for the sake of anyone else who might be attempting to cope with severe reactivity -
calmatives always help. Have them on board a minimum of 10 to 15-mins before a known stressor
or trigger - here is a list
Pet Forums Community - View Single Post - dog body-language - and why it matters so much...

tip:
don't use just ONE - use a minimum of 3: one oral, one pressure/touch, one nasal. Using 3 or more sensory
routes means better & more effective help than just one, as they can magnify one another's effect.
EX: Rescue-Remedy liquid + T-touch body wrap with a 4-inch Ace-bandage + DAP pump-spray.
night-time barker -
botanical-lavender sprayed on a cotton-ball on a saucer atop the crate + Anxiety-Wrap + Pet-Calm.
& so on... don't be afraid to mix them, they have no interactions or dosage worries.

i've worked with extremely-reactive dogs - cutting the stimuli down to size with a Calming-cap
52 Weeks : 33/52 - Calming Cap | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

it makes anything more than a short distance away, fuzzy rather than sharp-focus. Read the photographer's essay;
her Aussie was a monster in the car, barking, lunging across the width of the car, snapping at the windows in a vain effort
to 'bite' passing vehicles or pedestrians at crosswalks, & so on.
here she & her hubby & 4 or 5 pets are moving house - & he's sleeping in the car! unimaginable.
a lot less-stress for everyone - including the Aussie, & safer, too. Driving while distracted is H***.

i've also used indoor viewpoints:
* an apartment slider with a stooge-dog on the far side of a parking-lot, SIDE-on.

* a car parked =====================> all the way at the end of a pet-supply store parking lot; watching
dogs come & go from 100-yards away, unable to hear their collar-tags jingle - just see them move, at a lo-o-ong distance.



* take the dog to a parking-lot or the park & stay IN THE CAR - crack the windows; feed the dog breakfast
one tablespoon at a time, as dogs go by. No dogs? take a break; read a magazine. Another dog? feed...
it does not matter what the reactive-dog is doing, so long as she or he will eat. this is not contingent;
it's pure classical association: i see or hear other dogs? = i eat breakfast - or dinner!


i have also used disposable ear-plugs with cords attached - nope, not kidding.
insert one earplug gently after mushing it with a rolling motion, let it expand in the ear; run the cord under
& around the collar, then mush the other plug & insert it in the other ear.

one of these days, i may use these -
MUTT MUFFS - CUSTOM COLORS from Aircraft Spruce

