Calming Down An Excited/anxious Dog

[jaybeece]

So el dirtbag has been doing really, really well lately with other dogs which is fantastic. But a problem that he's always had and that isn't getting better is he's just so excited or anxious at dog school and out on walks. I can't tell which it is, or whether one leads to the other, ie. excitement builds to a point where it becomes anxiety.

He shakes a lot, pants heavily, pees on everything he can find in an almost manic way (apparently this can be stress related), pulls hard until he's reminded not to, whines and ends up yawning a lot while whining.

I've calmed down so much now, but he just doesn't seem to be changing at all. We're doing positive, reward based training which he's taken to really well, bit of clicker work in there too which once again he responds to well.

The problem is mostly when he's not doing something, just sitting still in class. It doesn't appear that any one thing is setting him off, it's just the environment itself. I'm allowing him to socialise with other dogs a lot more which I'm hoping will help a little as before this he wasn't really going near them, but then again if he's all excited about saying hi maybe that'll make things worse? Argh I don't know!

He gets a few drops of rescue remedy before class which *might* help, but it's so hard to tell. I'm probably going to ask the vet for any ideas and have been looking at some of those body wrap things that claim to help. I have some Chlomicalm around somewhere but am really hesitant about using drugs to calm him down.

Does anyone have any other ideas I can try?

[Nekhbet]

Jaybeece dont bother with the vet, let me know when you have some spare time and we'll do a mini workshop. He'll calm down in no time at all I think yours is more an inconsistancy/anxiety release problem then heading off to the vets.

[jaybeece]

Thanks Nehkbet, sounds like a great idea!

I'd rather not resort to the vet anyway as I suspect the solution would be drugs, they haven't been overly helpful with behavioural stuff in the past.

[Aidan]

How is he at home? Specifically, I would like to know how much he whines (it can be for a reason) and how much he sleeps when you are home and awake?

[jaybeece]

At home he's usually fine. Outside in the back garden he can get a bit up tight if he hears the neighbours banging around he'll run up and down the fence whining and carrying on a bit but it doesn't last for more than a minute or so.

If I'm at home and awake he'll mostly nap in his crate or lie in the sun at the front door. Occasionally jumps up to bark at things, but mostly he's pretty laid back. He has a nutty play session with toys once a day or so too, I just run around with him and have a bit of a play and then he's back to chilling out when he's tired.

I have noticed though that his reaction to the neighbours and other outside sources that are bark worthy has become more whining/pacing than just barking in a guarding way. I don't know why this is as nothing has changed, but he has become progressively more sooky and clingy in general as he's gotten older. He used to have no problem with thunder storms, but now he'll be cowering on the back door step or sticking by my side if he's inside. No shaking or barking at least, but he's clearly not comfortable about it anymore.

[Aidan]

A couple of things in there suggest to me that it might be worth experimenting with diet. If he is able to learn new behaviours and responds well to behavioural training, but has a low-level background of nervousness, anxiety and a little hyperactivity then he may respond to some tryptophan supplementation (e.g "Good as Gold" for horses, or "Behave" paste by Troy). Add it to his breakfast each day and see if the whining reduces after a couple of weeks.

A little porridge for breakfast, cooked with some eggs may enhance the effect, or even achieve the effect without tryptophan supplementation. I'll keep it brief, try the tryptophan supplementation first. Don't go overboard, too much is as bad as not enough.

[perrin]

So el dirtbag has been doing really, really well lately with other dogs which is fantastic. But a problem that he's always had and that isn't getting better is he's just so excited or anxious at dog school and out on walks. I can't tell which it is, or whether one leads to the other, ie. excitement builds to a point where it becomes anxiety.

He shakes a lot, pants heavily, pees on everything he can find in an almost manic way (apparently this can be stress related), pulls hard until he's reminded not to, whines and ends up yawning a lot while whining.

I've calmed down so much now, but he just doesn't seem to be changing at all. We're doing positive, reward based training which he's taken to really well, bit of clicker work in there too which once again he responds to well.

