Good Behavior Collar by Sentry

First, I would like to thank the folks at Sentry for the samples provided to us.  This product was tested by three separate dogs, two rescue dogs and one prior rescue dog.

The intention of the product is that is impregnated with the pheromones that mimic the pheromones the mother dog uses to calm and reassure her puppies.  It is intended to help a dog cope with stress and anxiety.

The collar is a very stiff collar and initially disperses a powder coating. It is pleasant smelling, almost a bit too perfume scented.  The powder coating does eventually wear off after a day or so, but do be prepared for it to coat your hands and immediate surface.   Because the collar is so incredibly stiff, it does not lay in a good way.  In fact, the dog looked like one of those ring toss pop bottles at the fair with this hoop around his neck.

Former rescue dog with anxiety including circling behaviors and floor licking:
    The collar did seem to have an effect, however, it took several days for it to be noticeable.  While the
     circling behavior did not stop, the floor licking improved.  He was also more willing to allow people to join
     him on the sofa or bed if he was already sitting there, where he would often feel the need to defend that
     space.  His owner has indicated she intends to continue the use of this collar.

Current rescue dog with storm anxiety:
     The foster mom found the scent of the collar over-powering and the stiffness of the collar somewhat
     annoying.   She did not notice any change in behaviors with this collar and felt that the cost of $14+ was
     too much to pay for continued use, even if it had worked.   She did use if for the full 30 days.

Current rescue dog with fear and severe shyness:
     I tried this product on a foster dog who had some significant fear issues and severe shyness.  I had
     fostered him for six months until we finally found a home a significant distance away.  I tried the collar on
     him in hopes that it would help his transition.  He seemed a little less skittery, but otherwise I didn't notice
     a massive improvement.   However, his new parents reported that he settled in much quicker than they
     expected, he was wary and went to his crate for safety often, but was not as fearful as they expected,
     considering his normal behavior.  They did leave the collar on for a week after his arrival, but once they
     were sure he felt confident in his new home, they removed the collar.

In all, the cost of the collar is significant when compared to the actual results we experienced.

The Naked Dog gives this product 2 paws up.

Gracie has passed away...

It is with a heavy heart that I announce our dear, sweet Gracie passed away this evening.   She suffered a massive seizure and was not able to come out of it.   Her poor little damaged brain just couldn’t take anymore. After discussion with her vet and rescue, it was decided that her brain was just giving out and we made the decision to peacefully let her go.  In her last final act, Gracie was able to lick my face one final time as if she were  trying to comfort me as I sobbed my farewell. 

Over the past few weeks, I noticed that her medication seemed to not be working as well and by the weekend, she had nearly regressed fully.  She was even forgetting what housebreaking she had learned. 

My heart is heavy, but I know she is free from that cage which was her mind.  My thanks to Dr. Mansfield for being there for us both at the end, and for trying so hard to find a way to fix her. 

Ho-hum

The new year came and went and I am still looking for a home.

It's been very hard on me, not getting as much exercise as I was used to when the weather was nicer.   We had a couple of days where it go to be 40 degrees and bunch of that horrible snow melted.  I loved those few days.  I got to run around outside, which is my favorite thing in the world.   My foster mom hated it.  She said it uncovered all the dog poop, so she had to spend those days picking it up.  If she didn't we were just going to track all that mushy poop mess into the house and on the white furniture.

Yes, my foster mom has white furniture (and they think I'm the crazy one).  But she says because it's something called "my-crow fiber" it's easy to wipe down with a little cleaner.   I hope that doesn't mean that it's made out of real crows.  All the crows I've ever seen are black, unless they made them out of albino crows.  She said next time she is getting leather.  I know that comes from cows because it's kind of like the chews we get.   Now don't worry, I would never chew on the couch.   I'm a very good girl, I don't chew on things I'm not supposed to.

My foster mom has been very busy.  She has to do a pet expo soon so she has been sewing dog coats and making jewelry.  It's what she does best.  I don't get to go to this one.  Normally, she said she would take me, but it's far from home and she worries it might be a bit much for me and if it is, I'm stuck there.   She's taking my foster sister, Baby.  That way Baby gets to promote "Baby Be Sweet Lip Balm."  Baby is the spokes dog after all, and her face is on the label.    She said I get to go to the next expo, which is here in town.  If it's too much for me, she will just bring me home.  Expos mean a lot of activity and crowds and that can over-stimulate me, making me more hyper than normal.   I just get so excited to see everyone.  

I had to go to the vet this week just for some routine tests to make sure my medication wasn't causing any problems and every time someone came in, I got so excited I could hardly contain myself.  Everyone came over to pet me.  They all said my tail goes a mile a minute. Actually, I think it's faster than that.  I was so excited when Mark, the vets helper came to pick me up, I tinkled on him.  The good news was my lab results were all perfect.   Did you hear that?  I'm perfect.  Now if I could just find someone who thinks so too.

                                            - Gracie

The New Year is coming.....

Christmas is over and I am still reaping the rewards of goodies and toys that are still getting pulled out of my stocking.  This was my first year of an actual Christmas and I have to say, it was way cool.

As the New Year fast approaches, I find myself pondering the events of the past year and what a turn my life has taken.  I started out this year, heavens knows where, but I found myself a stray, picked up and taken to a shelter.  I spent a few days in foster care in Arkansas and then I was off to Wisconsin.  My first foster home here turned out to be not so hot. I got fed a lot of pills, some made me sleepy, some made me crazy, but soon, I was off to my new foster home, the place where I am now.

