Reading this (by the guy I'm interested in having a consultation with), I believe that she's phobic rather than simply fearful: http://www.catexpert.co.uk/dogs/how-to-help-dogs-with-noise-phobia/
Interesting article... It won't help with the buzzing by martins obviously, but can you make her a really secure little den to hide in when she feels scared?
really sorry to hear this Fiona. Poor Willow - and poor you. How are the other two reacting to WIllow's behaviour (not that I can offer any help, just interested)
That's tough, and you have no control. I have never heard of anyone saying this was a problem before. I wonder, sort of opposite to earthquakes, if the ground shakes after, imperceptible to us, but she can feel it?
I did this in Spain one night when she was scared by wind - I draped blankets to make a den in the bathroom and we spent the night in there. Hugely uncomfortable for me, with a pipe sticking in my back all night, but it helped her. I can make a den in the bathroom or our bedroom, but the problem is she can't come and go as she wishes because they have to be closed off from the destructive puppy for now! She's as happy as she can be in the kitchen for now, and we go and sit with her from time to time, and she'll come and visit us when she's feeling a bit more relaxed. The kitchen is as far from the mountain as she can get in our apartment, with no windows looking out onto it, so it makes sense that she's most comfortable there. The bedroom might be more physically comfortable for her, and I'd be able to make a den in there which I can't do in the kitchen, but it has windows on three sides looking over the mountain, so obviously where any sound can be focussed. They don't pay any attention to her. Luna jumped at a couple of the bangs when she was outside, but that's understandable and isn't fear - just a brief shock. It's a very deep boom, almost opposite to the short crack of gunshot, and even I can feel it reverberate in my insides on the louder, closer ones. So I wouldn't be surprised if she's reacting more to a feeling than the noise, like some dogs respond to the change in pressure during a thunderstorm. Or, it could just be that she's classically conditioned to that sensation being linked to the noise that scares her, so even in the absence of the loud noise, the feeling is enough.
I had a rescue German Pointer who was terrified of gunshot, starter pistol etc. Eventually I took him to a vet wheo was a behaviourist and treated noise fear on two levels, medication and behaviour. Jake was put on Phenobarbitone and a Beta Blocker, the Phenobarbitone made him very unsteady on his legs for first ten days and I was about to give them up when he aclimatised to them and was fine. I did manage to get him to tolerate gunfire at a distance, but not enough to take him shooting. If I was you, I would continue with the a CD of gunshot and othe bangs and just play it continiously in the background so that she eventually ingores that, then turn it up a wee bit. Everytime we heard gun fire or bird scarer, I pretended what fun it was and gave him a treat, would straighten my back and sing a happy tune My 10 year old Lab suddenly became very afraid of the 'squeak' the fire alarm gave when it was running out of battery and my husband's shoes had the same noise when he walked in the kitchen, the vet gaves us a tranquilizer based on milk which helped.
Willow has been prescribed basically Valium and Prozac. The Prozac will take three weeks to kick in, so the Valium will be helpful in the short term, and then she will be gradually weaned off that. Both are very low dosage and to be used alongside a programme of desensitisation. I do love my vet; all three of us were sat on the floor for the consultation, with Willow getting cuddles and biscuits from all of us in turn. And for a Spanish vet to discuss DS, using lots of cuddles and love, is a novelty. Most are rather more draconian. So, we shall see how we get on. We will go back in three to four weeks to see how she's doing, or sooner if we are concerned about the dosage. He hopes that she will be able to come off the Prozac in six months, but it obviously depends on progress and what other environmental factors are thrown our way.
I'm so glad you saw a nice vet, and they were able to help Willow. Fingers crossed all goes well in the future, poor girl it's no fun being scared. xx
Poor Willow. I hope the short-term plan works quickly so that she can at least feel safe anywhere in the apartment, though walks outside might be more of a challenge. Perhaps it's the pitch of the sound together with the vibrations that cause her to react so strongly to the avalanche blasting? I think I'd be in the 'den' with her!
So pleased you had a good consultation with your vet. It is very difficult to desensitise a dog to something you can't control or simulate. Trying meds seems a really sensible course of action. Wishing you and Willow lots of luck!
Poor you and poor Willow. It sounds like you have a very supportive vet. Hopefully the benzo and fluoxetine will help.
