corvus Posted June 7, 2013 Share Posted June 7, 2013 I can definitely see where hubby is coming from on consultation fees. It really is very high. Good lucky with Jo and the vets at Russell Lea. I hope they do the trick for you. Jo is fabulous to talk to. She is understanding and very compassionate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 So the Behaviourist gave you a 'diagnosis' what did they tell you to do about it? Her advice: *Obedience school which we did. *Start toilet training from the very beginning, if we can make 4 weeks without an accident we have succeded. If we have one accident we start from the beginning. The longest we've ever made it was 4 days. She had us us try crating but I dont think she understood how distressed the dog got inside the crate when we were not home. Last night I went out for 1 hour and put her in the bathroom in her bed with a gym shirt of my husband's. I came home and she had shredded the bathroom door. We've been told not to reprimand her for accidents as it is like car sickness and childern, she can't help it. It's pretty hard walking inside to find numerous wet spots and worse on the carpet each week though. Well mmm with all due respect I don't think you saw a 'Behaviourist' because a Behaviourist would have given you a program to work through the separation anxiety. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 (edited) Paddo Pup ..grab a (large) coffee and read this thread right through .... it will show you many of the ups& downs you have experienced, and many you have not!! it will also show the difference having decent professional advice made in this case. LINK TO THREAD Obviously each dog/home life/owner is different .. so strategies need to be tailored to the individual situation . Sometimes though , dogs are born nervous and sensitive , and repeated stresses worsen it ... then the kindest thing is to let them have their wings and find peace... I dont wish to sound like a know it all but the kind suggestions regarding exercise, food, zoning.... we've honestly tried it all. She goes to dog day care 1-2 days a week to socialise with other dogs and our local dog parks every day. My husband and I are very active and our dog is taken for daily morning runs and long walks as we notice she is much calmer if she has been allowed to burn out her energy. I cannot imagine putting her down, she's only 3 years old and so full of life, playful and affectionate. She's touched all our friends and family so much since we got her. My father for example always hated dogs (crazy!) and I have overheard him babytalking to her! I really am at my wits end though. I just dont know what else to try besides dog diapers and more drugs. I have printed off the very helpful notes from Great Dane Rescue and there are some new ideas in there we can try especially regarding leadership. We so wanted to do the right thing by adopting a rescue dog and whilst we love her to bits our journey has been very difficult. We didn't even know what separation anxiety was until 2 months after we adopted her and now it seems to rule our life. I've sent you a program that has yet to fail so it's up to you if you choose to use it or not. If you 100% commit to it and you see no improvements in 2 weeks then I suggest you see a VET Behaviourist and consider some medication. I'm not being oblivious to serious separation anxiety, we deal with an extremely sensitive breed and some of the separation anxiety we have seen is just incredible. I'd always suggest working to a program with 100% commitment and then if nothing changes you seek medication. Edited June 8, 2013 by sas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melzawelza Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 We are in the Eastern suburbs and we have had numerous discussions with our vet and our behaviour therapist. My issue is that she is so content and easy when we are with her that putting her down just seems so extreme and sad. Her story before us in not good, she had cherry eye and numerous operations, at least 3 homes that we know of after she was dumped and then rescued. I'm not trying to put down either because I don't know who they are and what you've been through, but if you're really serious about helping her I would see someone at Sydney Animal Behaviour Service in Seaforth. They are extraordinarily expensive, but no one in NSW is better qualified to help you handle this than Kersti Seksal. If she or one of her co-workers can't help you find a solution that will improve your dog's emotional state when you have to leave her, I doubt anyone can. I know of many, many people that have had no joy with Kersti Seksel, who has done nothing but prescribe prozac and charge $700 a session. Same people have then engaged the services of a behaviourist with a more realistic and balanced view of training and behaviour and gotten results at a third of the price. So I'd dispute that Kersti is the best and that if she can't help you no one else can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 who has done nothing but prescribe prozac and charge $700 a session. holy moley how can anyone justify that much for behavioral consults? Does that mean only 2% of dogs deserve to be cured because their owners can actually afford that price? Wow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 It's more than that, now, I hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 who has done nothing but prescribe prozac and charge $700 a session. holy moley how can anyone justify that much for behavioral consults? Does that mean only 2% of dogs deserve to be cured because their owners can actually afford that price? Wow. The area the clinic is in doesn't have a very high "pensioner" population Nekh - just about everything there costs big... *sigh* I grew up with the guy that owns Seaforth vet clinic - they lived behind us, and his dad owned the clinic back in those days. Let's just say that it seems like another planet when I go over that way to visit my cousins nowadays... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 It's more than that, now, I hear. Jeezus. Sorry but I don't see the value in one single consult. If they took the dog on for a week and did intesive therapy I might think it's a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 We don't really know the outcome in that case though? It will be very interesting to know if the problem has alleviated substantially or not - I got the impression that the dog was confined to a crate where it was unable to hurt itself but otherwise was still stressed? JB has posted elsewhere more recently that things are much the same, and she is still managing the condition with daycare, meds and working from home. She is still sticking by her adorable fuzzy girl though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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