MOLLY - Featured Pet of the Month

Molly is our 2 year old golden girl who has come a very long way since she first became part of our organization. Molly had pups and she was turned into GRINinc along with one of her pups. Both dogs were EXTREMELY thin Buddy, her pup, has since been placed into a forever home. He is being trained by his family to assist them with everyday living. They are hearing impaired. Buddy is learning sign language. He is very smart and has caught on quickly. Like her son, Molly is also very smart. She will learn a command quickly. She has strong eye contact and is very eager to please and be loved. She will even give hugs if you encourage her. Molly has been in a loving foster home for a while now. She has learned to play nicely with her foster brother, she is learning to swim and enjoys running around the fenced in yard. Molly does need training on a leash and encouragement not to greet people with a hug and a jump. Molly will smother you with love and kisses. You better return love and kisses because if you don't she won't leave it be...she will continue to make her presence known! She is a very exuberant little girl who did not start out well in life but certainly is having the time of her life now. If you want to add spice to your life....consider Molly. She will be your best friend.

Thunderstorm Season

Summer is fast approaching. Time for all the irresponsible pet owners to either drop off their dogs at the shelters or … if they do care a little more than the average person, they will give rescue a call. They give up their pets for these reasons: moving, vacations, and … oh yes, it’s thunderstorm season!!

GRINinc. has had their share of goldens that have a fear of thunderstorms. It ranges from a mild reaction (panting, pacing, hiding, shadowing the family member) to a severe reaction (clawing at doors, carpets, destructive behavior). Some of the dogs are thunderphobic for a reason. They have either been left outside in the yard or on the lanai during a storm. Other dogs that have never been left outside just seem to be extremely sensitive to changes in the barometer and the electricity that is in the atmosphere, along with sensitivity to loud noises.

What can we do to help these dogs? Obviously, if you are outside with your dog bring them in right away … that is safest for both you and your golden. Also, as hard as it may seem, ignore your dog’s reactions. It is normal to comfort them but, when you do, the trainers tell us that you are reinforcing that negative behavior. Let them hide anywhere. We have a few goldens that love to go into bathtubs...hey whatever it takes, right?! There are medications that your vet can prescribe; however, the timing is usually off and the medication does not kick in during the storm, but after. Also some dogs should not have tranquilizers for health reasons. There is a holistic remedy called Bach's Rescue Remedy, www.bachflower.com. Some people say it works ... others say it does not. There is a garment that the dog can wear www.anxietywrap.com/inthenews.htm. I don't have any statistics on whether this truly works. Of course you can try to get your dog "used to” the sounds of thunder by playing a CD. These are some ideas...but whether they really work, it is hard to say. Destructive behavior, which usually happens when the dog is alone, is another situation of concern. GRINinc. tries to place a dog like this with someone that has a flexible schedule so that the owner can be home during a thunderstorm.

If you have a thunderphobic dog and you would like to share your experience and suggestions, please email our webmaster at ekilbourn@aol.com or mygldns@yahoo.com We will put your story on our website in the hopes of helping another family that has a thunderphobic pet.

THUNDERPHOBIA SUGGESTIONS RECEIVED FROM OUR READERS:

If you have a kennel, cover it with a blanket or sheet. It seems to give the dog a sense of being in a den, which is in their instinct. I have heard from several people it works well. Clara S. & Casey

I have had several dogs with “noise” and thunderstorm phobias. I have tried Bach Flower Rescue Remedy (with some success) and T Touch http://tteam-ttouch.com/whyTTouch.shtml. T-Touch is really interesting and did work well with our “nutty” dog. I used it in combination with Rescue Remedy and melatonin because he had so many issues. The Rescue and melatonin worked well with one of my other dogs who had T-Storm phobia. Now, most are so deaf they don’t even react very much to either fireworks or T-Storms.

Below is an article on Melantonin. I read about it in Whole Dog Journal several years ago. I am sure you could get a copy of the article. L.H.

Melatonin And Its Effects On Canine Thunder Phobia

An article in The Whole Dog Journal reports that one of the most effective treatments for thunderstorm phobia is melatonin, an over-the-counter hormone used by humans to treat insomnia.

