Raw Food Diet, Day 605- Lessons in Prozac

Hi guys! Guess what? Yesterday I hit the 3-week mark since starting my medicine, and now my folks are allowed to really focus on my training and re-conditioning. It is SO FUN!! And I think that this is the first time I have ever really enjoyed it.
Today mom and I went on a super long, super awesome walk to the bark park. I got kind of distracted a few times heading out there, but I always brought my attention back. That's big news! There were a few extreme stressors that unfortunately we were not able to avoid - like the above-ground train that comes roaring about my head. I HATE IT!! It makes me tuck my tail, twitch, try to run and scream as loudly as I can. But on this walk I was able to do Sit Like Good Boy and Shake while feasting hard on beefy jerky treats. I also tried really hard to nibble a big treat from mom's hand while the train passed, and I think I was a little rough on her with my feasting teeth because I was so nervous. Sorry mom!

We made it to the park and I played the entire time. I was also picked on by this big dog whose human kept saying "He doesn't bite, don't worry" and mom got really mad because ALL dogs can bite! And wouldn't you know... this dog got himself a mouth full of Stanislaw - TWICE!! That human had to do the walk of shame from the park with his meany pup, but being the party animal that I am I didn't let it get to me (I wasn't actually injured). I continued to romp and play like a wild beast. I did absolutely no screaming whatsoever, and although I'd go through the motions that start me off on my running/screaming patterns, I never actually completed a single one. More big news!!

On the walk home I was tired and enjoying a decently wet belly (thanks sprinkler!) so I did Heel Like Good Boy almost the entire way. I kept making eye contact with mom ON MY OWN and feasting on treats like crazy! Again, there was no screaming during our walkies and barely any whining either. I'm NEVER EVER quiet when I'm outside!!

So, with our first day of training done I'm thinking that I made my folks pretty proud. I still suffer from many of my symptoms, but they seem to have significantly released their grip on me. I definitely need to work through the habit portion of my behaviors, but the fact that things like reflections and lights now rarely send me into a frenzy shows us that my little blue pill is doing its job. I still twitch on the rare occasion and I still cave, but I'm more "conscious" when doing it. The portion of my loonies that would make me manic has toned down a lot and now I can do something my people really seem to enjoy. It's called "Focus." And I don't even have to try that hard!

Now, don't get me wrong - I'm still my hyperactive, party-lovin', stink-breathin', Gumby-esque self, and all that is Stanislaw is very much present. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm still totally crazy...

...CRAZY BEASTLY!!!

Prozac-ed and ready for action,
Stanislaw

Raw Food Diet, Day 591- Beasts and Their Boats

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Big Pupi talks about his big day:

I had SUCH AN EXCITING day today! But before I get into that, I'll give you a little update on my brother~
Stanley has been on his medication for over a week now, and boy-oh-boy is it helping! The intense snoozely side effects passed after only 2 days, and since then he's been steadily climbing uphill. Mom hasn't caught him doing one single fly-biting twitch, and although he still whines a lot he doesn't really scream anymore when outside. Also, when we are out for our runs about town my people are able to get Stanley to "watch me" and "sit, wait" when we're stuck at a red light. It's fairly easy to get his attention now! He'll even "come, sit" during our potty walks outside! (All for cheese and beefy jerky, of course.)

My bro is still a wild and wacky, hyperactive cocker spaniel, but that dark, manic part of his personality is fading. He just seems happier - lighter, almost. Furthermore, Stan will begin a compulsive behavior and then never follow through with it. For example, he'll look into the TV to see the reflection, and instead of getting all crazed and obsessed he'll just sniff and walk away. Same goes with his bark park patterns - he'll go to one of his "stations" out of what looks like habit, and the compulsion to run his pattern never actually kicks in. He'll stand there for a moment before turning and looking for a fellow party animal to thrash with. Normally we'll lose him to one of his triggers and patterns, and never really get him back for the rest of the day. It's AMAZING! My folks are so proud of him.
He's been getting extra squenches and snugs for being so Good Boy-ish. I'm jealous! My people are going to try their best to keep from pushing him too far too fast, and we still have another 2 weeks before the Prozac builds up in his body. They will develop a training plan once they see where he's at then.

