Border Collie Anxiety: Seeking Tips for Nipping and Storm Fear

[pamperedlinda]

From past postings about our pets I know that some of you have Border Collies and/or Border Collie mix breed dogs. If you remember, I have 2 Border Collies and I'm going through some issues with one of them. I was hoping that you all might be able to help me.

One if my 'girls' has anxiety issues. It's gotten worse since she came to live with us. She is used to a peaceful/quiet life, and my house is not that way. She started out nipping at my son and occasionally a few others. We found out she had an ear infection and thought that was the stem of the problem. It wasn't. She has since started nipping a lot more often (not making contact, but if she does she isn't biting and it doesn't hurt - yet....) she's nipping at almost all the children too. We have started to keep her away from the kids when they are over. She has never nipped at me or DH. We have been disciplining her when this happens.

She also doesn't like bad weather. Last weekend when we had the storms and wind she nearly lost it. Before the storm started she was pacing and jittery. During the storm she hid in my closet. The next morning I found her wedged between the toilet and the wall - shaking....it was so sad :cry: . I got her to come out and she was really scared. She went right back and stayed there for a few more hours.

I had a talk with the vet today and we decided to put her on prozac for a while and she also recommended that I talk to a behavior therapist about the nipping problem.

I am new at being a dog owner. These dogs are so smart, they just haven't been socialized (mom kinda ignored them for the most part). They have been obedient trained and they mind very well. They are 7 1/2 y/o and I wonder if this drastic change in they later years is more than they can handle?

Any advice? I don't know how to help my 'fur child' get over this.

The other one is not having the anxiety issues. She's a little more insecure and she hardly leaves my side (right now she's under my desk snoring - LOL!)

Thanks!

 

[janetupnorth]

At 7 1/2, it will be hard to change that behavior. But I hope you can...Did your vet do a complete lab work-up? One of my two has lupus and border collies are prone to develop it. It was hard to diagnose at first because it doesn't always flare up. It makes him agitated (but luckily not nippy).Try to find ways to figure out what makes your dog anxious and insecure so you can find ways to prevent that and make him/her secure.
(But see notes in article on Storms - don't reward the anxious behavior).Here is one interesting article:Body Language: An Important Means of Communicating Anxiety in Dogs

 

[janetupnorth]

Fear of Thunderstorms and Noise Phobias

 

[pamperedlinda]

Thanks Janet, I was hoping that you'd respond. I'll read these.

We are going to do lab work on both of them in the upcoming months. Mollie has a thyroid condition that they want to update and I think that Katie may be starting to have arthritis - she's a little bit stiff-legged and clumsy when she first gets up.

 

[janetupnorth]

I hope it is just arthritis and not lupus. Maverick has that stiff-leggedness and is clumsy too when he lupus flairs up. Sinjin and Maverick will be 7 in June so about 1/2 - 3/4 a year younger than your two.I'm glad they are doing detailed lab work, that will help immensely.So hard when the dogs can't "talk" to you.Feel free to search peteducation.com more, there are many great articles there.