intensely-reactive dogs are a huge, huge problem, especially when they have multiple triggers: sight, sound, movement,
proximity, food, a favorite toy, handling, certain age-range of humans, men or women, item of clothing/accessory,
loud environs, vets-office, grooming or other handling, personal space, a particular resting place [bed, crate, sofa...],
or other specifics.
try to REDUCE the flood to 1 or 2 or 3 triggers; then if the distance cannot be increased, reduce vision-acuity or volume.

~~~ ~ windy ~ days... are a common exacerbant,
if the dog is anxious & reactive on calm days with minimal breeze, s/he will be worse
on any day with winds over 20-mph or with gusts of 30-mph & up; they can't hear thru the noise.
ear-plugs or muffs can be especially helpful during a storm, or immediately before one.

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

a fellow USA-apdt colleague...

Are Black Labs Evil? « Wilde About Dogs

Effects of dog-appeasing pheromones on anxiety and... [J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2008] - PubMed result

JAVMA, 2008 Dec 15; 233 (12): 1874-82.
Effects of dog-appeasing pheromones on anxiety & fear in puppies during training, and on long-term socialization.
Denenberg, Landsberg.
Source: North Toronto Animal Clinic, Thornhill, ON, Canada.

Abstract -
OBJECTIVE:
Evaluate the effectiveness of DAP in reducing fear & anxiety in pups, & its effects on training & socialization.

DESIGN:
Randomized, controlled clinical trial.
ANIMALS - 45 puppies from 12 - 15 weeks of age at the [start].

PROCEDURES:
Puppies... in puppy classes were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 groups:
2 large-breed groups (1 DAP and 1 placebo group)
and 2 small-breed groups (1 DAP and 1 placebo group).

The investigator, trainers, and owners were unaware of treatment allocation throughout the study.
Classes lasted 8 weeks... owners [completed] a questionnaire before the first lesson & at the end of each lesson...
[EDIT: that's 9 questionnaires per handler/pup.]
Data collected included amount of learning and degrees of fear & anxiety for each pup.
Follow-up phone-surveys of owners to obtain info on subsequent socialization of pups were performed
at 1, 3, 6, & 12 months after the classes ended.

RESULTS:
Dogs in DAP & placebo groups... significantly [differed] re: degrees of fear & anxiety; longer & more positive
interactions between pups, including play, were evident in dogs in the DAP groups.
Data from... phone-surveys indicated that pups in DAP-groups were better socialized & adapted faster
in new situations or environs, [vs] pups in placebo groups.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE:
Compared with a placebo treatment, DAP was useful in reducing anxiety & fear in pups during puppy-classes,
& resulted in improved socialization.

PMID: 19072600 [PubMed]

____________________________________


Efficacy of dog-appeasing pheromone in reducing be... [Vet Rec. 2009] - PubMed result

Vet Rec. 2009 Jun 6;164(23):708-14.
Efficacy of DAP in reducing behaviours assoc'd with fear of unfamiliar people & new surroundings in newly[-bought] puppies.

Gaultier, Bonnafous, Vienet-Lagué, Falewee, Bougrat, Lafont-Lecuelle, Pageat.

Source
Phérosynthèse Research Institute, Le Rieu Neuf, 84090 St Saturnin-les-Apt, France. vet-comportementaliste@orange.fr

Abstract
[A] study... to determine the potential value of dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP) in reducing behaviours associated
with fear of unfamiliar people & new surroundings in pups newly [bought] from a pet shop.

The study was triple-blinded, randomised & placebo-controlled.
...66 pups (32 fitted with a DAP collar & 34 control)... & the... owners were contacted by phone 3-days & 15-days
after they had [bought] the pup, to question them about... reactions to specific situations eliciting fear.

15-days after the treatments, significantly fewer of ...the DAP-collar[ed pups] showed signs of fear when facing
unfamiliar people at home &/or during outings. This difference was irrespective of breed size.

PMID: 19502626 [PubMed]

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

Evaluation of dog-appeasing pheromone as a potenti... [Vet Rec. 2003] - PubMed result

Vet Rec. 2003 Apr 5;152(14):432-6.
Evaluation of DAP as a potential treatment for dogs fearful of fireworks.
Sheppard G, Mills DS.

Source
Animal Behaviour, Cognition & Welfare Group; Univ of Lincoln, Dept of Biological Sciences, Riseholme Park, Lincoln.

Abstract
30 dogs that showed signs of fear re: fireworks participated in an open clinical-trial to assess the potential value of DAP for the alleviation of their behavioural signs.
