NW_MONTANA_BC

Thanks everyone! I have put in calls to 2 behaviorist one of which was Brenda Aloff. I haven’t heard back from either one as of yet. I decided to try and help Tucker threw his anxiety, fear or resource guarding, or what ever it is that’s making him behave the way he is. I have had 2 other BC that just loved people and show no signs of this type of behavior so this is kind of shocking to me. I will be heading to my winter home in Arizona shortly so I will be looking for help down there also. I appreciate the hugs and well wishes. Thanks so much!

Thanks Journey……Was that a polite way of saying I am an old man? :>)

Contacted my vet today. They referred me to a Michelle Peacock a aggressive dog behaviorist. I have put a call into her. Anyone here ever heard of her? She is from somewhere around Clare, Michigan. I will be interested on what she has to say. I am not sure how to vet her? Maybe I could get some ideas here. I also fitted Tucker with a muzzle. He has been getting use to it today with know problems. I thought maybe I could take him some different places with people around as long as he is on a leash and wearing his muzzle.. Maybe places like Tractor Supply were there are both dogs and people. I hope this is a good idea as I need to get him socialize better.

Thank You Ruth! I always have a 6 ft leash on him when I go outside or for that matter in the house. We play frisbee while he is dragging it when outside. Never had a problem. I have been working on his reactivity but apparently I am doing a lousy job. Tucker has never been out of my site even though I live in a remote area. I have always been very cautious with him as I have always known he may be aggressive to someone around me. Today I/we were taking by surprise unexpectedly. It is my fault as I let my guard down. Nether Tucker nor myself heard the guy drive in. Then all a sudden there he is. I am afraid now about the court thing. I have been uneasy all day waiting for the police to show up. I realize I could loose everything if that happens. I do own the property. Believe me, I don't want to loose Tucker or have to put him down. I am 70 years old and live alone. I have no family. He is all I have. I just lost my other BC Taffy in June. That was really hard on me. I had Taffy for 15 years then one day she was gone! The vet had to put her down. Tucker is 3 years old and I got him as a pup. Despite all his reactive behaviors he has always been the most loving dog to me. I believe I will make an appointment with the vet and see if medication may help and/or he could recommend a behaviorist specialist for him.

Well, it finally happened. I went out of the house with Tucker, just to the back yard to get a couple of things. No more than a couple of minutes. Someone pulled into my driveway without me knowing it, and was walking back to see me. Tucker took off for the guy and would not heed my calls. When he meant up with the guy he tried to jump up and bite him. Before I could get there he was circling the guy in a defensive mode with the guy kicking and yelling at him. He would not listen to me. I finally got a hold of Tucker and put him inside the house. When I got back over to the guy he had been bitten 2 times by Tucker. Both bite were hard and drew blood. I got the guy some peroxide and some paper towels for his wounds. He seemed to be pretty good about it but I feel a little scared now! That brings me to my question? What should I do? Tucker is a great dog and companion around me, but I can't keep him under lock and key all the time. I live on 15 acres with know one around me for 1/2 mile either way. I am thinking he should be put down. I hate to even think of that but I do not know what else to do. This is a very sad day for myself and Tucker!

It’s been a couple days since I have gotten Tucker back from the vet. I would like to say everything went smoothly but Tucker still was extremely unsettled. I had given him the Tranquilizer more than an hour before his visit, as the doc had instructed. Trucker still tried to bite anyone he could thru the examination and never quit growling even though he had his muzzle on. I felt so bad for him. At least the vet was able to exam him and give him a couple of his shots. After I got him home I noticed that his eyes were really drooping and he walked like a drunk dog. He stayed that way all day but did sleep most of it. I really hate doing that to him! The next day he seemed fine. The vet said his coat looked really good and that the Apoquel appears to be working well. He said that we will continue the Apoquel. His hair is growing back around his eyes now. He is not scratching no more or chewing on his feet. I am really happy Tucker is feeling so much better!

Tucker’s hair loss around his eyes is get better. I just finished up the last of his meds. I can see the hair returning. He still has a little bit of dry skin flakes but nothing like he did have. He has stopped chewing on his feet too. I am really happy with the results, and I am sure he is. He has been on Purina One Sensitive skin food now for a couple of weeks. I always squirt in 2ea 1000mg soft capped Salmon oil into his food once a day. He really likes that food. His next vet appointment is next week. Hopefully the meds I give him before his appointment will allow the vet to exam him.

I took Tucker to the vets again today to see if I could desensitize him somewhat for the upcoming visit next week. We parked right where all the people and dog traffic enters the building. His reactive behavior was on full display without even getting out of the truck. I worked with him, and treated him with the best treats. It took some time for him to calm down somewhat, but was never fully calm. It seemed to be more “what the heck is going on around here”. We spent about 20 minutes there with lots of treats and praise. We never even got out of the truck. I was really happy as he only made one little bark. One more trial visit there before the real thing.

