yellowgirl

Video 3. Transferring her behaviours onto Sarge the Chinese Crested.

I have a sweet little Maltese cross girl here who's been in my care since August. Daisy had been badly neglected prior to being rescued, and going by her condition when she arrived, it seems to be something she endured for a very extended period of time. She arrived with some pretty ingrained OCD and self mutilating habits. She mostly licks and pulls at her feet or flanks. She doesn't have any teeth, thank goodness, or she'd have ripped herself to shreds by now. With her flanks, she mostly sucks and pulls quite violently on them (this behaviour is sometimes displayed by puppies or kittens that have been removed from their mother too early). If she has a Cloud Collar on she will go for her tail, if she can't get to her tail she'll drag her bottom (anal glands are not impacted). One behaviour that she displays only when she's outside is to lean down on her shoulder, bend her front leg back so the pad is facing upwards and then scratches that with her back foot. Neither myself nor the behaviourists have ever seen a dog do that and it's actually rather distressing to watch. With this particular behaviour she whimpers while doing it. She's getting better at responding to the 'stop' commands as well as distraction and redirection, which is pretty much all the behaviourists can recommend for her. She's started transferring some of her behaviours onto the Chinese Cresteds, in particular licking, sucking and gumming their skin. She'll also do it to people if there's a bare leg or arm handy. With products like Wound Gard (antiseptic and bitterant spray) she licks it off after about 10 minutes, with the really heavy duty bitterant spray from the vet, she licks it off after about 10 minutes and then vomits. We thought we'd found a winner with the Neocort cream, she didn't like the taste of the cream and she went for several hours without any behaviours, then she overrode how horrible the cream tasted and started again. Then she vomited the cream. We had a good result to start with with the Thundershirt, but that only lasted for a few hours. She couldn't comfortably get to her legs so she dragged her bottom on the concrete and also did the scratching of her front paw with her back leg. The DAP diffuser has made no difference, DAP spray on cloth collar has made no difference. I'm still using both though. She was on Clomicalm for about 2 weeks with no difference. I may have stopped it too early, but the DAP products arrived and I was desperate to try something else. She's just started on the Clomicalm meds again yesterday and I'll give her at least 4 weeks on them this time. Even though we know it's behaviour based, not allergy or environmental, a little while back the vet suggested trying Prednil, which we did but with no effect. I have a Tryptophan product on standby to try next if the Clomicalm doesn't work. The videos show three of her behaviours and also her reaction to the 'stop' commands. The stop commands are 'stop', 'uh uh' or 'tsss' with her name said first to get her attention and direct the command to her specifically. She'd had a pretty bad day on the day the videos were taken and had been exhibiting most of her behaviours for the majority of the day, so she looks a bit raggedy and there's some inflammation particularly on her back legs. Any input or advice would be very much appreciated, particularly if anyone has previously dealt with and/or treated OCD or self mutilation in dogs. I don't know what else to do. The vet and the behaviourists are out of suggestions. Video 1. Flogging the hell out of her back leg. You can see that she'd been having a go at her flank earlier. Apologies for Raffi barking in the background.. it was dinner time. Video 2. Having a go at her front legs as well as licking the bed. Also shows her good response to the 'stop' commands. There's one more video but it wouldn't let me post it with this lot, so it's in the next post. UPDATE - something happened to Daisy on Friday which may in some way explain her recent increase in behaviours. See post #47.

She sounds like a very dodgy sort of business person if she is so ignorant about liability and safety issues. As well as not giving a toss about the poor people who want to adopt a nice pet. No, the people who volunteer are usually not dodgy. I know several lovely, good hearted people who volunteered for Pound Rounds (all are out now). They are regular people who just want to help, and because they're not able to foster or adopt themselves they very much want to help in any way they can. People are very easily drawn in to this kind of thing and the write-ups, guilt trips and desperation to save a dog at any cost does get people emotionally entangled and they feed into the hyperbole of the write-ups. They are not stupid people, they're people with kind hearts who just want to help but have become caught up with the wrong group. Usually this is their first time trying to help a rescue group and they think that this is how rescue works. Until they know differently, they honestly think they are making a difference.