Dr. Nicholas Dodman and his colleague Dr. Linda Aronson of the behavioral section at Tufts New England Veterinary Medical Center had been looking for something that would help reduce canine thunderstorm phobias when they discovered research papers on the effect of melatonin. Research indicated a positive effect of melatonin on dogs that continually lick their flanks as well as a calming effect on chickens in overcrowded conditions.

Drs. Dodman and Aronson wondered whether melatonin might work on noise phobic dogs. The first dog to try it was Dr. Aronson's own Bearded Collie who had severe thunder phobia after lightening struck very near her house. The effect of the melatonin was dramatic. The dog simply stopped being afraid instead of tearing around the house and digging at the carpets. The melatonin did not put her to sleep, she stayed awake and alert -- just not bothered by the thunder.

Drs. Dodman and Aronson then gave the melatonin to other dogs and produced the same result. Melatonin worked for other noise fears (one dog was afraid of songbirds) as well, including fireworks!

Melatonin is sold in capsules and tablets in health food stores, pharmacies and some supermarkets. It is sold in doses as low as 200 micrograms (mcg.). For most dogs, Aronson prescribes 3 milligrams (mg.) In a few cases, dogs weighing over one hundred pounds needed 6 mg. but that was unusual. Aronson usually gives dogs that weigh less than 30 pounds, 1.5 mg. Although they have not treated any phobic really tiny dogs, Aronson would reduce the dosage further for them.

It's important to read the labels on melatonin bottles very carefully. Some are mixed with herbs or nutrients that may not be safe for dogs. Make sure you buy the correct dosage for your size dog. Remember, there are 1,000 micrograms (mcg.) in a milligram (mg.) so a 200 mcg. pill contains only 1/15 of the amount recommended for a large dog.

Because melatonin is not regulated by any federal agency, the quality varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. If an inferior product is administered, it may not be effective in calming a dog whereas a higher quality product might be. We cannot recommend any particular brand that is best, so the best course of action is purchase the product from a supplier you trust and believe to carry better quality. Some holistic veterinarians sell melatonin and their products might be better quality.

You can give your dog melatonin before you leave for the day if thunderstorms are predicted because it remains effective for several hours. Otherwise, give it when thunder seems imminent. Give melatonin immediately when you see your dog becoming agitated. If your dog has autoimmune disease or severe liver or kidney disease, check with your veterinarian before giving melatonin.

The April 2000 issue of The Whole Dog Journal has a comprehensive five page article on remedies that do not use drugs. The May 2000 issue has a complete article on melatonin and other holistic phobia remedies. To purchase a copy, contact The Whole Dog Journal at (800) 424-7887 or customer_service@belvoir.com. This is an excellent publication that does not accept any advertising.

I've had a lot of success with Anxiety Wrap for all kinds of dog anxiety problems. There's a relatively new product out there called "Storm Defender"; here's the site for it: http://www.stormdef ender.com/ about_me. htm
It was invented by a guy with degrees in psychology and electrical engineering. What many people don't realize is that the ionized air and increased static electricity present during thunderstorms seems to be very unpleasant to some dogs, and at the very least a sentinel that 'bad things are coming'. This cape has properties that neutralize the effects of that for the dog who wears it.

The medication of choice for phobias and anxiety disorders is Prozac/ fluoxetine. It would a shame to think the dog was being put down without having tried that first.

Many dogs who ultimately do well on a long-term course of fluoxetine (it requires 3 or more weeks of dosing before it becomes effective in the dog's system) also respond well to Xanax, which is very short-acting; you only need to administer it a few hours before your 'event'. author not known.

GRINinc. currently has 11 goldens in foster care and
one owner surrender waiting to come in.

Click on WOOF REPORT on the left menu
to see photos of our recently adopted Goldens.

Don’t forget to check our current AVAILABLE DOGS !!

WATCH FOR OUR NEXT ISSUE OF 'NEWS UPDATES'
IN MID-SEPTEMBER 2007.
WE WILL BE POSTING A 'NEWS UPDATES' ISSUE EACH MONTH
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WITH THE CURRENT EVENTS IN GRINinc.!