I think he is doing better but it may take some time to get him comfortable with my process. I am hoping the fenzi classes will give me more tools to use. Yesterday the UPS guy came. As usual Tucker ran to the door jumped up, looking out the window, waiting for him to get out of his truck. I had him on his leash. I got the liver worst and rushed to the door before he started barking. I got control of his leash and put the liver worst in his face and walked him to him kennel treating him when he got there. He was reluctant to do so as he was really wanting to chase that UPS guy. It certainly was much better that him tearing down my door. Today the mail lady drives up to my mail box which is at the road, some 200 ft away. Sometimes she come to the door to drop off packages but not today. Tucker has learned her car, so it doesn’t matter if she come to the door or comes to the mail box. He ran to the front windows and starter to bark a little. This time I grabbed his leash and took him to his kennel not saying a word to him. I shut the door so he could not see and left him in there for 5 minutes. Of course he didn’t like that and wined and woofed a little. Both of these instances Tucker never got over the top. He does that when the people get out of their vehicles and come to the door. Progress? Maybe. There will be more training on this in the days to come.

Took Tucker to the vet’s office today to do some desensitizing. I took sharp cheddar cheese chunks and some cut up salami chucks for treats. We stayed in the truck for about 20 minutes watching everyone coming and going. Tucker seemed to be fine with that though seemed curious. They have a park bench beside the door so I took Tucker up to it to sit down for awhile. His intensity increased a little as he was curious of all the doggy smells. I just let him smell everything and treated him a bit. He seemed to be OK with people coming and going, though he was a little tense. He did not have a problem with the dogs leaving, though very curious, and watched them intently. Two times a dog came out and their handler walked them around to go potty and then brought them back in. For some reason Tucker did not like them going back in the building. He kind of lunged at them and barked. He was not out of his mind though. I jerked on the leash a couple of times and told him to sit and then treated him when he did so. After about a half hour we got back in the truck and went grocery shopping. I ask the people in the store for Liver worst and they said it was the same a bronsawger so I got some. Also got some yogurt and other meat products for Tuckers treats. $85.00 later we walked out of the store and went home. I got the yogurt and honey in the freezer now and some treats cut up. I also got a big chunk of liver worst ready to stick in his nose when the mail lady shows up tomorrow. I believe it was a very good day for Tucker.

I guess it would be messy if I have to smear fish all over my door! How do you make the honey/yogurt popsicle? It sounds good enough for both of us.

GCV………Thanks! Tucker and I are all signed up.

Honey? I am a bee keeper. I have lots of honey. I will have to see if it is something Tucker really likes. OK…..So the vacuum cleaner is a bad idea. Funny how these dogs associate toenail clippers with something they don’t like. Ha ha Tucker runs when I cut my nails. He does love cheese but I have never bought any squirt cheese. I will have to buy some and try it. He loves steak. I can see this is going to get expensive. I never had a problem with my other 2 BC’s. They just loved everyone! Thank You

I have enrolled Tucker in the first class with Sharon Carrol. Working with Reactive and Hyper-aroused Dogs. This is a Fenzi class. It starts August 1. There are 2 other classes that were all booked up but hopefully before this class is over with I will be able to enroll in them also. It’s a good start. Tomorrow it’s off to the vets office. No appointment, just some training. Journey……I am at a loss here. I don’t know what a HVR is? I thought about putting a vacuum cleaner at the door. He don’t like it. Do you have some more reward ideas. Liverwurst. OK. I will have to find some. Don’t even know what they are or were to look. I assume the grocery store is the place to start. I believe I am starting to understand the redirect to a positive behavior now.

Thanks Journey…….I went with The Purina One Sensitive Skin food. I don’t have a problem keeping weight on him, at least not yet. He eats most any thing the smells like food. I didn’t know until recently that grain free was bad. Maybe that’s why my dogs would eat so much grass. His coat is getting really shiny now. Maybe because he has been on salmon oil for about 3 weeks. I brushed him tonight and it seems like there is a lot less dead skin coming off him.

Thanks GVC …………Seems everything leads back to that terrible Breeder. I have certainly learned my lesson there. After this post I will be looking up Denise Fenzi’s classes. Beachdogz……I was going to answer your questions in the other post but thought it might be better in a new one. No it’s not just the vets office. I went to car hop style restaurant and the girls walking back and forth to the car was another place he didn’t like. I thought this may be a good training place as everyone will be safe. So I continue to go back there. Tucker is so much better there now and it seems to be working. I did take him to obedience classes as a pup. He learned a lot. I did not have any of this type problem then. I would like to go but I am not sure they would welcome him now. I am a snow bird. I spend 6 months here in Michigan and about that long in Arizona so an online class would be great.

