NEED HELP WITH GUIDE DOG'S PROBLEM

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schnauzermom
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:52 pm

NEED HELP WITH GUIDE DOG'S PROBLEM

Post by schnauzermom »

I hope you all can help with this problem. I know someone who has a German Shepherd guide dog with a very peculiar problem. The dog seems to go through both anxiety and over-excitement attacks, or something like that; I'm not certain what they are. He would like to help her with this problem. He's tried Rescue Remedy, but it didn't have any affect on her problem.

He's consulted with the guide dog school she came from, and they gave him Springtime Stress Free Calmplex Tablets, but that didn't help the problem at all. The guide dog school has seen the dog on follow ups, they say they have no explaination for this behavior and don't know how to stop it, and they say nothing bad happened to her prior to him getting her that would have caused it. He's had her 5 years, she's 8 years old, and she's done it on and off all along. She's a very sweet, gentle, playful dog, and acts completely normal most of the time.

I've seen the problem in person. She screams loudly, whines, and fidgets. She did it in the car when we got to our destination, yet she was very well behaved for the rest of the trip. She also does it at other times.

Here's a list of the times he says she does this behavior:

Only in the company of other people.
After car rides, especially in new places.
Greeting people at the door.
When not leading the human pack outdoors.
When one of the human pack leaves.
When picking up a new human pack member or members in mid-outing?
No consistency with any of the above.

Here's is list of the symptoms he witnesses in her:

High anxiety
High excitement
Panick attack symptons
Wailing/crying
They switch on and off with the smap of a finger.
It seems like an over active adrenlin regulation (but the vet says she's completely healthy). Something that should stress her a little sends her over the edge and she can't help it. It goes the other way too. Something that would normally excite a dog, like seeing you, sends her over the top with uncontrollable happy excitement.

It can be very disruptive, as she does it both not being a working guide dog and when in guide dog gear.

I told him I'd consult with all of you on this group, because I trust your expertise above anyone elses. I hope you all can help with this
Schnauzermom
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