cradling therapy

Dear Dr. Fox,

I have a 4-year-old female bichon/Shih Tzu cross, Missi. She is absolutely precious, but when I take for walks, she is absolutely uncontrollable. When I try to calm her down, she bites me. It's the same at home if she sees anything move outside.

Once she settles down, she's great with people. How can I make walking easier and more enjoyable for both of us?
K.S., Fargo, N.D.


Dear K.S.,

Your dog lacks self-control (or internal inhibition), a problem that is partly genetic, but also most probably due to her being raised indulgently, over-permissively and with no boundaries being set early in life.

I see her as a “delinquent” who may benefit from “cradling” therapy (gentle, repeated restraint in a trainer’s arms) that should have been part of her puppy-rearing regimen.

I describe this technique in my book Dog Body, Dog Mind.

A similar therapy was developed by psychotherapists several years ago in Canada to effectively help adolescents develop trust and self-control.

anxiety wrap

DEAR DR. FOX: My 15-pound Bichon trembles whenever there's a thunderstorm. Holding her doesn't seem to calm her down.

Is there something I can give her to help? Someone suggested baby Benadryl, but what dosage?

D.R., Lake Worth, Fla.

DEAR D.R.: Ten to 15 mg of Benadryl may make your dog a bit drowsy and thirsty, helping subdue thunderphobia. But there are other, safer treatments.

Try wrapping your dog in a light cloth, binding it tight with Velcro or duct tape. An "Anxiety Wrap" is marketed for this specific purpose, having a calming effect on many sound-phobic dogs.

Some readers have told me that giving their dogs Melatonin before a storm (and on July 4!) had a calming effect. PetzLife's @-Eaze is a fast-acting calming remedy that may prove helpful for your dog. Ingredients include L-Theanine, tea and chamomile extracts that are safe and purportedly help animals relax without making them drowsy.

skirmish on the steps

Hear barking. It's Koa at the back fence.

Open gate. Kimo runs out. Goes to front yard, but then runs up Keith's steps
Barking and growling at the front door. It's closed, but Keith is going nuts inside.

Here comes Koa following up. He picks up on Kimo and starts growling too. Then Kimo goes after Koa and they go at it. I manage to leash Kimo and separate them. Then try to calm Kimo down. It took a little while. Then we go back down steps. I wonder what Pat is thinking.

Go up street with Koa unleashed leading the way. Kimo poops at Mamo's place. Koa comes back to see.

We go to Koa's house, but Koa continues down the street. We go back, get a bag, pick up the poop. Then go home.

[Sat 4/24, posted Mon 4/26]

Sonny's mom

RMAS out
Kimo runs back & forth, then pees on sidewalk :(
take out Kimo
Gerald brings Hershey / RMAS gone by the time we get up there
up Lolena Hill, Kimo wants to go back, make him press on
see Cheryl (Joey's owner) at bus stop. car being fixed in Waipahu
treat Joey, Kimo, Hershey at corner of Ilima / but then Joey barks as we leave
see Betty down street w/ Sonny (mom's name is Jennifer)
drop off Hershey w/ Allen / walk w/ Betty, Kaylen, Buddha
go to pick up Hershey, wait a little while as they play a little more
visit Maka, dog next door, move bag by him and he bites it, but not frantically running around this time

[Thu 4/22, posted 4/23]

Sonny makes three / three more names

take Kimo out / again reluctant to go
pick up Hershey / drizzly
see Kimo out w/ Mochi & Fifi / Mochi pulling to come sniff / cat's owner name is Jennifer
Aulii / see Sonny & mom, catch up on Puna, Dottie out w/ Hoku
then Betty comes w/ Kaylen & Buddha / take Hershey up driveway, Sonny joins them
walk w/ Betty / Nicole out w/ Cleo
visit Joey, treat w/ chicken jerky, Buddha sits w/ Kimo, Joey sits behind gate / Cheryl chats with Betty
retrieve Hershey / Hershey poops for second time

three more names to remember: Jennifer is the owner of the cat who plays with Paco
Renee is the name of the lady who lives down toward beginning of Puna
Nicole is the owner of Cleo, short for Cleopatra

Blackjack

Fumio called me the other day and mentioned that his dog passed away. Blackjack was a pretty big dog and was over 12 years old. Probably around 60 pounds or so. I don't know what breed he was. Maybe a lab mix. Seemed to be pretty friendly despite Fumio pulling on his tail and such.

Fumio would walk him several times a day to take him out to pee. [I took him for a short walk one time and he didn't exactly heel and was pretty strong.] He made it sound like a chore, and there were times when he pulled when he saw a cat. But I'm sure he misses him.

barking at the paper guy

Kimo's been barking at the newspaper guy who comes early in the morning. Like 3:30 or 4:00 or so. This started when the guy started driving a new van which is sort of noisy. Especially when he revs the engine.

Kimo would go to the fence and bark. Then I would come out and walk to the fence and he would go back, sometimes reluctantly. I'm trying to get him used to the new car (or was it a van?)

Last night, he soft-barked but didn't get up. So I held him lightly on the back of the neck and massaged him when he calmed down. And kept massaging until the van left.

We'll see how this goes.

This is like how it was when he was in the front and would bark at the paper deliverers. (Then I moved him in the back at night because of Melinda's complaints.)

***

This morning the paper guy came as Aunty Snips was getting ready to leave. I could hear soft barking and I went outside. Kimo went to the fence and barked. I touched his neck to move him away and he touched the back of my hand with his teeth and then ran away from the fence. Not really a bite, though I think I see slight redness on the back of my hand. Which is OK I guess. [4/18/10 a.m.]

***

[4/21/10] Kimo barked at the paperguy, but came back from the fence when I softly called his name. So I guess he's not really going so nuts now at him.

***

[4/23/10] Kimo softbarked. I went out, placed my hand on his neck and sshh'd when he softbarked. And massaged when he stopped. He fussed slightly, but made no move to run to the fence.

closing the door

Kimo was lying quietly by the ewa gate until Hershey howled or something. Then he started barking and didn't stop until I came out.

Then that evening he started barking for I don't know what. Maybe for more food, for me to come out, to poop? Anyway I decided to shut the door and he stopped barking. Then I re-opened it after a little while still quiet.

[Wed 4/14]

Then last night, I gave him a little food by hand. Went back inside and he started barking. I looked outside and he was barking while sitting. So I figured he must want more food. But I figured he had enough since I had fed him earlier, so I partially closed the door and he stopped barking. I guess he got the message. Then a minute or two later, I re-opened. No barking.

[Thu 4/15, posted 4/16]

Koa sniffs the small dog

Kimo barking. It's Koa loose.

Koa runs up behind Tsutsui house. I follow. See him sniffing the small neighbor dog. The small dog sees me and barks. Lady comes out and shows the small dog the slipper. I call Koa over and carry him down the wall.

Leash him and take him for walk back up street. He's pulling me. Reverse leash and have a more controlled walk.

Eddie drives by and sees me. Offers to take Koa with him as he's going to the store. But I say I'll take him home. He walks better (doesn't pull so much) on the way back.

Let him in the gate. He runs down.

[Sat 4/3, posted 4/4]