Francyes85

Hi, Rooze! I’m going to chime in with a “froo/hippie/dippie” two cents also. Although our little rescue Molly is a Border Collie mix (BC/Doberman Pincher), the BC (herding) behavior is her dominant behavior; she’s very, very intelligent, and very, very sensitive to our tone of voice. If we speak in a gruff tone or swear, her ears go down, her eyes get a worried look, her tail droops and I realize the outburst and have to check myself. It’s like being in speech or diction class; she’s teaching us to listen to ourselves and be mindful of what and how we speak. In a way, too, she is teaching us about how to be respectful of each other and of her. Dogs’ ears are so much more sensitive than ours we really can’t know how a loud or gruff sound feels to them, we can only see their reaction; it may be actually be painful. When I realize what I’ve done, I try to immediately speak in a soothing manner, choose soft words and hum or sing lightly. That may sound weird but what happens she notices that the sound is different, it gets her attention, and piques her curiosity; plus my attitude is changed, i.e. no way I can be angry or frustrated if I’m humming or singing. I believe our habits are improved too, i.e. we swear less and are not as easy to anger. Since Molly’s a rescue everything has been a learning process through trial and error, so I can relate to your situation and agree with the advice to treat Max as if you’re starting from square one. That means you, too, i.e. clear your mind and be with Max in the here and now, not the past or the future. Dogs, especially Border Collies, are sensitive to our emotions and are actually mirrors. So, be mindful of how you’re feeling and if there’s something bothering you to the point of frustration, talk it out, maybe even talk to Max about it. Yes, “hippie/dippie/froo”. The other thing I wanted to share also relates to sound and to the use of tranquilizers. Thunderstorms and lightening were a real problem at first; she would hide, shake and pant to the point I was afraid she’d faint. But she’s getting better now thanks to several things: a wafer called Calm K9, relaxing music, acupressure point massage and a big brown ball. Calm K9 is all natural and I don’t hesitate to give her a partial wafer before a storm arrives; within about 10 minutes she’s relaxed enough to be in my lap and not digging in the floor or cowering in a corner. I introduced Calm K9 to several friends and family and it’s proven to be very effective for them, too. Frequently I play calming music; combine that with massaging her neck muscles (her main tension point) and she almost doesn’t notice the storm. There are many YouTube videos that are hours long and I find them relaxing too. The object with the massage and music is to override the instinctual or habitual response. The same thing with the big brown ball. I’m teaching her to play treibball and she LOVES the big ball, she will play with it instead of reacting to the storm, she will even go outside!! I also agree about keeping the cat away from Max’s food. The split nail definitely needs medical attention with Max under sedation; I doubt the Calm K9 will be a good choice but will probably calm Max enough so that your veterinarian can administer a stronger medication. I’m not a trainer, but if something works I’ll share it in the hopes it helps. Best wishes for improved relationships and please keep us posted.