Post by julies on Nov 6, 2012 5:11:08 GMT -5
Don't let them off if they're that worried by fireworks .. I was a bit later home last night with the dogs and we had to walk up the road and Lucy was pulling all the way to get home.
When we got in I pulled the curtains and put the TV on then I got a bodywrap (a small teeshirt will do) and put the wrap on Lucy and she lay down till tea was ready
.. if you use a tee shirt sleep on it first so it smells of you so is more comforting, put their legs thro the arm holes and their head thro the neck then tie up any drooping loose teeshirt so they don't tread on it - if you can get one on that is a bit snug fitting that may help more but don't wrestle putting it on them and oldies aren't often very good at having tee shirts pulled over their deep chest - Pets at Home sell Thundershirts which were developed after someone saw our wraps and can work miracles If Lucy had been panting I'd have held her collar gently then started at her shoulder put my open palm on her skin with just the middle of the palm not making contact and .. thinking of a clockface (thank you lurchernut ) gently moved the skin tracing the clockface round in a clockwise direction , I imagine starting at 6 so I do a small movement of skin up and round the clockface then back to 6 and think of picking my hand slightly up to make minimal contact by the time as I trace from 6 to 8 on the clock - so a circle and a quarter cos by the time my hand is at 9 I have little or no pressure on the skin. I then gently slide my hand down her side to the next place I'm going to tarce this circle and a 1/4 .. not on the spine but on her back muscles or side, then I do another circle and 1/4 and slide gently towards her tail stopping to do another ciorcle and a 1/4. Often their big muscles round their bum are very tight so I may do more circles there and even ...when I get to 9 slightly lift the skin upwards with my hand and then slowly return the skin downwards to where it came from All the circles should be slow and make sure you breathe too ... you can also do circles with your fingers and remember to keep it all relaxed not stiff and pushing you're just moving the skin gently, do both sides if you can and always have a second contact to the dog either hold the collar/lead or have a hand against her skin.
Earwork is great too .. with only one hand .. put your thumb on the centrre of their forehead and gently but firmly move your thumb across their head to the base of their ear then along their ear pinna with your first finger on the underneath of the ear and thumb on top - go to the tip and do a little circle there too with your thumb, repeat this slowly You can also use one finger to do little circles with 1/4 round the base of the ears .. lots of acupressure points there too
I'd also do some little slow circles down the legs and on the paws and pads to encourage them to feel stable and secure on their feet .. often their feet and legs are cold when they're scared and if you can you could do some nice little circles round their lips and muzzle - mouthwork really improves lots of emotional issues and circles ontheir lips and even inside their mouth can help calm them but only do inside their mouth if your dog is happy with you doing it and you are too If their mouth is dry dunk your fingers in water so you don't pull the gums and make them uncomfortable ...
Hope this helps .. obviously the earlier you can start teaching this calming technique the more effective it is but t is something you can do for them and every little helps
Good luck and please ask if it's not clear
Jools x
When we got in I pulled the curtains and put the TV on then I got a bodywrap (a small teeshirt will do) and put the wrap on Lucy and she lay down till tea was ready
.. if you use a tee shirt sleep on it first so it smells of you so is more comforting, put their legs thro the arm holes and their head thro the neck then tie up any drooping loose teeshirt so they don't tread on it - if you can get one on that is a bit snug fitting that may help more but don't wrestle putting it on them and oldies aren't often very good at having tee shirts pulled over their deep chest - Pets at Home sell Thundershirts which were developed after someone saw our wraps and can work miracles If Lucy had been panting I'd have held her collar gently then started at her shoulder put my open palm on her skin with just the middle of the palm not making contact and .. thinking of a clockface (thank you lurchernut ) gently moved the skin tracing the clockface round in a clockwise direction , I imagine starting at 6 so I do a small movement of skin up and round the clockface then back to 6 and think of picking my hand slightly up to make minimal contact by the time as I trace from 6 to 8 on the clock - so a circle and a quarter cos by the time my hand is at 9 I have little or no pressure on the skin. I then gently slide my hand down her side to the next place I'm going to tarce this circle and a 1/4 .. not on the spine but on her back muscles or side, then I do another circle and 1/4 and slide gently towards her tail stopping to do another ciorcle and a 1/4. Often their big muscles round their bum are very tight so I may do more circles there and even ...when I get to 9 slightly lift the skin upwards with my hand and then slowly return the skin downwards to where it came from All the circles should be slow and make sure you breathe too ... you can also do circles with your fingers and remember to keep it all relaxed not stiff and pushing you're just moving the skin gently, do both sides if you can and always have a second contact to the dog either hold the collar/lead or have a hand against her skin.Earwork is great too .. with only one hand .. put your thumb on the centrre of their forehead and gently but firmly move your thumb across their head to the base of their ear then along their ear pinna with your first finger on the underneath of the ear and thumb on top - go to the tip and do a little circle there too with your thumb, repeat this slowly
You can also use one finger to do little circles with 1/4 round the base of the ears .. lots of acupressure points there too I'd also do some little slow circles down the legs and on the paws and pads to encourage them to feel stable and secure on their feet .. often their feet and legs are cold when they're scared and if you can you could do some nice little circles round their lips and muzzle - mouthwork really improves lots of emotional issues and circles ontheir lips and even inside their mouth can help calm them but only do inside their mouth if your dog is happy with you doing it and you are too
If their mouth is dry dunk your fingers in water so you don't pull the gums and make them uncomfortable ...Hope this helps .. obviously the earlier you can start teaching this calming technique the more effective it is but t is something you can do for them and every little helps
Good luck and please ask if it's not clear
Jools x