Now onto his more intelligent and gracious older brother ... ahem, ME.

Today I got to go on a doggy boat cruise with my fellow therapy dog friends! Mom and I got up nice and early to make it to the ticket booth on time, then I got to shake my tail feathers at these awesome canines while we waited to board.
There were SO MANY lady chihuahuas also in line that were not with our group. I was in HEAVEN!! I LOVE wee lady chihuahua doggettes! I made sure to flex my rippling muscles and prance all manly-like to convince them of my beastliness.

I was determined to snag a seat at the front of the boat so that I could get first dibs on any stinks and smells. But first, I made sure to ask mom if it was okay with her that I sit on her lap for the ENTIRETY of the 90-minute trip.
I didn't like this dog too much because he kept trying to break into mom's bag and eat all my Good Boy cheese bit treats, but I have to admit - dude could pose for some good photo ops.It was gloriously sunny and I relaxed under the toastiness of the sun's rays.On our exit from the river in to the lake, we saw these crazy bee-hive buildings. Can you imagine the size of those bees!! I've eaten a few bees in my lifetime and let me tell you... those guys are SPICY!!Once in the lake we saw my aquarium and stadium (I have weebled on the lawns and therefore they belong to me.) I prefer to call them the Underwater Feasting Center and Supreme Dog Park.
I became very interested in this crazy ball/balloon thingy and wondered what king of fetch is played with something that large. I figured it was probably Great Dane sized but didn't smell any horse dogs on the horizon. I was confused.
The ball got even bigger the closer we got to Navy Pier (also mine).
Our human boat speaker guy said that this lighthouse was once rented to a human for $1 a year as long as he took care of the lighthouse. He lived there for a few years before being evicted for being too much of a party animal. I wonder if he ever met Stanley.
These onlookers were all juicy and delicious. I took much interested in both of them, but they honked at me in mocking since I couldn't actually give chase.
This is Merchandise Mart. It was built by Marshall Fields as a place for all Chicago merchants to sell their wares. Its grand opening took place about 90 hours before Black Friday, after which the building went bankrupt. Fields had to sell the building to the Kennedy family for about $12 million in cheese money. They held the building for over 60 years before selling it to another company for over $700 million. I wonder how many chickens and goats you can buy with that...
This building was the famous Sears Tower, but now it's called the Willis Tower. I hope my name never gets changed like that! There are also rumors that it will be turned silver. Remind me to weeble on this one later.Towards the end of our visit I spotted the most important and well-named landmark of all~~ this boat!!Our boat eventually docked and I said bye to my buddies. Mom and I headed home and I did a little of this:That is... until I saw her giving some unearned attention to Stanislaw. So I grabbed a piece of cardboard from the rubbish and pranced about trying to steal her attention away.
It worked! I was so Good Boy today that I DESERVE all of the attention!
We hope everyone enjoyed their weekend!

Snoozeling with my cardboard,
Big Pupi

Raw Food Diet, Day 584- My little blue pill

Hello to my bloggerini friends out there. I survived my trip to the Place of Tile and Steel and let me tell you... it was AWESOME!!

My doctor is crazy nice, and she got down on the floor and played with me while she and my mom chatted. I got lots of snugs and scritches! Then she gave me a quick once-over which meant even more hugs and pets. And that was it!! No pricks, no pokes, no nothing but attention and some sort of listening device held to my chest. It was a breeze. I almost wore out my tail muscles.

