Any advice for helping a scared dog

[Guest Anonymous]

Since some idiot let off a load of fireworks in broad daylight whilst the dogs were alone in the house Lady has developed a whole set of fears of being left and going in certain rooms

She is a nine year old whippet cross. At the moment we are trying to go about our normal routine and just ignore her worries and occasionally "accidentally" shut her in one of the rooms she dislikes with us whilst we are doing something in that room which is what would normally happen. Is this the right way to carry on or would you do something different.

She really is miserable at the moment and does not even want to spend any time in the kitchen as that is next to the "scary room" where the dogs are left when we go out. This is the dog that usually is glued to our sides when we go into the kitchen as she is so greedy. She has her meals in the "scary room" as she always has and will come eventually if we have some food to give her but it is not possible to just "accidentally" drop some food when she wanders through as she just avoids the rooms unless called through directly.

When we are going out she will go to the normal room but usually now will shake when she knows we are going to go out and leave her.
The "scary room" has a DAP diffuser plugged in and a crate for sanctuary, when we go out she moves straight to the doorway and spends her whole time pressed against the door waiting for us to come back. Gnasher who is left with her is not suprisingly starting to get a bit unsettled by the whole thing - any more ideas gratefully received.

Dawn and a very worried Lady

[pyrless]

Another thing you can do is "practice" leaving in short increments so she knows you will be coming back, start out at 2 or 3 minutes and go up from there...and while you are doing that, give her something like a Kong filled with peanut butter or whatever she loves, so she gets wrapped up in it and hopefully "forgets" that you are gone! This does suck, I feel for you. Good luck!

[mouseatthebusstop]

what a thoughtless jerk, they should ban fireworks except for large licenced displays

[imported_Cassie]

There are a few calming herbs you may want to try including rescue remedy, Skullcap, Passionflower. Give approximately 1 hour before your dog has to face her fears.

Also read the following article. This may give you some ideas :wink:

There is no "cure" for noise phobia, but there are ways to try to reduce the fear. First, refrain from giving rewards or punishment. This is extremely important. Petting, consoling, or even saying, "It's OK," may be interpreted by the pet as a reward for the fearful response. In the event of comforting a dog during a storm, for example, it may signal to the pet that the storm really is something he should be afraid of. Similarly, the pet should not be punished for showing fear. This will only increase his anxiety level. Usually treatment includes three other facets: medications, changing the environment, and behavior modification.
Administer medications: Medications may be given individually or in combination. In some instances, the medication may be administered during an entire thunderstorm season. Others may be given when a storm or noisy event (Fourth of July fireworks) is expected. A common protocol is to give amitriptyline during the storm season, and valium when a storm is predicted. The valium or other quick-acting medication needs to be given prior to the development of any behavioral or physical signs of anxiety. If there is a chance of a storm predicted for the afternoon, the pet should start receiving the valium or similar medication in the morning. Pets who also exhibit separation anxiety may need a different combination of medications. Several combinations may need to be tried before the optimum regimen for a particular animal is determined. Many of the medications that would be used on a daily basis, e.g.; Amitriptyline, Prozac, and Buspirone, may take 3-4 weeks to see an effect. Examples of medications used include:
 Alprazolam (Xanax)
 Amitriptyline (Elavil)
 Buspirone (Buspar)
 Clomipramine (Clomicalm)
 Clorazepate (Tranxene)
 Diazepam (Valium)
 Fluoxetine (Prozac)
 Inderal
 Paroxetine (Paxil)
 Tranxene-SD
Alternative therapies have also been used with some success. These include melatonin and flower essences such as Rescue Remedy. These two therapies take effect within an hour of administration, and should be given prior to the storm or other fear-producing event.
Change environment: By changing the environment of the animal during the storm or noise, the anxiety level can be reduced. Changing the environment may reduce the volume level of the sound or help make the pet less aware of it.
Increase vigorous exercise: The pet should receive vigorous exercise daily, and more so on a day when the fear-producing noise is likely to occur. The exercise will help to tire the animal, both mentally and physically, and may make her less responsive to the noise. In addition, exercise has the effect of increasing natural serotonin levels, which can act as a sedative.
Reduce or block the noise level: "White noise," such as running a fan or air conditioner may aid in blocking out some of the fear-producing noise. Playing a TV or radio can have a similar effect. Allowing the pet access to the basement or a room without outside walls or windows may decrease the noise level. Closing the windows and curtains can also help reduce the noise. Some owners have placed foam earplugs or cotton balls in their pets' ears.


