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Subject: Behavior questions

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Samsdad

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Posts:2

07/10/2010 7:59 AM
My girl Samantha is a recent rescue. She was turned in to the pound for her fence jumping. Sudden loud noises send her out to the back yard and sometimes over our 6 ft block wall. The 4th was especially terrifying to her. We blocked the doggie door and sat inside to comfort her. She hopped up on the couch and curled up next to me. She started shivering then went into heavy panting followed by loss of bowel control. I've had GSPs that were not big fans of loud noises but behavior this is extreme is new to me. Has anybody else treated this behavior with positive results?

Texas Belle User is Offline

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Austin, TX

MH
Posts:6936

07/10/2010 10:14 AM
What are the noises that set her off? Fireworks, car back fires, something else? If you know what sets her off, then you can begin working the problem. The last thing you want to do though is baby her. That only reinforces the behaviour. The way the dog sees it is positive reinforcement for being scared so she gets worse. I know some folks have had good luck with putting peppermint essential oils on the pads of there feet. Also, Rescue Remedy is a natural treatment. I have also successfully conditioned my oldest girl to tolerate thunderstorms. The conditioning is slow and tedious work, but can be effective. Good luck with your pup. Remember the key is figuring our the trigger or triggers.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

pixie bee

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MH
Posts:4118

07/10/2010 11:14 AM
The biggest issue I see is the obsessing. It becomes layer upon layer until she totally breaks down and looses bowel control. It will be difficult for you to learn how to redirect her and keep her focus on the redirection. I would start be actually bringing on what starts the behavior, this way you can control the stimuli and her. I would try not to use verbal cues if possible and I would be careful with food. The best way I know to distract a GSP is thru the nose along with motion which will enforce prey drive. Take some time to bring out her prey drive then use it as a focus for redirection eventually preventing the obessive destructive behavior. Best of luck and it may not be as bad as you think. Give her some resources to help herself and see will adaptin time. Francine

"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle

pixie bee

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MH
Posts:4118

07/10/2010 11:18 AM
One thing I thought of - my younger dog loves those duster thingies that look like a dead animal. Use it for lure coursing.

"Time with my dogs clears my mind, renews my faith, and lets me see the world as it is. My only regret loving dogs as I do, is the misery of their early departure." Robert G. Wehle

Samsdad

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Posts:2

07/10/2010 12:11 PM
Posted By Texas Belle on 07/10/2010 10:14 AM What are the noises that set her off? Fireworks, car back fires, something else? If you know what sets her off, then you can begin working the problem. The last thing you want to do though is baby her. That only reinforces the behaviour. The way the dog sees it is positive reinforcement for being scared so she gets worse. I know some folks have had good luck with putting peppermint essential oils on the pads of there feet. Also, Rescue Remedy is a natural treatment. I have also successfully conditioned my oldest girl to tolerate thunderstorms. The conditioning is slow and tedious work, but can be effective. Good luck with your pup. Remember the key is figuring our the trigger or triggers. I've had different things set her off from a Quick response from me....Like if I get upset at something and let out a "dangit!" To the squeek my tennis shoe makes on the tile floor. Thunderstorms or any sudden loud noises are not sammys friends. Maybe I shouldnt have used the word " comfort". It was more of a support thing. There was'nt alot of noises close to the house. I think it was sounds she could hear but I couldnt. She never "jumped" when she got scared, she just took being scared to the next level. She has gotten better. She use to run if I got upset with her or one of the other girls which I thought might have come from prior abuse from the P.O. She no longer does that.

Navilla

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Lawrenceburg, IN

MH
Posts:964

07/11/2010 9:47 PM
Hi there - I can highly reccomend the Rescue Remedy that Bev suggested - it works! Our GSP Osiris went through a period where he was deathly afraid of the noise our gas oven made when we turned it on. He did not ever have loss of bowel control but he would shake and whine and cower in the corner. We used the Rescue Remedy and attention redirection and he is just fine now.

Caryl, Dave, Baby Logan, and Osiris Lawrenceburg, Indiana

Texas Belle User is Offline

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Austin, TX

MH
Posts:6936

07/12/2010 9:03 AM
My oldest girl is sound sensitive. I have done allot of conditioning to noise with her to help, but I think the thing that helped the most was building her confidence. For that you can do things like obedience training with a class or better yet agility. Both are great confidence builders. You may have trouble at first with her being nervous in a class situation, but be patient and she will come around. You may always have trouble raising your voice around her. I know my girl, Belle, will look like the world is ending if I fuss at one of my other shorthairs, but she now understands she is not in trouble. In fact, she will come and tattle on my other two when they are misbehaving (she comes and sits next to me and just stares at me). Good luck with your Sammy and let us know how she is doing.

Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo), the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo) and the little Princess (Fauna) Yellow Rose GSPs "A dog has the soul of a philosopher." - Plato

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