A few hours later, my mom disappeared to a human pharmacy and grabbed my fancy new human prescription - Prozac - 10mg per day. (Otherwise known as Fluoxetine.) It is a Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor and over the course of the next 3 weeks it should provide me with a bit of a coping ability as well as a window through which my humans can begin my training and conditioning. And hopefully it will eradicate my need to do repetitive things like this:That's me caving. My dad's legs are my favorite place to stand under and freeze, and I'll do it every chance I get - whether he's sitting in a chair or stretching before a run. I'll even try to wedge myself underneath him while he's doing push-ups! I just can't help myself.

So far I've had 2 doses of my new medication - one each morning. The first dose really did nothing, but today I'm a bit more chill than normal and tad sleepy. The vet warned that sleepiness is a common but temporary side effect and should go away as my body adjusts. Mom is feeling so guilty about having to dose me every day that she decided to "look the other way" when I did Naughty Boy and hopped onto the human crate and into dad's warm, snoozely arms.
Awww man. It was SOO COMFY!! I was totally chilled out until I saw Big Pupi's wrastly butt come flying onto the bed.
He was totally trying to get in on my "dad and son" moment! But when I realized that he just wanted to snug with mom (total mamma's boy!!) I relaxed again.
And I got super snoozelish.
Once Big Pupi hit the sheets he also was overtaken by the sleepies.
So much so that he couldn't even be bothered to move himself from the optimal belly-rubbin' beggin' position.
We finally woke to the sounds of our leashes and the rustle of pooble bags. We were going on a fast hunt to PetSmart!! Our totally awesome dog pal Giggles got my bro and me a gift card wedding present and Pupi and I could pick out anything we wanted! Pupi got a fancy new red harness that's only for therapy work and formal outings. (Mom says our running harnesses get super stinky - I have no idea why that's a bad thing!) BP also got a stuffy hamburger, and I got a stuffy puppy rope tug toy and a Kong frog stuffy. Super awesome!

Even though it was a long walk/run to the store, Pupi and I were really antsy when we got home, so our folks made us treat puzzles to work on.
I got my Everlasting Fun Ball filled with beef jerky and dried salmon~
~and Pupi got his Tornado puzzle toy filled with little bits of the same. As usual, he had that thing empty in mere minutes! Here he is stealthily removing one of the locks:
After all this, I was seriously pooped. Whether it's drug or exercise-induced my folks aren't quite sure. Regardless, I had a belly that needed rubbing. I told my folks it would be good luck.
But I couldn't balance that way for long. My beasting muscles were too sleepy! So I snugged in with CarrotTop and let the snoozels come in waves. (See my crazy pokey rib?)
But the snoozels didn't just wash over me - they hit me like a ton of bricks.
Wake us for dinner, mom.

Your pal in feasting,
Staniszszzzzzzzzzz zzzzz

Raw Food Diet, Day 498- A Good Egg

Hi fellow feasting friends! My stinkbutt bro and I have been chillin' like villains on this Sunday morning. It's just a super laid-back drizzly day.Yesterday, on the other paw, was a rather exciting day for me. I got to go on a long walk with my family to the PukeMobile, and we took a nauseating ride to the Place of Tile and Steel. And you know how a trip there can get your adrenaline pumping!! Normally, visits to the vet go a little something like this:

I make my dramatic whining, lunging, and sliding-about entrance and my folks attempt to have me Sit Like Good Boy on the scale. After many only slightly successful attempts and a guess at the final poundage, I'm dragged to the back of the waiting area where my whines turn into screams and wails and I leap at the window and thrash to get at any fun-looking dog that might be hanging out there with me. I become totally manic and move in double-time. Once the humans that work at the front desk can no longer answer phone calls or hear themselves think, they usher me into an exam room to wait "where I'll be less excited" until the doctor is ready. In that little room, I continue with my futile attempts to grip the floor and my shrieking elevates in that voice-enhancing little space. My people hold me, pace around, offer treats - but NOTHING soothes the beast. When the doctor comes in I'm PUMPED and every piece of me heads off on its own trajectory and I thrash about with way too much excitement. If I'm not being held or touched I'm busy screaming and staring into the reflective garbage bin that sits under the exam table and the humans can't hear each other talk. After all this, the vet gives up on conversation and writes everything out on paper for my people to read, then they make my folks check out in the little room and we run out the door to go home.