This one I am to blame for. Tuckers temperament has always been a concern with me. He is very nippy around most everyone we meet. He has bit one of my friends. He doesn't seem to trust strangers and will bark aggressively when they come around the house or close to my truck. I have pretty much have gotten him under control in my truck now, but in the house thats a different story. When someone pulls into my yard Tucker will usually hear them before I know they are there. He will run from the front door to the back door barking his fool head off. Theres no catching him and he surely dose not listen to my commands. He totally blows me off. I had been researching on this site some type of solution to this problem and have found a couple things I wanted to try. So the mail lady come to deliver my mail and as always Tucker goes crazy! I meet him at the door and try and grab his collar to put him in the kennel for a time out. He is jumping crazily at the door trying to get at the mail lady. As soon as I reach for his collar he turns and bites me in the arm. This is the third such instance of this. He seems to be out of his mind at that point. I don't even know if he really knows what he is doing. He has done the same thing when he was in his big kennel in the yard. I tried to enter the kennel to calm him down and he bit me. Tuckers behavior 100% of the time when there is know outside stimulus is a very caring loving dog around me. He would never think of biting me. I know he lack socialization and I am doing more and more of that now. I just don't trust him around other people. I am keeping him on a leash in the house so I might be able to stop him and get him under control to put him in his kennel to let him know this behavior is un exceptable. I have let him him run crazily from door to door far to long. Now I am trying to stop it but I am not sure I am doing it correctly. I am thinking I might need a club now.

Elle you're right, I did have to hunt for the grained verity. Why did the food companies even go down that route of grain free foods. My vet at least don't approve.

Thanks Diane........That is exactly what I am going to do. The vets office is for sure a high anxiety environment for him.

I will be posting another thread about Tuckers temperament. In short it hasn't been very good. All my fault for sure. I have ordered some differed of food that has grain in it..Purina. Seems as if I use to feed him that but thought he might deserve better. Now I think the better food was what I originally started with.

I will look into the Purina foods. Thanks I have thought about Dinovite. I will get some a try it out. Tucker is a Blk/Wht long hair BC. I had though about taking Tucker to the vets office just to get him desensitized to all the commotion going on in there. He is at the top of his anxiety level when we walk in. It hadn't been an option until this last time. They're letting people and dogs back into the waiting area agin now. Because of covid they would make everyone wait in the cars.

I have had 2 really great BC that were adopted when I live in Montana. They gave me close to 15 years of happiness and nearly know problems at all. Tucker was the first puppy I purchase from a kennel when I got back to Michigan. Though I dearly love him, it certainly was not a very good choice at the time. Any Suggestion on a better food for Tucker? Seems like everything is grain free now. Apparently price is not an indication of the best dog foods as Orjins Tundra was not cheep! He did not mention Demodex that I can recall, but he may have. He did bring out a book and show me a picture of a dog with a similar problem, it may have been a picture of a dog that had Demodex. The vet was unable to touch Tucker to really exam him good. Hopefully the drug will calm him down next appointment so the he can. I really don't understand that as Tucker has been going to this vet for 3 years. It's only been the last 2 times thats it's been a problem. Thank you Journey!

Sorry I do not really know the breeding practices of the kennel though I suspect there not good ones. I know of no one else that may have a dog from that litter. As far as Tuckers skin problems I had thought maybe brushing Tucker 2 or 3 times a week would help. It has not. Overtime I brush him there is more dead skin then there is hair. The brush is loaded with it. The vet did say Tucker has a very nice shinny coat. I am hoping Apoquel is the answer but it's pretty expensive. Hopefully the next vet visit the vet will be able to examine Tucker a little more closely.

Hi everyone. It's been awhile since I last posted but I am back again with a couple of problems. I took Tucker to the vet today as he has been losing hair around his eyes and has bad flaky skin. I had noticed these thing coming on for maybe 6 months. About 2 weeks ago I decided to change Tuckers diet from Taste of the Wild High Prairie to Orjins Tundra hoping to see if maybe it was his food that was causing the hair lost and flaky skin. I also started giving him 2000mg of salmon oil once a day. He has also been inserting his feet into his mouth and licking them. His feet will be almost ringing wet when he is done. He has had a recurring ear infection now for the last year. Maybe 3 times. The last time I was at the vet Tucker tried to bite the vet and we had to muzzle him. This time I took him in muzzled as I new what had happen last time. It's just been the last 2 times that Tucker has had a problem with the vets. This time was even worse! The vet could not get near him to check him out. So we could only talk and look at Tucker from a short distance. I told the vet I had switched his food and started him of salmon oil. Apparently he was not a fan of a grain free diet and asked me to take him off it. He suggested a diet that included grains and meats like fish, venison and duck and to continue with the salmon oil. He also gave me a couple of prescriptions. One is Cefpodomime 200mg once a day and the other is Apoquel 5.4mg that i give 2 tablet 2 times a day. He made an appointment for 2 weeks and give me another prescription Acepromazine 25mg to give to Tucker on the day of his appointment I guess to calm him down a little before I brought him in. I have had on going problems with Tucker since I brought him home. I guess what I am interested in hearing about is how much of these problems is/was/has been caused from the kennel I purchased him from or at least his breeding. Some of you may remember that I got him from Jawanna Boarder Collies in Hemlock, Michigan. They seem to breed only for color and have little regard for much else. At least thats my opinion of them. Hopefully my vet can figure out some of these issue. I really hate to think I have to drug my dog to take him to the vet though.

Thank's D"Elle, that's what I am doing now. Heading back home from Arizona to Michigan. He's been great so far.