My foster mom has spent many months with me; helping to pin point the right medication that would help me be as normal a dog as possible.  She's never been mean to me; never really yelled at me, except when she caught me with things I shouldn't have and then it was just to startle me in to giving it up.  She's loved me, held me (and I really have a hard time being held) and told me what a good and sweet girl I am.  I've had a warm bed, lots of food, yummy treats and toys, toys, toys.

Sure, I won't lie, I hoped by the end of this year, I would find myself in my own home, but that hasn't happened.  2011 is a new year, full of adventure and endless possibilities and I hope the year I find my very own home.  Look, I know I am far from perfect, but you won't find a happier dog than me and I love everyone I meet.  Won't you think about adding me to your home for 2011?

Happy New Year!
                                        - Gracie

Happy Howl-a-days

Everyone is talking about this howl-a-day called Christmas.

My foster mom says it's really supposed to be about family and spending time with ones you love, but more and more it's becoming all about presents.  Presents?  I LOVE presents.  So I wondered, will I get any?  I didn't have to wonder long, because yesterday, a box came for me.  Yup, it had Gracie ResQ on it and everything.  My foster mom opened it for me because I'm not allowed to use anything sharp, besides my teeth, and it would be pretty hard to chew through that box.  It was from my Secret Santa!  All the dogs in ResQ get one while we wait for our forever homes.

I was so excited I could hardly contain myself.  As soon as she opened it, my foster brother and sister, Murphy and Baby had to check it out too.  Inside were squeaky toys! Oh how I love squeaky toys.  I can squeak them all day long.  My foster mom says it's a good thing she is good at tuning things out.  There was also a new bed inside, just like my brothers, except it was pink.  It came with a matching blanket and guess what?  A pink squeaky bunny.  I know, more squeaky toys.  There are also replacement squeakers for a new "spitty bear" except this one is a BIG spitty bear.  What's a spitty bear?  Well, it's what mom calls these Kong bears that have a Velcro opening inside so you can replace the squeakers because I squeak them so much, I make the fur all slobbery and spitty.  The name fits, right?

Here I am in my bed, with some of my new toys, enjoying a bone.

Mom said I will get some more presents.  She hung some stockings up by the fireplace.  She said most people put up a tree with lights on it and decorate the house, but she explained that she still feels very sad about missing Darby, so she just didn't have it in her this year to do all that.  I understand.  At least she doesn't cry hardly at all these days, even though I know how much she misses her.  She put Darby in a beautiful jar on the mantle.  It's all sorts of colors and very fancy.  I didn't know how Darby would fit in that jar, but mom said it's just her ashes. She was cre-mated and all that's left of her is a tiny little bag of powder.  If that is all that's left of a rat terrier in the end, then that jar will hold about ten of us.

Anyhow, along with this howl-a-day season comes this terrible weather and some really cold and white stuff called "snow" and I hate it.  My little paws get so cold and I try and hold up a front and back one at the same time and nearly tip over.  Mom says "that wouldn't happen if I would quit dicking around out there; do my business and get my ass in the house."  This snow makes it hard to get to the fence and bark at the neighbors dog.  The drifts of snow are so big, I am confined to a small area near the house.  I hear this will last a few months.  Seriously?  A few months?  This is going to be a long winter.   Now where are my presents?

                                   Happy Howl-a-days......
                                                                           - Gracie

Sad news....

My foster mom is heartbroken.  She has been crying and crying.  My step-sister, the bossy Darby, passed away this weekend.  

Darby was diagnosed with a big cancer tumor just three weeks ago and mom was hopeful that she was going to last a couple months, or at least through this thing called Christmas, but she got more and more sick and she was in more pain because of how big the tumor was. It pressed on her insides and made her very uncomfortable.  She also stopped eating.

So my foster mom had to make a very hard decision and help her cross to the bridge. She knows she's not in pain anymore, but my foster mom is in a lot of pain right now.  She says it will get better, but she cries a lot.  I try to help her feel better by licking the tears away and sometimes it works because she laughs.  I like it when she laughs because it makes me happy and I wag my tail, a lot.

Darby scared me, because she was the boss, and I know she was sick, but I am glad I get to sleep up on the bed again without worrying that Darby is going to get mad at me.   I like to sleep next to mom and Murphy.  I really like Murphy, he's my boyfriend, even though he thinks I have girl cooties.

Rest in peace Darby.

- Gracie 

Not the same dog....

I've been on my new medication for over a month now and WOW am I a different dog.

I am much more settled and I like to spend most of my time in my favorite dog bed napping or chewing on a good rawhide.  I don't run all over the house anymore, my foster mom says I am a different dog since we upped my meds to 3.25mg twice a day.  My shadow watching and fly snapping are 75-85% improved.  It's a HUGE change compared to how I was.  I am still pretty busy outside, but hey, that's where I can really stretch my legs. It is getting pretty cold, so I don't hang out there much these days except to do my business.  I am getting much better at that too.  Rarely do I have an accident in the house and if I do, it's on the kitchen floor and it's poop.  I have a hard time telling my foster mom when I have to go out.  I never bark in the house, so I never bark at the door either.  She might try and find me some Christmas bells to see if she can get me to ring those.  I sit like a nice girl too when mom feeds me.  I don't knock the food out of her hand anymore, I wait nice for her to put it in my dish.

I'm still looking for my home.  It's been hard to find someone who wants a very, very sweet girl with a small medical problem.  I know someone has to be out there.  I've asked Santa Paws to help find someone who might like a rattie for Christmas or the New Year.
                                                    - Gracie