Not too terrible, right? SO NOT!! At least I don't think so.

But yesterday's trip was a little unusual. Prepared for the worst, my folks came armed with treats and the knowledge 0f how these visits generally unfold. We zoomed up to the check-in counter and I was gingerly place on the scale to get my weight. Mom half-heartedly held a treat and told me to "Sit Like Good Boy and Stay, Please, Just for a second longer, Wait, Don't Move, Hold On"... And I did. I didn't take my eyes off that treat and my bum didn't move an inch. Hmmph. And then we scooted to the back of the waiting room, my people preparing themselves and their ear drums for the screaming to commence, as dogs and doctors and techs swirled around us. Boy was I into it! I was so excited! There was one totally awesome looking Golden Retriever near us and a Golden Doodle puppy that looked like a party animal!! Big Pupi was busy doing Good Boy stuff for treats but I was taking it all in. Tail wagging, bum bouncing, body buzzing. And just when it all seemed like too much, my people were certain that this was the moment... Stanislaw's about to EXPLODE!!!!

I lied down.

I placed my belly on the cool floor, pressed my legs back frog-style and exposed the ol' groin to the fabulous iciness. I stayed there relaxed, observing, interested, and quiet. YES... QUIET. I performed some tricks for mom. Shook with my right leg. Shook with my left. Earned myself some little treats. And we were never banished into the little lonely room to wait out our waiting time.
Eventually we were brought back and my doctor met us. Boy was I happy to see her! I wiggled and woozled and presented my bum for her bum-scritching delight. When she lifted me onto the table I'm pretty positive I gave her more kisses and wet willies than she has EVER had before. It was so awesome!! She gave my ears and my teeth an A+ and said that I am the beastliest of all beastlies. She stole some of my blood (I didn't care much), shoved a thingy up my schnozzle, and then talked shop with my folks.

I've been feasting on 1.5mg of melatonin with breakfast each day for about a week now, and at first I didn't really notice anything. But as the week went on I kept forgetting that I was supposed to scream, and I figured that sizzling sounds aren't that scary after all. (I heard some major sizzle on Thursday and came to the kitchen to see what it was.) I'm a long long LONG ways from better, but because I've made such improvements on such a low dose, Doctor said that she didn't want to prescribe me any other kind of medication. Not yet, anyways. Maybe we could add a little tryptophan to my food, but that was about it.

I'm on 3mg of melatonin now, and today was my first dose. Mom said I looked a little woozely from it~
And she thinks I'm crazy laid-back right now and is wondering if that's okay or if the dose is too high. But, so far my people have only seen one twitch today and otherwise I've been a normal beastly boy. I've been relaxed, sprawled out, doing the Flat Stanley and chewing merrily on a chewy.

I'm still begging dad for his scrabbled eggs and showing off my funky pokey rib:
And I'm still a Stuffy Thrasher of the First Order:
They're going to play with my dose a little - trying to find a good balance that doesn't make me too sleepy. Mom thinks 3mg makes me a little glassy eyed but that may go away in another day or two. Doctor lady wants me to stick with this treatment for 3 weeks before changing anything up, but if the improvements continue as they've been I'll be able to avoid any real medication completely.

My people are impressed. I'm not surprised... I'm one impressive manly beast of massive proportions. Heck... I'm so incredible I even amaze myself sometimes - like when I projectile puked in the back of the PukeMobile on the way home from the Place of Tile and Steel. It was beefy explosions of the awesomest kind! I am SO TALENTED!!

Your feasting, beasting man is on the mend,
Stanislaw

Raw Food Diet, Day 495- Chasing the Melatonin Mystery

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Big Pupi types again:

Hello my feaster friends. I'm making good on my promise to tell you a bit about Stanislaw's melatonin therapy. "What's that?!" you ask? Ah.... you've come to the right blog.

