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YorkieSue · 08-10-2005, 08:31 AM

Hi Again everyone!!
I SPOKE TOO SOON. After a brief time of being my little love this morning, she suddenly discovered a place I forgot to block and got under the table. ALL OF THE GROWLING, SNAPPING, SNARLING AND ATTACKING came back. I had bile in my throat. The trainer had told me to absolutely LEAVE HER ALONE when she is in this frame of mind but that I could try ringing the doorbell to get her out. I did that and she came flying out--right to the front door--snapping, snarling and attacking ME--THE whole nine yards--AGAIN. When she reached the front door, I somehow managed, without getting hurt again to get her leash on her--thank God I left the harness on her--thank God. I said NOTHING. I took her for a walk brought her home and even on her leash she put her tail between her legs and hightailed it for her crate where she began the snarling etc. again. This is awful.

I took the long tether off her too soon, obviously. This is THE ONLY CONTROL I HAVE OVER HER and I guess the leash, inside will stay on her for a good, long while. At least I can get her out, feed her and get her to bed without worrying if there will be blood.

The VET-behaviorist DID mention prozac but also warned me that it can have the complete opposite other than the desired effect. I know this is true since I taught autistics for over 25 years and when we used Ritalin it backfired more than it worked. She wants me to work with Dixie for a week and then email her or call her to let her know what is going on.

Having seen what I saw this morning, I am more convinced than ever that the tether CALMS her. I KNOW that it keeps her from finding hiding places (while loose) and giving me a complete ulcer. I now know that once Dixie finds a hiding spot that this sets off a complete anxiety attack and that, from then on, the day is ruined. This poor little dog--I am having great difficulty believing what I am seeing since last Thursday. But I no loner believe that this hiding behavior has anything to do with whatever stung her. Like spec. ed kids, who suddenly develop an irrational fear of a place or person, dixie is now 'set off', triggered if you will by finding a place to GET UNDER. This cycle needs to be broken and tethering her seems to be the way. If I have to do this for the duration of her life, I really don't know what I will do--it's horrid.

But, right NOW, TETHERED, she is a happy little dog, playing alone and with me and well, I'm sad but happier than being attacked. In one week, I will call the trainer and let her know that now I have PINPOINTED the trigger for Dixie's horrendous aggressiveness and that I BELIEVE, even though not an expert, that ALL OF THIS AGGRESSIVENESS is being set off by her TOTAL ANXIETY--over WHATEVER--whenever she is under something. Hell, poor Dixie probably feels the anxiety coming on and THEN HIDES..this is probably truer than saying the opposite--that she is set off by being UNDER SOMETHING. NOPE, I have a truly high strung dog and maybe that prozac will be necessary. But at what cost? Will prozac compromise her liver? How often will Dixie need bloodwork to make sure that medication is doing no physical harm? And will it even help this particular situation which happens ONLY when she gets under or in something? Damn. Something is definitely aschew with her and I have no idea of the outcome. I do know that I cannot believe, for one second, that the moment she is like her old self, that she is 'cured'.

I'll call the behaviorist in a week and we'll discuss this awful situation again--but in a different light now that I have seen this nutsiness again today from Dixie--AFTER SHEWAS SO LOVING AND PLAYFUL all morning. Good thing I have a strong heart. Y.S.

08-10-2005, 08:31 AM	#43
YorkieSue Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: NY Posts: 96	Hi Again everyone!! I SPOKE TOO SOON. After a brief time of being my little love this morning, she suddenly discovered a place I forgot to block and got under the table. ALL OF THE GROWLING, SNAPPING, SNARLING AND ATTACKING came back. I had bile in my throat. The trainer had told me to absolutely LEAVE HER ALONE when she is in this frame of mind but that I could try ringing the doorbell to get her out. I did that and she came flying out--right to the front door--snapping, snarling and attacking ME--THE whole nine yards--AGAIN. When she reached the front door, I somehow managed, without getting hurt again to get her leash on her--thank God I left the harness on her--thank God. I said NOTHING. I took her for a walk brought her home and even on her leash she put her tail between her legs and hightailed it for her crate where she began the snarling etc. again. This is awful. I took the long tether off her too soon, obviously. This is THE ONLY CONTROL I HAVE OVER HER and I guess the leash, inside will stay on her for a good, long while. At least I can get her out, feed her and get her to bed without worrying if there will be blood. The VET-behaviorist DID mention prozac but also warned me that it can have the complete opposite other than the desired effect. I know this is true since I taught autistics for over 25 years and when we used Ritalin it backfired more than it worked. She wants me to work with Dixie for a week and then email her or call her to let her know what is going on. Having seen what I saw this morning, I am more convinced than ever that the tether CALMS her. I KNOW that it keeps her from finding hiding places (while loose) and giving me a complete ulcer. I now know that once Dixie finds a hiding spot that this sets off a complete anxiety attack and that, from then on, the day is ruined. This poor little dog--I am having great difficulty believing what I am seeing since last Thursday. But I no loner believe that this hiding behavior has anything to do with whatever stung her. Like spec. ed kids, who suddenly develop an irrational fear of a place or person, dixie is now 'set off', triggered if you will by finding a place to GET UNDER. This cycle needs to be broken and tethering her seems to be the way. If I have to do this for the duration of her life, I really don't know what I will do--it's horrid. But, right NOW, TETHERED, she is a happy little dog, playing alone and with me and well, I'm sad but happier than being attacked. In one week, I will call the trainer and let her know that now I have PINPOINTED the trigger for Dixie's horrendous aggressiveness and that I BELIEVE, even though not an expert, that ALL OF THIS AGGRESSIVENESS is being set off by her TOTAL ANXIETY--over WHATEVER--whenever she is under something. Hell, poor Dixie probably feels the anxiety coming on and THEN HIDES..this is probably truer than saying the opposite--that she is set off by being UNDER SOMETHING. NOPE, I have a truly high strung dog and maybe that prozac will be necessary. But at what cost? Will prozac compromise her liver? How often will Dixie need bloodwork to make sure that medication is doing no physical harm? And will it even help this particular situation which happens ONLY when she gets under or in something? Damn. Something is definitely aschew with her and I have no idea of the outcome. I do know that I cannot believe, for one second, that the moment she is like her old self, that she is 'cured'. I'll call the behaviorist in a week and we'll discuss this awful situation again--but in a different light now that I have seen this nutsiness again today from Dixie--AFTER SHEWAS SO LOVING AND PLAYFUL all morning. Good thing I have a strong heart. Y.S.