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Post by BILLYD on Nov 2, 2009 15:24:31 GMT 10
Tom
Have you any ideas how to overcome a greyhound who has suddenly become "spooky" and slightly insular in his behaviour.
The dog was recently attacked by a "not so" domestic dog whilst walking, whereby he was bitten on his hind leg (no permanent damage), however since this traumatic experience the dog has completely changed his demeanour. Prior to the attack he was the real "alpha" type dog, but now he has become spooky, even to the point that he has now become very wary of entering kenneling area on race days. He has never been standoffish before, but now any new or different environment he faces, it has become nigh on impossible to take into e.g. vets, cars, etc.
Is there any advice, treatment that you may provide or suggest.
Thanks in advance
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Post by Tom Meulman on Nov 2, 2009 17:36:42 GMT 10
Hi Billy,
Mate, this is an extremely difficult one, and there is not one simple solution that I know off!
The fact that this occurred because the greyhound was attacked by another dog is difficult to counter, because to race successfully being in fear of other dogs is not going to help.
I can only suggest that you try and counter the situation on two different fronts at the same time.
Firstly, some work on a trial track and grabbing the lure on a twice weekly basis for two or three weeks is going to help somewhat.
Secondly, buy yourself a bag of Good O’s at the supermarket as I have found that most greyhounds absolutely love them, and have a handful in your pocket at all times.
Then whenever you have coached the dog to enter a situation that causes the fear reaction, pet the dog exuberantly, tell him he’s a good boy and give him two or three Good O’s as a reward.
If this is done often enough, it is going allay the fear of specific situations as the dog will go through it just to be rewarded.
Kennelling on race night is going to be tricky as I have no doubt that the Stewards are not going to be impressed if they see you giving the dog something in the kennel area, so this may have to be done on trial night, and the dog is just going to have to be happy with a pet instead of a Good O after entering the kennels on race night.
Tom
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Post by Joe on Nov 2, 2009 22:04:53 GMT 10
Tyropower Paste always worth a shot in spooky types, does definately help some. Tyropower Paste Tyrosine and co-factors to improve the attitute and concentration of performance animals COMPOSITION L-Tyrosine 400 mg/g Chromium picolinate 332 ìg/g Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) 30 mg/g Pyridoxine HCl (Vit B6) 10 mg/g Zinc sulphate 20 mg/g Actions TYROPOWER Paste is a unique formulation of the amino acid, Tyrosine, with essential nutrients and co-factors necessary to stimulate the mental state and improve mood and concentration of performance animals. How Does It Work? Tyrosine is a precursor in the formation of Adrenaline and Noradrenaline. These compounds stimulate various body systems. Tyrosine is converted into noradrenaline, which results in an improvement in mood and concentration. Tyrosine has been used for many years to treat anxiety and depression. Tyrosine plays an important role in the functioning of the adrenal gland, which is critically important in dealing with stress. Thus Tyrosine has an important role in reducing the risk, and effects of, overtraining or training stress. Tyrosine also stimulates the release of Growth Hormone, which increases muscle mass and reduces body fat. Various essential co-factors for Tyrosine are included in TYROPOWER. These include Vitamins B3 and B6, and Zinc. Vitamin B3 is also essential in the conversion of glycogen for energy, and the breakdown of fatty acids. Vitamin B6 improves the ability of red blood cells to offload oxygen into muscle tissue for energy production, and is involved in the breakdown of muscle glycogen for fuel. Zinc improves glucose uptake by cells, and improves endurance and muscle strength. These effects combine to improve available energy supply, and improve the mental state. Key Features & Benefits: * Tyrosine improves mood and concentration by stimulating production of noradrenaline. * Tyrosine stimulates the adrenal gland, improving the response to stress. * TYROPOWER paste stimulates the mental state and improves mood. * TYROPOWER keeps their mind on the job! www.naturevet.com.au/prodetails.php?pid=110 |
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Post by BILLYD on Nov 5, 2009 10:21:37 GMT 10
Thanks for the replies TOM and JOE, presently I am trying the "treat" method using Meat and Kibble, however I shall look at the Good O's as an alternative.
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