Melatonin is a hormone that is derived from serotonin. The body creates melatonin naturally, and this chemical is most well-known as a sleep hormone. Beyond aiding in sleep cycles, melatonin also functions as a powerful antioxidant, anti-aging agent, immunoregulator, and anti-depressant (this is proven in humans).

Want to learn something interesting? My folks knew that eating turkey can make you sleepy. But what they didn't know is that the tryptophan in turkey is related to melatonin, because serotonin is created from tryptophan and likewise, melatonin is made from serotonin. Sound relaxing? We learn something new every day here...

Anyways, back to my stinky brother:My mom had a theory about Stanislaw's exercise and his behavior. It seemed that as long as Stan got out for a good long run or solid wrastlin' match at the bark park, his compulsive symptoms were greatly reduced. In fact, on the days of the longest runs his compulsions were reduced so much that he could do his Good Boy outside almost immediately. That's a pretty big deal around here, as often times Stan is too distraught to lift a leg. While the benefits of exercise are great, they are far from a cure and my brother still suffers from many of his anxieties. But... it does take the edge off and every little bit counts. And we all know - weebles and poobles outside are GOOD things.

Our folks have heard about other humans using melatonin as a natural way to put their dogs at ease during long car rides, vet visits, dog shows and thunder storms. It is even a common treatment for epileptic pups - especially if they suffer from seizures during the night. If done right, melatonin therapy has no discernible side effects and for some can bring great results. Plus, it's a natural treatment to boot.

So then came the challenge of linking exercise to melatonin. Surprisingly, it wasn't that difficult thanks to our research assistant, Google. Apparently, there have been studies (1, 2 and 3) done on female humans that tried to figure out why exercise reduced the risk of breast cancer. What they discovered was that exercise during daylight hours increased the daytime production of melatonin (usually associated with sundown and sleep). Melatonin acts as an antioxidant, and also increases the sense of relaxation after exercise. It continues its influence hours later as it increases the effects of melatonin come nightfall, and brings with it more solid and deep sleep. According to one study, aerobic exercise immediately upon waking brings the greatest positive results. Conversely, exercise after sundown causes the body to delay the production of melatonin and it disrupts the sleep cycle.

So there IS a link between exercise and melatonin - in humans. That being said, dogs and people have extremely similar brain and body chemistry, and so it can't be too off the mark. Now, admittedly assuming such similarites is NOT the way to go about medicating your dog. Ever. But the positive, relaxing effects of melatonin has been shown in dogs with various phobias, especially thunder. A quick call to the vet was made and we got the all clear to start Stanislaw on 1.5 mg of melatonin, given once daily. This is a low dose and in some instances melatonin can be given up to 3 times per day, but any increase in dosage and/or frequency will be discussed at our vet appointment on Saturday.

So he's been getting 1/2 of a 3 mg tab in his breakfast. Has it made a difference? Perhaps. Slightly. The weebling has been easier and the whining has stepped down 1/2 a notch. His post-feasting whine- and scratch-a-thon has changed from an all-morning event to just 30 minutes or so after breakfast - the time which we expect the melatonin begins to have an effect.

Today we took it on a test: the bark park. We wanted to see if it would decrease the frequency of his running patterns. The result? Good. Very very good. Normal visits include a few ear-flapping games of Chase The Stanislaw, which would often be disrupted mid-race as Stan would skid to a stop at one of his "stations" and he would freeze, stare and scream at some imaginary squirrel. Every time he would hear a train rumble by that would trigger him to run a set pattern around the perimeter of the park with screaming fits at his set stations (it's the same places every single time). However, on this particular visit, mom was able to disrupt and redirect Stan at the very first sign of him going in to this pattern and he NEVER ONCE ran it through. He did freeze at one point (mom could wiggle his body without a response) but that broke quickly. He also screamed at 2 of his stations, but the majority of the time was spent finagling scritches from the humans, and engaging every single dog in the park one-by-one for a nice wrastlin' match, chase, or solid bum sniffing. Games would last consistently longer and not a single one was cut short by a screaming and staring session. He truly felt mentally present for about 80% of the visit, which is great, considering a visit on a good day previously would be about 70%, and a bad day brought closer to 20%. We always left super early those days.

