posted 09-30-2003 04:31 PM         

I have a Golden Retriever about 7 years old.
We did the training thing,....even the trainer thought he had a lot more attitude than most.

Well I have had increasing problems with him (Sabaah) and finally found a dog psychologist. I don't have all the answers but here is what I know and what I have tried.

Firstly there is a new product out from France which didn't work with Sabaah but that doesn't mean it won't work with your dog. It is called Dap and is a Dog Appeasement Pheromone which plugs into the wall like an air freshner. It is supposed to simulate a doggy mother's pheromone.

Sabaah has two problems, one is sound phobia and this started first. We have a building site close by and various sounds like gunshots, backfiring cars and even popping balloons, cause him to have 'anxiety' sessions, these can be identified by the racing heart, the stressed pacing and clawing, the need to be near you, and so on.
He ids somewhat uncontrollable without medication when this happens.
The second problem of separation anxiety has got very bad since the sound phobia increased.

We had a freak hail storm, thunder while I was out and he took out two wooden door frames. He frequently damages doors in order to get out when sounds scare him and no one is home.

He is on Fluox (Prozac) and Valium - both human drugs.
He is much more controllable and at ease, so long as someone is around.

I am working on the separation anxiety and am hoping that when the construction site is finished that he will be more relaxed.

Some relaxation feeding, where you have small foods, in your hand, and raise each piece in a three pattern action,
take food say sit
say stay
then as you say look, raise the food to your eye and then pass it to the dog.
You end up feeding like this for 2 or 3 minutes and this creates a seratonin release in the brain (I think) which relaxes the dog.
So it is
Sit .... Stay .... Look (food at eye) ...then feed the food to him.
By getting the dog to look attentively and remain sitting in front of you feeding slowly, this relaxes them.