Don't you find it difficult to get up from the bed when it's so low to the ground Sheridan? I think it would just about kill me ;)

A couple of mine are the same Westiemum. I'm going to put my thinking cap on, they could probably sit on another box type thing to make them higher and the box would be the first step. Something in light wood or plastic with a non-slip mat on it. As I said I'll put my thinking cap on and let you know what I come up with :) Came up with this :) Long, low storage box, non-slip mat, and the steps on the top. Doesn't look very beautiful but it does the trick and is just the right height for the bed. Here's an action shot of George using them ... edited to add that that's a night light on the floor next to it :)

Cheers Snook :) Link to LLDR calendars http://www.littlelegsdogrescue.com.au/2013-desk-calendars.html I always get a Greyhound Safety Net one every year but I think I need a LLDR one as well, especially as Raffi is Mr December He's such a little superstar Stan's mum ..lol. I still can't believe all that fur he has now! I just had to put that fluffy bum on the cover too :) Let me know if you make an order and I'll pop in a magnet and LLDR pen as well (yes, woo hoo indeed :laugh: ) xx

Cheers Snook :) Link to LLDR calendars http://www.littlelegsdogrescue.com.au/2013-desk-calendars.html

:laugh: A couple of mine are the same Westiemum. I'm going to put my thinking cap on, they could probably sit on another box type thing to make them higher and the box would be the first step. Something in light wood or plastic with a non-slip mat on it. As I said I'll put my thinking cap on and let you know what I come up with :) Ooooh, likey :) A bit out of the budget at the mo though They're gorgeous DD! I love the wood :)

That's the type we use here for the oldies here. I put non slip mats under them as well as sometimes the dogs can push the steps away a bit if they're a bit more enthusiastic in their climbing :)

There have been a lot of Chinese Cresteds in rescue lately (well, a lot compared to hardly any in the past) as well as crestie crosses. Most come in with terrible skin that hasn't been looked after or maintained

Could be fixed with something as simple as giving calcium between whelping each pup and then for a couple of days after.. Could be fixed by desexing his damn dog

Cheers guys... Thanks for the awesome support, I hope you'll like and share the page and help spread the word :) Seems that a few people have wanting something like this for a while ... someone just had to get it started :) He's a pretty amazing little guy Donatella :D Thanks for sharing his journey, he's such a favourite with so many

I've made a facebook page for rescues to be able to help each other with things like transport, foster care, checking dogs in pounds, sharing posts, passing on donated items, etc. It's open to ethical rescues, foster carers, pound staff, volunteers, the general public and pretty much anyone who would like to get on board with giving rescues a hand and rescues who like the idea of helping and supporting each other :) It's basically just an extension of how my own and a few other rescues have been operating anyway, it just keeps everything in one place so everyone's on board at the same time with offers, requests, questions or any support needed. Feel free to share the page with anyone you think might benefit. https://www.facebook.com/Rescueshelpingrescuesaustralia

They did that on my page too, a couple of words about the dog the thread was about and then a paragraph about themselves. I thought it was rude, deleted the comment and unliked their page. If they're associated with Pound Rounds all the better.

I hope there are warm bodies in those jumpers and lots of snuggly blankets in those bare beds now :) I sent the first bag by express post as I couldn't stand the thought of those bubs having nothing. Sounds like you're starting to make a difference there mixeduppup, and thanks to dogmad for putting up the thread about the coat/blanket drive

Poor, sweet baby. Sending love and hugs and hoping for a quick recovery. Thank you for all you've done for her

Everything crossed for your little one I don't think we ever get 'used' to what we see and what people are capable of doing to the precious dogs we see in rescue. I still cry even though I'm never surprised.

Thank for the address MUP. Will express post some coats and jumpers today so the bubs will have them by Monday. xx

Count me in Dogmad! Those bubs need coats and blankets asap! I'll also be ringing the local vet tomorrow to see if we can get some Capstar tablets for the little oldies with the flea infestations and allergies too. xx Oh yes, and the Winter Appeal girls are awesome!!

Program on animal hoarders has just started on Gem (SA) xx

Thanks sandgrubber, I adore the oldies :) and yep, so lucky to have an awesome vet I had a good chat to the vet and Raffi has been on Phenobarbitone since Monday. He's starting on the lowest dose and I'm keeping track of his episodes. Nothing on Monday, but 3 yesterday, and so far, none today. Aww, your poor Staffy, Stari and poor you... that wasn't very long ago *hugs* . He must have been so confused to have bitten your husband. That would have been scary seeing him come out of the seizures so confused and aggressive. I'm really sorry you had to make such a hard decision. Raffi doesn't seem to have had any side effects yet but I'll continue to monitor him and keep in contact with the vet.

We never received our pledge. But I didn't see it until after the dog was in our care and didn't follow it up either. If you're on Facebook, she's quite often on the Renbury Page. You might be able to message her? :) Could you PM me her facebook name please PlanB?

Sorry, she was donating. She'd pledged donations for quite a few dogs in the urgent section. I'm used to people promising and not following through so I'm not waiting for the money, I just wondered if anyone else has had their donations honoured from this member?

Have any other rescues heard back from 'emmachelsey' in regards to honouring donations that were pledged in the Urgent rescues? She hasn't posted since June 12 and I've sent two PM's in regards to an $80 donation for one of our boys. She may be sick or unable to access the internet for some reason, there's been nothing posted by her in the threads she was previously very active in, my messages say they haven't been read and there's no email address listed in her profile so I have no other way to contact her. Has anyone else been in touch with emmachelsey or had donations honoured?