Melatonin probably won't be the miracle we're looking for, but it may be a good addition to his therapy - especially once he is weened off the medication. The most essential function of the medication is to lessen the severity of Stan's reactions, which will create a window through which my folks can interrupt and redirect his behaviors, and little by little recondition his responses and attitude towards the triggering sights and sounds. The goal is to keep Stan on the meds temporarily. As he improves his dosage will decrease and in a few months or a year we hope he's off them completely. If he's this responsive to melatonin then we're hoping that a very low dose of an SSRI or similar med will be all that's required. But.. we'll know more about that after a trip to the Place of Tile and Steel this weekend

Ahh, yes. We do love these optimistic days.
Big Pupi

***PLEASE NOTE***

Do NOT start your dog on melatonin without talking to your vet. While it is normally a very safe supplement to give, it can cause severe side effects if a dog is already on another type of medication. If your dog is suffering from anxiety or other behavior problems, please do your research and schedule a trip to see your vet to plan an appropriate course of treatment.

Raw Food Diet, Day 384- A Constant Battle

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Big Pupi takes it over today:
Oh my feasting dudes. Stan and I went to camp this weekend because our humans were in a place called Rhode Island doing something called Wedding Planning. Boring! I'd WAAAY rather be partying like a beast at camp! But when Stanislaw and I got home we were crazy tired, and we spent the next day or two like this:
Whew! Plus, on the day that we're picked up from camp Stan and I go to the groomer to be bathed and brushed, which means that we have to miss daily nappies time. I was so exhausted and desperate for a bed, I wound up passing out in mom's suitcase:
And mom wasn't able to unpack until I woke up. (Let sleeping dogs lie and all that.) Stan likewise was limp as a noodle with the need for sleepies, and in a manor usually unlike him, he napped with his belly exposed to the world.
Sure, the groin is often exposed, but it is only when Stan is completely over the top tired that the belly will go without protection unless he's safe within his crate.
In fact, it took Stan over a year with our people before he would ask or allow belly rubs, let alone nap with the sensitive parts for all the world to see.

Stan has been making some major strides lately with regard to the fight with his demons. But with every step forward there seems to be two steps back. Last night, and for the very first time ever, he had the worst fear reaction we have ever seen in our home. Mom was cooking dinner for the humans (and baking meaty muffins for us canines) when the feasts made a really loud sizzle sound. Stan has always been fearful of the oven but those reactions have lessened to the point that he'll remain in the area as long as food is around. But the very moment the sizzle sound happened, he ran into a dark room and hid for a few minutes, then came bursting from that room and onto mom's lap on the sofa. He was shaking so violently that mom could barely hold onto him and she laid him on his side thinking he was having a seizure. His convulsions continued but he was aware of his surroundings, which would indicate that it was not actually a seizure. He tried to climb into her lap but was shaking too violently to coordinate his movements. Mom snatched him up and hugged his body and grasped his limbs in so tightly that she thought he wouldn't be able to breath, but within moments his shivering stopped and he calmed down.

My poor brother. For almost an hour afterward he couldn't stand to be out of mom's lap (dad wasn't home because of his night school, but we're almost certain dad would have been more of a comfort as he is the favorite). Mom held Stan on her hip like a person would a child and walked him towards the stove where the meaty muffins were cooling. He began convulsing again, but mom held on super tight and fed him tasty niblets of warm meatiness and his bite grew gentler and the shaking lessened. He fought to be put on the floor and he was let down, but he stayed within 4 feet of the oven and continued to gently take treats and acted happy but concerned. He panted heavily but was otherwise recovering.

