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BizzieLizzie

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I'm at my wits end here. I got my sheltie from a breeder about a year ago. She will be 4 years old. I've never had a Sheltie as nervous as this one. Every noise she hears especially thunderstorms will send her running all over the house and going to the bathroom in the house after I've walked her several times because I know her stomach will be upset. At night she is up and walking around if I make the smallest movement in bed. I've have tried the calming drops but they do nothing. Everyday this dog has diarrhea because she is so nervous. My first Sheltie who lived till 16 came from a pet store ( I didn't know at that time how bad pet stores were) He was no where as nutty as this one. I don't know what to do and am thinking of finding her a another home. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Oh and as far as exercise, she had zero interest in playing. She had been like this since I've had her.

Thank you
 
Sounds like she hasn't had much socialization. I don't know how much she was out at her breeders in the 3 yrs before you got her but some breeders don't do alot with their dogs, sad to say. Not all breeders are created equal. They just get use to their world there.

I would talk to your vet. Run some blood work, get her thyroid checked and then talk about getting her on some antianxiety medication. Also have the diarrhea worked up to make sure it is not a medical problem and is behavioral. Then get her out to some positive obedience classes to work on her getting use to being in public and work on socializing her and making the world a positive thing. If you can find a good trainer or behaviorist(to work on the desensitation to thunderstorms) to help you that would be great.
 
Poor dog, and that must be very tough on your nerves as well, no doubt
I agree with Justicemome, all EXCELLENT suggestions as per usual :yes:
 
Can you get a CD or tape some of the noises and start playing them real low until she gets used to a lower volume and then work on raising the volume, turning it lower if she reacts strongly? I've been fortunate in my dogs that I have never had a problem with noises, etc. Hope you can find a solution that makes your life a whole lot easier.
 
I agree with Dr Shelli - vet for anxiety and obedience classes for confidence.

Many herding dogs are sound sensitive. It helps when minding a flock to be alert to unusual sounds and act on them. Of course if they have no flock they have no outlet for their reactivity. My male is very sound sensitive (a lot to do with my vertigo and falling when he was a pup). He has made amazing progress and is easier to settle down. I haven't had to use the medication for ages now.

Leave on a radio whenever you can, preferably with classical music, as the percussive sounds help them get used to other sounds. You probably need to socialise her to sounds like you would a pup. Take her out places like the local shops or near a school. Spending time with other dogs will also help her confidence - maybe there is a local park where other dogs play. Tiring her out is also very important. Herding breeds can become very wired if they dont burn off their energy. Regular brisk walks so she is always on the move and focusing on moving.

Like humans, massaging your dog helps relax and calm them, and is a great bonding exercise.
 
This is a great thread started by someone else on the forum who is having similar problems to yours. Their sheltie is still a pup but all of the advice still applies, no matter what the age of the dog. Read through the thread and you may also want to PM this person and ask advice. My understanding is that they've made good progress.

http://www.sheltieforums.com/showthread.php?t=5508
 
http://throughadogsear.com/samples.htm

These are worth a try, and they have some free samples. They're shown to lower a dogs heart rate. Played often enough, it calms them down while the hear the noise.

You might could combine a thunder cd with the puppy music.

Good luck. <3 Please don't give up on your baby.
 
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