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Yes, I would consider working with a Veterinarian Behaviorist. I am willing to try anything to help this little boy’s mind.
Bobbie-
I do have a treat and train. I used it on the weave video. I will use it more.
Today, I went to my vet in Tallahassee to discuss any internal issues for Gus. We will keep him on the Calming Care. I was given a holistic supplement that can be given daily to try.
Hopefully this new supplement will help facilitate what we are trying to accomplish with the new protocols you have given me.
I loaned the snuffle mat I had to a friend, so I improvised with an old rug. Ordered a new one. He calmed right down going to the mat before and after. YAY!!My goal on the weaves is to work around the clock in different locations to let him find the entry and work. I am using a verbal and trying to limit my movement in this area. I guess I am trying to be as calm as I can be in his chaos. The treat and train at the end has him driving to that location. The bowl at the other end keeps him from coming back to me doing his barking, dancing, etc… It redirects him to something. It seems the more rapid fire I am with what I want him to do, he is better. No lulls, no standing around, just go do something. One trainer that I work with said he had a malinois personality in a border collie body.
Thank you Bobbie for your input.
I have his blood pulled every year to see if anything is off. He comes back normal.
I took him to a vet in Louisiana. She put him on the Chinese herb Shen Calmer. He stayed on it about 45 days. It made him worse after about 3 weeks in. Discontinued.
I read about the gut and probiotics in dogs with anxiety, escalation, aggression issues. My vet in Tallahassee said they have been seeing good results with Purina Calming Care. He has been on that for 17 days. So far, I have not seen a change in behavior. I was told this can take 30-45 days up to 60 days before you may or may not see improvement.
Before all of this, when Gus was about 1.5-2 years old I took private lessons with a very respected animal behavior gal in our area. We did the snuffle mat, we did a game where I would drop random treats out on the agility field in areas and would play go sniff and find the treats. We would work a small sequence then play go sniff. We did Rally in the middle of the agility field with jumps and tunnels around. We did obedience and played go sniff without agility equipment around. We did the snuffle mat at the back door.
I took him to obedience class (same behavior gal teaching) where we did the snuffle mat. He walked around like he owned the place and would go lay down with the snuffle mat and chill. In an obedience class, with other dogs doing an array of stuff, he is very respectful and really never gets escalated.
I have 6-8 puzzles that I put in the crate with him or on the floor for games. Or when I need to get his attention, he will go to the puzzle and complete it at a very rapid pace.
His escalation is mostly associated with movement or an activity stopping or starting that he wants to do. Agility, a mower, a leaf blower, a water hose, me going to the back door. The most random things set him off. I can have him on a long line and throw a toy. He will wait until I release him to get the toy. He will drop it, sit, and let me throw it over and over again. He only gets escalated when the game is over and I stop or when I first bring the toy out.
I will get the snuffle mat back out and try it again. I will try the Super bowl game. I will try anything that might work.I did the first session of relaxation conditioning with Gus after our tunnel episode today. I took him to a quiet part of the house away from the other 2 dogs. I put the mat down and started chunking crumbles. He immediately laid down. 2 minutes in he is laying on his side, head up, only to look for more treats. He looked like he was sipping a cognac and smoking a fine cigar. This boy is truly an enigma! 🙂
Gus has escalation issues at the back door. I have done all kinds of impulse games at the door. Nothing seems to work completely. We only get to “manageable” with him. This afternoon he started escalating at the back door like he used to before impulse games. I let him out and he ran to the tunnel on the porch, jumped on it, and bit it. You can see the escalation before and after on the video. I did not get him attacking the tunnel on video.
I have 2 other border collies that do none of these things.