Once the muffins were packed and the pans cleaned, Stanislaw was pretty much back to normal. He placed himself on his favorite cool spot on the floor and napped - no belly or groin exposed this time. But there was no shaking and his breathing was relaxed. When mom moved into the office he followed but acted normally, and did nappies a few feet away either stretched out all long and beastly or pressed against the cool meat locker. He seemed alert, tired, and just fine.
So that poor boy (who is normally my stinky brother) seems to have beaten his demons for now. Whatever that sizzle noise was it is gone and so is our shock from witnessing such an event. Perhaps the stress of the kennel and the car ride, which Stan HATES, just put him over the edge. Mom will give him another day's rest before attempting any outdoor activities again.

And there will not be any sizzle sounds for a long, long time if she can help it. No more sizzle sounds at all!

We shall fight the demons as long as it takes,
Big Pupi

Raw Food Diet, Day 240- Sit Boo Boo Sit

I'm kind of a tired boy this morning because I went on a solo walk with mom. We trained all the way down to the bark park and since I was such a Good Boy I was allowed to stick around and play with my Border Collie buddies. While at the park I only went through my obsessive behaviors 2 times... plus a half of a third time but I was able to be distracted from that one.

The bark park is right next to a commuter train line, and the sound of trains going by is a definite trigger for me. Whenever a train pulls into the station I run a trail around the park's fence and then end amongst a bunch of pots screaming my head off. It's always the same thing in the same order, starting from the same spot and ending with the same screaming pattern. If for some reason I'm not able to run my loop, I'll stare off into the bushes and shriek.

Today, however, was a very good day for me. Mom says that I had my demons under control for this outing. I heeled well and Sat Like Good Boy for treats and wound up feasting on a seriously big bag of tasties and STILL got breakfast when I returned home. Delicious! My folks said I earned it after all those good games of chase with my canine companions.

So now my tummy is full, my body is stinky, and my muscles are tired. It's mentally exhausting for a wee pup to be Have on such a long walk! I even saw a squirrel and continued to heel! I should get a second breakfeast just for that act of Good Boyness alone.

Stanislaw: 1, Demons: 0 (counter starts fresh today).

Your man,

Stan

***

Big Pupi with the 'hawk update:

Pretty sweet, huh? This bad boy grows like a weed! And if you look closely at the photo you'll see that my stuffy goose even admires my 'do!

Well, folks - I started my therapy dog class this week and it was SO MUCH FUN. I totally dig hanging out with a group of pups and their people and earning my tasty treats. We practiced walking on a loose leash, being handled by strangers, and Down-Stay while strange people walked by and reached out to pet me. The first time I hopped up to get a proper pet and greeting from these nice humans, but I figured out pretty quickly that I was to stay put. I did my Sit Stay like a champ while mom walked away from me and learned the command "Go Visit" so I know which humans to steal belly rubs from. I'm telling you... this therapy dog thing is a pretty sweet gig.

If I dare say... I was the best dog in class! In fact, the instructor called me the "Balanced Dog" and used me to teach other pups how to be Have. I had to sit calmly and focus on mom while a big bouncy puppy thrashing about on the floor and learned to also Sit Stay even with another dog (me) nearby. I greeted shy puppies and took treats nicely from hands. I was a little too pumped at the start of class and had some trouble concentrating for the first 5 minutes or so, but even with all that excitement I didn't do a pooble inside! I amaze myself sometimes.

Class is once every 2 weeks, and the next one is all about individual tricks. Mom is getting me a hula hoop so I can put my Agility Skillz to work on a small scale. I think that the kids will like that trick, don't you? Oh... and the mohawk. They've got to like the mohawk.

I got Have, yo.