Create a safe haven: Some pets feel more comfortable in a small space such as a crate or a small room like a bathroom (run the fan and leave the lights on). Some pets seek out the safety of the bathtub or shower during a storm. (Some have hypothesized that a pet may feel less static electricity if on tile or porcelain.) If the pet is comfortable in a crate, the crate can be covered with a blanket to add to the feeling of security. The door to the crate should be left open and the pet should not be confined to the crate, which could dramatically increase the stress level. Some pets, especially cats, may find that a closet or area under the bed makes a good retreat.
Project a calm attitude: Pets are very aware of the mental state of their owners. If you are worried or nervous, this will add to the pet's fear. Your pet will look to you for direction, so keep an "upbeat" and "in charge" attitude.
Maintain good health and nutrition: Health problems may increase the stress level of pets, and increase their anxiety. For instance, a dog in pain because of hip dysplasia may be more irritable and prone to other behavior changes. Diets too high in protein have been linked to some behavioral problems. Consult your veterinarian if you would like advice about changing your pet's diet.
Behavior modification: Special techniques can be used to help change the animal's response to the noise.
Counterconditioning: Using counterconditioning, the animal is taught to display an acceptable behavior rather than an unacceptable one as a response to a certain stimulus. In this way, a negative stimulus can become associated with a positive event. For instance, the only time the pet gets his most favorite treat, game, or toy, is just prior to and during a thunderstorm. Dogs who enjoy traveling may be taken for a car ride, or cats who love catnip, may be given their favorite catnip mouse. (Dogs who enjoy swimming will need to wait inside until the storm is over!) After a time, the pet will start associating an oncoming storm with getting to have his favorite thing.
Desensitization: Using desensitization, the animal's response is decreased while he is exposed to increasing levels of the fear-producing stimulus. For noise phobias, the animal is taught to be calm when the noise level is low, and then the noise level is gradually increased. This process is generally more successful in dogs than cats. To desensitize a pet to thunderstorms:
1. Obtain a commercial tape of a storm, or tape record one yourself (commercial tapes generally work better). Play the tape at normal volume to determine if it will induce the fear response. If it does, continue with the desensitization; if not, you will need to obtain a different tape. For some animals, a tape alone may not work, since there may be a combination of occurrences that provokes fear, e.g.; thunder plus lightning or changes in barometric pressure. For these animals, darkening the room and adding strobe lights may more closely mimic the storm, and may need to be included in the desensitization process.
2. Play the tape at a volume low enough that the pet is aware of the sound, but it does not induce a fear response. For instance, the ears may be cocked towards the tape player, but you still have the pet's attention. In some instances, that may mean the pet needs to be in a different room from where the tape is playing. While the tape is playing at the low level, engage the pet in an activity in which you give the commands, such as obedience training or performing tricks. Give food or other rewards during the activity when the pet accomplishes what he is supposed to. If the animal shows signs of fear, stop and try again the next day, playing the tape at an even lower level. It is important that the pet not be rewarded while he is fearful or anxious. Sessions should last about 20 minutes.
3. If the animal does not respond fearfully, during the next session, increase the volume slightly. Again, involve the pet in an activity and reward it for obeying commands. Continue increasing the volume gradually for each session. If the pet starts to show fear, decrease the volume. Repeat the sessions in various rooms of the house and with various family members present.
4. When the pet does not show fear when the tape is played at a loud volume, you may want to try playing the tape for a short time while you are absent. Gradually increase the time you are gone while the tape is playing.
5. When the pet appears to have lost his fear, the sessions can be reduced to one per week. In most instances, these sessions will need to be repeated weekly for the life of the pet.
6. During an actual storm, use the same activities and rewards you used in the training sessions.
To increase the chances of successful desensitization, the training process should take place during a time of the year when the actual noise will not be encountered: if the pet is afraid of thunder or fireworks, try desensitization during the winter; if afraid of gunshots, the training should take place outside of the hunting season. In most instances, it is best to discontinue any behavior-modifying medications during the desensitization process. Consult with your veterinarian before discontinuing any medications.
Conclusion
Fear of thunderstorms and other forms of noise phobia are common problems in dogs, and some cats. Administering medications along with changing the pets environment, and using behavior modification techniques can help ease the fear. Above all, do not give your pet any attention or reward when he is showing signs of fear; this will only reinforce the fearful behavior.