The treatment was delivered continuously into... each dog's home with a... heated diffuser. At the baseline assessments,
owners identified behavioural signs of fear that their dogs normally displayed re: fireworks, rated their frequency
& assessed the overall severity of their responses.
These measures were repeated at the final assessment & owners also rated the change in their dogs' responses.
There were significant improvements in the owners' rating of nine of 14 behavioural signs of fear... and in their
ratings of overall-severity of the responses.
[DAP] was generally associated with a reduction in the intensity of fear but the... responses of individual dogs [varied].
PMID: 12708592 [PubMed]

__________________________________________


Efficacy of dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP) for amel... [Can Vet J. 2010] - PubMed result

Can Vet J. 2010 Apr;51(4):380-4.
Efficacy of DAP for ameliorating separation-related behavioral signs in hospitalized dogs.
Kim YM, Lee JK, Abd el-aty AM, Hwang SH, Lee JH, Lee SM.

Source
Dept of Vet'y-Physiology, College of Vet-Med, Konkuk Univ, Seoul, Rep. of Korea.

Abstract
Dogs hospitalized in vet-clinics [often] show signs of separation-induced anxiety... The study assessed the effect
of DAP on 10 typical separation-related behavioral signs in hospitalized dogs.

A DAP treated group (n = 24) was compared with a placebo group (n = 19). There was overall amelioration
of the signs without 'vigilance' and 'anorexia' in the DAP-treated dogs; marked decreases were noted
in elimination (P = 0.038), excessive licking (P = 0.005), & pacing (P = 0.017). The results suggest...
DAP could decrease separation-induced anxiety, distress, & fear in in-patients, & possibly facilitate recovery
in hospitalized dogs.
PMID: 20592826 [PubMed]

____________________________________


Comparison of the efficacy of a synthetic dog-appe... [Vet Rec. 2005] - PubMed result

Vet Rec. 2005 Apr 23;156(17):533-8.
[Comparing] efficacy of DAP with clomipramine for Tx of separation-related disorders in dogs.
Gaultier, Bonnafous, Bougrat, Lafont, Pageat.

Source
Phérosynthèse, Le Rieu Neuf, 84490, Saint-Saturin-les-Apt, France.

Abstract
67 dogs that showed... distress when separated from their owners (destructiveness, excessive vocalization
& house soiling) & hyperattachment were used in a randomised, blind trial to assess the potential value of DAP
in reducing... unacceptable behaviours.

For ethical reasons, there was no placebo group... the FX of DAP were compared with the FX of clomipramine,
...regularly used to treat this... problem.
Undesirable behaviours decreased in both groups, but overall assessment by owners indicated there was no significant
difference between the two... altho there were fewer undesirable events in the dogs treated with DAP,
& administration of DAP appeared... more convenient.

PMID: 15849342 [PubMed]

____________________________________


Efficacy of dog-appeasing pheromone in reducing st... [Vet Rec. 2008] - PubMed result

Vet Rec. 2008 Jul 19;163(3):73-80.
Efficacy of DAP in reducing stress assoc'd with social isolation in newly[-bought] puppies.
Gaultier, Bonnafous, Vienet-Legué, Falewee, Bougrat, Lafont-Lecuelle, Pageat.

Source
Phérosynthèse Research Inst, Le Rieu Neuf, 84490 St Saturnin-les-Apt, France.

Abstract
[A] study... to determine the potential value of DAP in reducing stress in puppies newly[-bought] from a pet shop.
...triple-blinded & placebo-controlled. After their arrival at the pet shop, 32 pups were fitted with a DAP-collar & 34... with a control collar, according to a randomization protocol.
...owners were [surveyed] by phone, 3 & 15 days [post-purchase] to obtain info re: the pup's integration into the family, & particularly... any signs of distress shown... when [the pup] was socially isolated.

All the isolated pups from the control-group vocalized during the first night. Signs of distress, particularly vocalization,
were significantly lower in the DAP group on day 3 & thru the rest of the study; vocalization [over]night ceased
significantly sooner in this DAP-group.
The differences were [seen]... in small, medium & large breeds.
DAP-collars had no effect on the incidence of house soiling.
PMID: 18641375 [PubMed]
_________________________________


i don't grok why they refer to BUYING as ADOPTING?! twits.
however, i appreciate the data. [grump, grump...]

so that's
- puppy-class to 12-mos later: socialization & rebound from novelty
- unfamiliar persons & places, short-term [fortnight]
- known sound-phobia [fireworks]