Big Pupi

Raw Food Diet, Day 157- Skyplosions

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Big Pupi on the blog today:

Hey folks. I'm sure all of our American buddies are preparing for the big 4th of July celebration this year and that can mean lots of BBQ feasting and visits from friends and family. That part of the partying can be a great time, but not all dogs deal well once the sun goes down and the fireworks fly skyward. I know that Stanislaw has some severe noise phobias. This will be his first 4th of July with our family and we're not sure how he will react, however we're preparing ourselves for a very panicked pup.

What can your humans do to help you if you're terrified of the skyplosions?

First off, if you have free access to the outdoors this should be limited. Windows should be closed and doors shut. It is extremely common for a frightened dog to try to escape his yard, house, or even jump out a window in an attempt to escape what's frightening him. If you are large enough to break through a bug screen make sure that the actual window or door itself is shut tight. The last thing you want is to miss the celebration leftovers, so make sure you're home and hungry the next day!

Another easy way to calm a scared pup is to keep her in the basement or a dog-safe room where the outside noises are muffled. Turn on a radio or the TV to further drown out the sound. If she is crate-trained, then an extra blankie or two can help make a dog feel snuggled and safer and the crate provides added security that a flight-prone pup won't run away.

If the distress during skyplosions is mild, then a puzzle toy could do the trick. Make sure it is tricky enough to last throughout the fireworks, and that the treat inside is a high-value reward that is sure to please. I'll take some peanut butter in my Everlasting Fun Ball please!

Some dogs respond extremely well to a physical sense of security. This can mean a nice little massage from the humans or even something like a snug t-shirt or an anxiety wrap. Imagine it almost like being hugged all over - it's secure and supportive and feels great. While some dogs respond to food distractions, others may react best to a change in tactile sensations during times of stress.

Rescue Remedy is also a common way to treat anxiety. It is a selection of flower essences that can be given orally, rubbed onto fur or skin or used in an infuser. This product has a calming effect and it is a natural way to alleviate stress. Just make sure to follow proper dosage guidelines. There are recipes online for a homemade version of Rescue Remedy which use essential oils, instead of the product's flower essences. If you choose to make your own this way, keep in mind that essential oils should NEVER be used on or near cats.*

Another all-natural way to help a dog with anxiety is through good old fashioned exercise. A dog that is physically and mentally exhausted is more likely to remain relaxed through the skyplosion spectacular. Don't go overboard with this one though. While exercise is always beneficial, a dog can get too much of a good thing. If overworked and taken past the point of exhaustion, a pup can become more irritable and stressed. We added an extra 20 minutes onto our walk this morning - nothing too strenuous, but just enough to make us work a tiny bit more than what we're used to. A nice workout usually keeps us rather mellow through the day, and we're tired and ready for a night's sleepies at around 8pm.

If your case is so severe that none of the above will help, then tell your human to give your doctor a call. They may recommend Benedryl to help you sleep through the stressful time, or some other medical means to help you cope. Of course - don't try any medications whatsoever unless supervised by your vet, as many human meds can be lethal for us pups. And if your human doesn't want to go this route, they can always make plans for you to stay with a friend that lives far enough away from the skyplosions that they won't bother you. Or, you and your person can take a drive out to where the scary sounds can't be heard, and wait out the celebrations.

Hopefully you can deal with the fireworks just fine, but if you can't there are many ways to handle the situation and control your stress. Just make sure you're safe and your people are keeping an eye out for you. Personally, I think about 4th of July celebration feasts and that gets me though the fireworks just fine. Mmm... BBQ taste explosions of deliciousness in my mouth. It's a good holiday.

Happy 4th of July!

*A special THANK YOU to Jessica for correcting our Rescue Remedy information. We were originally under the impression that it was made with essential oils, but it is in fact made with flower essences. This once again proves that we are not experts, doctors, or scientists and the information posted is the result of our own personal research and because of this, there can be mistakes. While we do our very best to prevent any misinformation from being posted, let's face it - it happens, and we rely on friendly folks like Jessica for pointing us the in right direction. So THANKS again!