[Guest Anonymous]

Thanks everyone :D

We will try to make sure that all the good things in life happen in the "scary room" and tey to reduce her fears a bit that way. I had thought of leaving a kong with her but as I leave both dogs together would be concerned that they would sqaubble over food - they don't usually but someone is always around when they have food.

We are already giving rescue remedy but I will look at the rest of the flowere remedies and try to come up with something there that may help her.

She has always been a slightly clingy dog but is now just so worried about me not being next to her when she is out. I help out at an obedience training club and will take her along with me for a while to have some practice recalls and stays with me moving a little away from her. At the moment her confidence just fades the second I step away from her - her ears go back and her head goes down. Hopefully if I can do lots of recalls where I am only a short step away and then call her she will get a little more confidence about coping on her own. I also got a good friend to do a little bit of heelwork with her (which she really enjoyed) and will try to build on that as well.

Hopefully she will start to get a little better as time goes on.

Dawn

[imported_Kat]

Desensitisation is usually the best route to take. Leave her in the room where she was scared with plenty of toys and leave her a few seconds before going back. Don't make a huge fuss, just simply open the door and walk away from her. Keep doing this and building up the time. The important thing to do is not to reinforce the fear by molly-coddling her and praising her lavishly when she has been in the room.

[imported_Matty]

Whippets are a little more timid than other breeds. Arent they?
I think every Whippet or Italian Greyhounds I have met have been nervous and startle easy. Maybe its the breed of dog that is making it harder for you to get her over the fear???

[courtnek]

my foxhound has fear issues, but to people, not noise or storms. The article is very good about desensitation. But another thing I noticed, which I think is even more important...are you yourself somewhat afriad of fireworks and storms? They take their cues from us. my sister hated storms and passed that on to our golden, who would hide in the tub.
They dont upset me, and so have not upset any of our dogs since I moved out.

[marion]

We've just had all this with Ruby. Been bonfire night here recently and the fireworks are like bombs. :evil: I've never heard them so loud. It got to the stage where she wouldn't go out for her wee wee last thing at night. She paces, drools and shakes. :(

I know you aren't supposed to pet them etc but it's soooooooo hard when she's practically on your lap frightened. I try not too but in the end I usually comfort her. Will try harder next time. :roll:

[Guest Anonymous]

Although she is a whippet cross she is also an all round sort of dog, we have done obedience, agility and flyball and although she has always been a bit submissive until this she has been my bombproof girl who I can take anywhere without any worries of her panicking.

She is still fine if she hears fireworks whilst she is with us - it is just when she is alone she panics. We have always been very matter of fact about loud noises so not given her cause for concern.

As Marion says the fireworks this year have been so loud it is ridiculous - some of them rattle the windows and make the floor shake and it was ones like this that went off when the dogs were alone. :cry:

She is now venturing into the kitchen a little more so I think we are making some progress. As soon as she even suspects we are going out she starts to shake and is really worried - we try the happy normal leaving but I think it is going to be a long haul to get back my happy go lucky girl.

Dawn