[Dailydrool] Rawhides Anxiety and Rants

[Bambi McLeskey]

Ok, I try in every way to be the best parent I can to this boys.
Sometimes it hard, and I know a lot is just personal opinion, but I
would like some opinions about rawhides. We get retriever rolls from
Tractor Supply that say something about smoked pork, easier to digest,
yada yada yada. Drake eats them. I mean, I never see him swallow a
chunk, but they just sort of disappear really quickly. I am wondering
if this is safe. It is his favorite treat in the world, and the only
way I can take a peaceful nondestructive bath. I dont want him hurt,
but I would like a few minutes of peace with no fights.
Also, antiaxiolitics. To make this part basset related, Stryker lives
with the bassets and we are all suffering from his problems right now.
Stryker is a lab chow mix from the shelter. We have had him for two
years. He has always been dog agressive and high strung. He paws for
attention and is ver ylarge and hard to control sometimes but a real
human lover. Recently, he was attacked by a neighbors dog, and then a
few days later, my husband left again to go play Army. He was only
home two weeks. Ever since the fight, Stryker has been a royal pain.
He cannot be put into another room without destruction, severe
panting, screaming barks...and so on and so on. He has watched us
enough to learn how to open his petmate kennel on his own so that
doesnt help either. He has never been able to be around the other
dogs, as he always plays too hard and ends up getting into a fight. So
we have a shuffle here which I have talked about before. Now, this has
branched into where he used to paw at you for attention or nip at you
(we finally put a stop to that) to now, he just all out bites and
punches. It is getting very bad. NOthing destracts him except direct
human contact. As in, sitting his 100 lbs in your lap with both hands
on him, or he panics. I have spoken with the vet, and he is going in
next week to have his thyroid checked first, but with events
surrounding we are pretty sure it is some type of stress trauma
cuasing the anxiety. The vet would like to try some anti- anxiety
medication, because he is hurting himself, and me. We need a
"quick-fix" to aid in retraining him. I cannot train him if I am
afraid of him, and he has chewed holes through wooden doors in hi
terror of being alone, which resulted in a vet trip to remove
splinters from his mouth. If anyone out there in Drool land has any
suggestions on a type of medication to try, I would be greatful to
hear it. I work with these drugs on a daily basis in my graduate lab
work for psychopharmacology, but this is human grade meds that I work
with. I know nothing about dogs and these medications. I dont want a
zombie dog, just one that can be alone for five minutes without
injurying themselves, and one that can be in the same room with me
without me having to explain myself to humn resources at work. More
than once in the past two weeks, I have been called in to explain the
cuts and bruises and bites he is leaving on my arms and face. My
employers are terrified that someone is abusing me. It is getting
pretty bad around here.
I am sorry this is so long and rambling, but I am sitting here crying,
because if somthing doesnt work out soon, I am terrified that I will
have to find Stryker a new home. There is only one of me, and he
weighs more than I do. What control I did have over him has faded to
nothing in the wake of his traumas.

Drool to all in need. Snooters Tucker! Feel better, and all others who
I am having trouble remembering names at this moment.
Bambi and da boyz
Drake (mmm...bone!)
Ahroo-ba (I like to sing at mommy, makes her smile)
Bo (my big old runaway mutt)
Stryker (help help, daddy went away again, and mommy cries when I
play...that mean old doggie isnt outside anymore is he, mommy, he
scared me)