Fear Aggression/Anxiety in Jack Russell Mix

[SandyES00]

So I am desperately trying to figure out what to do with my 8 1/2 year old Jack Russell Mix (Milo). We adopted him when he was two. He was very skinny and scared and not socialized. He was always anxious and never really into other dogs, but would play with them every so often. As he has gotten older, his anxiety has increased. We got another dog when he was four, and after a while, they ended up liking each others' company and playing. She unfortunately died only two years later, and he was obviously disturbed by it. He seemed more anxious on walks and lonely, so we decided to get another dog. This dog, however, was younger, and they have never really taken to each other. Milo growls every time the other one walks by him. They generally just ignore and avoid each other.

Milo has also increasingly gotten fearful of pretty much everything. He has good and bad times, but he is always anxious. He will growl when being pet, even if he likes it because when you stop, he'll nudge you to continue. I know that it is fear based because when he is in this mood, you can call him over and he will slink over with his head down, ears back and crouched over, for no reason, even when calling him in an upbeat way. The only time he seems to be relaxed is right when we get home and he is super excited and affectionate or when he is playing with sticks.

I feel like we have tried everything training-wise. We took him a behaviorist who prescribed him prozac and gave us training tips. We instituted daily obedience, walking in heal, sitting and waiting for food until released, etc. At 20 pounds, his final dose of prozac was 20mg per day. After several months, we saw no changes except increased fatigue, so we stopped the meds, but continued with the training. We have seen no change in his anxiety. We recently started him on clomipramine (25mg per day) It's been three weeks and no change whatsoever.

I am looking for any help that I can get whether training or medication advice.

[wetarez]

do a complete thyroid panel with Hemopet. 70% of aggressive dogs are low thyroid. Google Jean Dodds/thyroid/aggression

[SandyES00]

bump

[compnet]

Magnesium deficiency in humans can cause anxiety, fearfulness, panic attacks, depression, etc.  You ought to look into this.

The B Comple Vitamins are also very important for handling stress and being calm.

[seeana]

Hi i had a blue roan Cocker Spaniel about 15yrs ago and he came to us as a 8wk old.
We had two other happy friendly dogs but Robbie was always a very dominant dog and as time went on he growled even when we stroked him he used to tremble with anger and his eyes seemed to go black.

                                                  First of all we tried dog training which was hopeless as he went stiff and would not move had many wonderful dogs over a lot of yrs but Robbie was not normal he used to attack our other two dogs who refused to put him in his place which was unusual they just stayed away from him.they seemed to know.


I think if he had been human he would have been put away.Animals do not seem to get mental probs anywhere as much as we humans do.Or is it that there is no chance given I just don't know.


Robbie lived to the age of 3 years old and was getting worse the funny thing is he never worried about other people, only the family but down the line I do not know what the outcome would have been.



When we moved my ex went early and took Robbie with him hoping one on one would help !he left him in the house once and all the curtains were ripped down and lounge chewed up such was the fury of this little dog.So when he went to work he left him in the back yard but he always got out and chased Hares and Rabbits all day but one  Hare raced across the road with Robbie in hot pursuit and straight into a truck! he had no hope We were all very upset as it was not his fault he was just a tormented little soul that was born like that.No one seemed to be able to help.

The Vet   had put him on Valium for a time which seemed to calm him down well, but as time went on his brain  got used to it and anger took over again.
Your little guy is nowhere as bad as Robbie so trying Valium could just work,
chat to your vet anyway as they have new medication coming out all the time.

Its all in the brain it controls who we are.Have you tried  not reacting to his growls  and anxiety and just being upbeat around him and  pretending that everything is fine... also if he ever growls at you turn your back and walk away at once get busy doing something else.As he is getting a lot of attention at the moment... dogs hate being ignored so when he puts on a turn or growls ! everyone  turn your backs walk away pretend he is not there and only see him if he is a good boy.You have to keep this up as in the end its him or you and you must win.

There has to be an outcome one way or another as he is being sent to a lower rung in
the pack and he might like it that way  as he cannot not cope as he is.