Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 We have a lovely almost 8 month old male GSD that has never ever had a problem until now :D My husband fell on him while in the showring, he seemed fine was a little worried for the next show with running around but still stood firm for the judge. Last week-end he backed off, not that bad but still was very worried. I took him last night to show training with a very well know trainer & he got a little better by the end of the night. Is there more I can do? is there something I can give him to help him get over this problem. I have not had this problem before & I would like to do the best thing to help our boy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Try some rescue remedy before he goes into the ring - he is obviously a little anxious about something bad happening there again. Also give him some magnesium the night before and the morning of the show just to help relax him. Also try giving him some liver treats every time you go in the ring (but not outside) so that he associates good things with being there. The liver treats should be used the same way at show training - dogs are big on association! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Hi Morgan, what form of Magnesium? also with the rescue remedy where would I get some?. I have him a daily Vit B powder they give to anxious horses & did give him last week a paste called B Have but did not seem to help my boy :D Thanks for your help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I use Blackmores BioAvailable Magnesium - 3-4 tablets for a 40 kg dog each time. It works very well with vit B, in fact many horse calming products are a combination of the two. Rescue remedy is available at most chemists and health food stores, but is very expensive. If you buy online from Robert McDowell it is much cheaper - we buy the big bottles as we use so much on the horses. The problem is that 8 mths IME is a very bad age for a pup to get a fright - as their hormones are changing so much at this time as they are growing up they seem to be far more sensitive to things and find it much harder to get over them. If he doesn't respond to magnesium, bit B and rescue remedy I would seriously suggest Diana Hayes (Wholistic Animal Medicines)in Perth - she has a number of homoeopathic remedies for show fright etc which really do work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Magnum - what has he been like outside the ring with people doing a SFE or just simply patting him etc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Thanks Morgan for your help, I will get these things for him. The horse stuff is B Quite do you know it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Thanks Morgan for your help, I will get these things for him. The horse stuff is B Quite do you know it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 He is stand offish outside the ring, once the judge is over his head he is fine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I have e-mail Diana for idea's on what to give him I hate seeing my boy so worried when it should be fun for him :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leopuppy04 Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 What type of training do you do Magnum? Might I suggest that anywhere your boy comes into contact with people and greets them in a positive manner you reward him?? That way he can build up an association that strangers = food.... if you don't want him to be lovey dovey to everyone - then perhaps do this in situations where you do wan thte dog to be confident ie: shows. Talk to a few judges/ friends and ask them to 'go over' your dog (staying away from the head initially) - keep up lots of rewards so that he knows it is a good thing..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I think this is a training issue too. Doggie has a good reason to be worried, he got squished! Unless he is very nervy all the time I don't think those supplements will work. They are also just masking the problem not fixing it. Lots of training with examinations is the key. Starting off very slowly with just walking past the dog and building up to the exam. My dog is rather soft and doesn't like leaning over his head, last week my instructor was doing an exercise with him were he moved his hand quickly over the dogs head, not touching him. And then treated him so he started to think that a hand whizzing past his head was a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I took him to Lucy Ellems last night & again tonight, she was very good with him & I could see a change in him from when we first got there. We do reward him once he has done the correct thing,I hope tonight we will also see change. JulesP, I think if you can give them something just to help them calm down enough to learn what you want them to do is a very big help. Training is the key for sure & love but sometimes they need soemthing just to calm down so they are not at panic stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I've found that supplements like that don't work unless the animal is deficient in the substance. Talking about horses here! And there are often other indicators apart from the behaviour in the show ring. Just had a look at Browns herbal www.brownsanimalherbals.com.au and they do a herbal formula for stressed doggies. It has valerian in it so that might work better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 Thanks Morgan for your help, I will get these things for him. The horse stuff is B Quite do you know it? Sorry, don't know that horse product - there are quite a few of them! We use dried chamomile and passionflower in their feed to quieten nervy horses. Makes them easier to work and train. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAX Posted July 4, 2007 Share Posted July 4, 2007 I took him to Lucy Ellems last night & again tonight, she was very good with him & I could see a change in him from when we first got there. We do reward him once he has done the correct thing,I hope tonight we will also see change.. I would follow Lucy's advice with total confidence. Lucy is very experienced and I am sure she could help you greatly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 I'm so happy to report that our boy stood firm in the ring last week-end still a little unsure outside the ring but we will work on that with Lucy. Off to training again tonight, I hope to have him back to is once normal happy self again soon Many thanks for all your wonderful tips & idea's Caryl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Magnum, Good luck. For interest, are your problem dog's siblings, nervous types? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 No they are firm, their mother is I think a little hypo so I don't know if that is the problem. However with Malloy my husband fell on him while in the showring which I think just put him over the edge for his age.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lablover Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Thanks for the reply Magnum. I also have accidently hurt my dogs from time to time, stand on their toes, hit them with objects, and have fallen on them. Again good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Thanks Lablover, we are getting there slowly, he has been show 4 times now from him first abcking off & he has stood firm. Still working hard with him gaiting & outside the ring but I feel he will get there with time & love.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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