- separation-distress in hospitalized dogs
- DAP vs clomipramine, Tx of sep-anx in the home
- social-isolation in newly-bought pups [short-term]

that is a broad range of symptoms & specific triggers; and every one of these was a 'related subject' on a single
page of one abstract on PubMed - it's not as tho i hunted thru a dozen journals to find a few successes.

Thank you
Linda & Boo

So Terry to sum this up...

You give the dog a calmative. This makes them less reactive. You then present them with the trigger and use food to create a positive association.

Is that the long and short of it?

__________________


Do you own a DINOS (dogs in need of space). To find out more and to find a walking buddy follow the link!


www.dogsinneedofspace.co.uk

Terry will post back, I'm sure, but yes, this is the long and short of it in a matter of sentences!

Building positive associations via food/toys with whatever is freaking the dog out is the ultimate goal, but sometimes it can be hard working this way when a dog is constantly becoming reactive. We need to get to a distance away from the stimulus so as the dog is not becoming reactive (under- or sub-threshold), and with the help of calmatives, this threshold can be reduced slightly, improving the practicalities of training and the mental-happiness of the dog! A dog that is over-threshold will most likely not eat or want to play with toys, as they have gone into shutdown.

I hope I have that right Terry!

It all sounds so straightforward
Linda

Yes! excellent summary.



the other possibility from shut-down in a fearful dog, is manic in a highly-aroused dog:
the shut-down dog contracts their body, averts their gaze, refuses to interact or stand-up, freezes, cowers, etc.
picking-up a dog who has shut-down can result in a bite; if U must move the dog for their own safety, a jacket
or a blanket over the dog's head can help calm them, & reduce the bite-odds a bit. A box-muzzle is safer, but can
also send a terrified dog over the edge - it's a judgement call.

the manic-dog OTOH leaps, lunges, barks, hackles, may re-direct all that arousal & bite with force, & so on.

having the reactive dog [whatever form the reaction takes] be aware, but not reactive is the idea.
they aren't capable of learning anything when they're over-threshold, they are awash in emotion & adrenaline.

anything that reduces the intensity of the stimulus is good:
- calmatives
- sensory mufflers [MuttMuffs for thunder; CalmingCap for visual]
- sensory competition [white noise on a TV or radio;
a pre-conditioned safe-sound, like New-Age massage music]
- DISTANCE
- reduced-volume of trigger sounds on a DVD for DS/CC sessions
- anti-anxiety or scrip meds

counter-conditioning is also good:
- deep-pressure wraps: anything from a super-snug T-shirt to a
T-touch style body-wrap with 4-inch-wide Ace-bandage, or an
Anxiety-Wrap or ThunderShirt; or simply hold a dog firmly.
- aromatherapy: condition the dog by pairing a calming scent
with happy, relaxed, safe times: botanical lavender spray,
apple essence, rose-oil, sandalwood oil, etc.
REMEMBER that such items must be used in happy, secure moments to retain their calming association -
at least once for every 3 or 4 scary times that they are used, they must be 'refreshed' by being paired with
very safe, secure, contented times. Otherwise they simply become a cue to panic.

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007

submissive or excitable urination -
the infantile version [which can persist into or thru adulthood, if we & the dog are especially unlucky] is INVOLUNTARY.
the pup or dog is apologizing for their very existence, grovels abjectly & whoops - urine. They are NOT doing it
on purpose, it is a part of the package of puppy-signals; unfortunately like many fears or anxieties, it's heritable
& some pups are more prone to it than others, or it is more persistent in a 'soft-natured dog' than an average
pup, who generally outgrows it by 12 to 14-WO.

the worst-case scenario is the dog with a heritable leaky-bladder which persists into adulthood & is lifelong;
Cocker Spaniels & a few other breeds can have this in particular kennel lines or families of the breed.



most soft-pups can outgrow this with some good management & some emotional support:

- DAP pump-spray for use before moments of worry or excitement - like guests in the house, walks, etc.

- an all-cotton belly-band for boys, or all-cotton panty for girls, with fully-enclosed elastics [no hair pulled,
skin pinched or rashes in sensitive places] LINED with a peel-N-press panty liner, worn indoors at all times.

