatively perhaps you could add in supplements that can/may help with brain function and anxiety. You would need to make sure they are ok with his existing medications and any other health issues. We've been told to give Malcolm omega 3 supplements and/or treats, so he's been enjoying cheap tins of sardines in springwater, dried salmon, etc. :) Could other things help Scottie feel calm: Adaptil as mentioned, a night light if disoriented by night vision loss, Through a Dog's Ear for Seniors if he's not completely deaf (also available in iTunes). Oh and here's another tooth/gum gel that hasn't been mentioned here is Maxi/Guard Oral Cleansing Gel. We got ours from our vet. http://addisonlabs.com/products/maxiguard-oral-cleansing-gel.php Let us know how Scottie gets on. I'm so happy to hear his bloods are ok, amongst the other worries that must be a huge relief. x

I've read that not all dogs respond to Adaptil, so it's possible Scottie might respond differently. I get the collar cheaper by getting online store prices matched by physical stores. Online stores can have inferior overseas stock that isn't up to the standard sold in Aus. Anyway, I'm rambling and will pop over to the other thread. I wrote a long response but it got eaten, ugh. Fantastic news about the bloods.

Apart from the fact that it's a kitty litter tray, it looks like it could be a nice place for an older dog to rest. The tray is kind of like a bed in a way, and look how it's tucked away in the corner there, seemingly away from all the goings on in the house. It might also be cool if he's feeling hot. Would he like his very own bed in a similar situation, a little nook away from it all, but with a more suitable filling? You could positively reinforce him using the bed, by giving him his treats or toys there instead? Perhaps an always open, never locked crate?

That's the one that caught my eye! I was even thinking it had a nice long turtle neck collar. :laugh: I checked them out to see if I could alter them, but the top ones looked too small and the bottom ones too big. I think little Secret needs a bunting jumper though. *pages Kirislin*