The problem is mostly when he's not doing something, just sitting still in class. It doesn't appear that any one thing is setting him off, it's just the environment itself. I'm allowing him to socialise with other dogs a lot more which I'm hoping will help a little as before this he wasn't really going near them, but then again if he's all excited about saying hi maybe that'll make things worse? Argh I don't know!

He gets a few drops of rescue remedy before class which *might* help, but it's so hard to tell. I'm probably going to ask the vet for any ideas and have been looking at some of those body wrap things that claim to help. I have some Chlomicalm around somewhere but am really hesitant about using drugs to calm him down.

Does anyone have any other ideas I can try?

I can't help but our Georgie sounds very similar. So i know exactly where you are coming from.

She is shocking at dog obedience. Some weeks i wonder why i bother yet i still perservere with her.

Yesterday she was hyped up and anxious. Spent most of the class barking, whining, yawning and rolling around on the grass. Oh yes and distracted, hanging off the end of the lead. She will even do backflips in the air. It makes me feel like the cr*ppiest dog owner.

It is the only time she behaves that. At home she is fine. We go out together and she is fine. We visit people in their homes and she is fine. We got to dog obedience and she loses any ability to think. It's embarrassing and makes you feel like a failure.

Yet at home she can be handled by the children aged 7 and 4. They have taught her tricks. How to beg, crawl, roll over and have her fetching their balls for them when they play cricket!

Yesterday was awful. I was feeling sick and i don't know whether she was more tense because i myself was feeling anxious, but i could barely get anything out of her until the end of class when i walked her off by herself and spent one on one time with her.

During classes i often have to walk her off until she settles before rejoining the others in the classe.

[jaybeece]

A couple of things in there suggest to me that it might be worth experimenting with diet. If he is able to learn new behaviours and responds well to behavioural training, but has a low-level background of nervousness, anxiety and a little hyperactivity then he may respond to some tryptophan supplementation (e.g "Good as Gold" for horses, or "Behave" paste by Troy). Add it to his breakfast each day and see if the whining reduces after a couple of weeks.

A little porridge for breakfast, cooked with some eggs may enhance the effect, or even achieve the effect without tryptophan supplementation. I'll keep it brief, try the tryptophan supplementation first. Don't go overboard, too much is as bad as not enough.

Ok, thanks for that Aidan Looks like it'll be worth a shot.

Yesterday was awful. I was feeling sick and i don't know whether she was more tense because i myself was feeling anxious, but i could barely get anything out of her until the end of class when i walked her off by herself and spent one on one time with her.

During classes i often have to walk her off until she settles before rejoining the others in the classe.

Geez, that's rough Perrin! My boy is easily the most worked up dog in class, but he can still work 99% of the time and he'll still focus on me ok. In fact ironically enough he's nearly always top dog in class, except for that damn kelpie with the perfect owner His obedience is great and we get used for demonstrations quite often. I just wish he could calm down when we're sitting still and just relax like all the other dogs do.

We do the walking off thing too when he's really lost it as moving calms him down a bit.

[Nekhbet]

perrin why do you plug on with dog obedience? Are you planning to trial the dog or are you just going because?

if your dog is obedient and you spend time taking it about places I'd chuck the obedience and if you have a problem get a good trainer for one on one. WHy cause yourself and your dog more stress.

We do the walking off thing too when he's really lost it as moving calms him down a bit.

because the dog is moving, thinking and there is a level of distraction involved. As soon as you stop *BOOM* explosion of anxiety again because there is little leadership or conditioning in the dogs. They are not learning there is a way to express their anxiety in a health way they just carry on like pork chops. You have to rethink the way training is being dog. If the dog is hyper, doing flips etc And why is your instructor not helping you?

Perrin if you're in Melb you're more then welcome to join us, we'll kill two birds with one stone and work on some calming and focus exercises.

Edited November 30, 2009 by Nekhbet