i'd buy 2 - one in use, one for a spare. Carry a spare panty-liner in a pocket when U take the dog or pup out
to potty, or for a walk; check the current liner for dampness, replace as needed or at least once/24-hours,
to avoid bacteria populations booming & the subsequent risk of nasty critters.

- some awareness of body language & posture by the humans:
don't loom over the dog [stand beside & bend over from above], but squat or kneel beside, or SIT on a chair -
or sit on a hassock; call the dog to U to be leashed AFTER U're seated, so they feel comfy approaching, & so on.
always choose SIDE-on in preference to face-on, & avoid eyes-on-eyes gaze; glance at their face, smile, soft eyes,
look away, wait for the pup or dog to come over.

- as much as is possible, get down on their level --- or stand, sit or squat SIDE-on, not face-on; avert Ur own gaze,
which is a calming signal - or yawn & look-away. learn about calming signals in dogs, & use the simple
ones that humans can easily do; skip piloerection, bristled tail, lip-lifts, snarls, ears-flat, & so on; dogs do
a much-better job with their species-specific & anatomy-specific signals than we ever could hope to mimic.

- make interactions ON THE DOG'S TERMS - they come to the person, the person does not go to them.
look & act inviting and non-threatening, smile, bend, turn sideways... pretend this is a very shy young child.
coo. Talk motherese in a warm, LOW-pitched tone [don't squeal - no matter how cute the pup may be].

- IGNORE groveling, especially during transitions:
arrivals, departures, getting into or out of the car... REWARD calm: if the pup or dog stands still, if their tail comes up,
if their ears rise, if they take ONE STEP toward U - warm low-pitched verbal praise, soft eyes, short glances...
treat & re-treat:
toss a small treat past the dog, they pursue it, eat it & return; they take one step toward U? repeat indefinitely;
an entire measured meal can be fed by 4 or 5 guests, over the course of several hours in one day, just by looking for any
encouraging behavior, REWARDING it by giving the dog BOTH the kibble AND distance, & reset to watch for another
'opportunity to reward'.

Treat N Re-treat is a simple way to reshape desired behavior & build confidence.


DON'T FORGET to be an advocate for Ur soft or shy dog:
at the vet's do NOT let the vet-tech manipulate the dog in scary ways, what is perfectly OK for an average dog
is not-at-all-OK for a shy or soft dog! shove the dog's head under Ur arm while they are on the exam-table,
so the tail-end is free for the vet-tech to take a rectal temp without the dog seeing them looming above her or him.
hold the dog facing U & smile at her or him, chatting very quietly, while the vet examines ears, eyes, teeth...
help the vet or tech while making it as un-scary as possible for the dog-patient.

IN PUBLIC don't be afraid to tell someone they cannot pet or approach Ur dog; if the truth will serve, SAY bluntly
s/he is shy of strangers, or if the truth is not going to be sufficient, announce the dog is being treated for mange -
or just got over a terrible case of diarrhea from a nasty Norwalk virus. whatever works - i am firmly convinced
that a small lie to serve a far-greater good, saving a shy dog from the well-meaning assault of friendly strangers,
is forgiven by any Divine Force worthy of the title. the Goddess loves Her children - even the shy ones, hiding
behind Her or under a bush.

this does not mean shy-pups should avoid ALL friendly-strangers! oh, my, no! - just set the pup up to succeed.
have the stranger sit - or squat or stand sideways; let the PUP approach them, & sniff their feet; praise warmly.
approaching to sniff does not mean it's OK to pet! let the shy pup or dog investigate, unmolested; let them
offer first tactile-contact to the person, instead.
call them away to U for a treat - let them go back for another sniff. give strangers treats of Ur own, & have them
TOSS the treat past the pup --- sending her or him away to find & eat it --- & repeat the pattern.


when the pup is a wee bit older, with a bit more confidence, let friendly kind adults & children call the PUPPY
to them; if pup won't go, that's the end of interaction; offer them 2 or 3 treats for the Treat N Retreat game.
then walk on - maybe somebody with less height, no beard, not squealing, etc, will happen along, & Pup will be
more willing to meet that less-intimidating individual. keep working on it; small steps, many happy
lessons.

__________________
terry pride, APDT-Aus, apdt#1827, CVA, TDF
*wolves R wolves, dogs R dogs, + primates R us.*
tmp, sept-2007