Pheromones

Toby is having such a good reaction to her pheromone collar that I thought I would write about it a little more. While I had heard about pheromones a while back it was in the context of sexual attraction and something I really thought was nothing more than a gimmick to sell perfume. I also knew some animals [like bees] used pheromones to communicate with each other but that was pretty much my sum total of knowledge.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, I saw a display for pheromone collars for dogs at a pet resort here in town. The packaging said it was useful for fearful behaviors in dogs - separation anxiety, etc. Apparently, it emits a scent that reminds them of the time they were with their mother and is comforting. It seemed tailor made for Toby. We were forced to place her on Prozac about a year ago because of her high anxiety levels. It wasn't something I wanted to do but nothing else [herbs, homeopathic remedies, etc] seemed to help her. And after she injured herself going through the kitty door a couple of years ago while we were away, I wanted to make sure she didn't feel that upset ever again.
So, I tapered her of the Prozac and placed the collar on her. The transformation was almost immediate. She seemed like her old self, when she was a much younger dog and enjoying life. The irritability that I had noticed creeping up in her while on the Prozac subsided and in its place was a carefree happy dog. She has been playing more with Jessie. She also doesn't seem to mind the triggers that before would send her retreating under my desk. Before, even a raised voice [even if it was raised in exhilaration] would make her nervous and she would look to us for reassurance and show anxiety behaviors. Now, she looks up when she hears a trigger and then just goes back to whatever she was doing. She's eating better and the irritability is gone.
We couldn't be happier with her response.
I wonder if they make these for humans? :>)

Home Made Treats

Maybe I've gone off the deep end entirely, but I've started baking my own treats for the dogs. I recently had bought a few homemade cookies from the local pet store because they were wheat free [Jessie is allergic to wheat - many dogs are] and really cute but then decided it was an expensive way to go. I still buy biscuits in bulk [Wellness biscuits] for convenience but I enjoy watching the girls eat special treats. They really seem to enjoy them.
So last week I tried my hand at making my own and found I really enjoyed the process. And they are so easy.
If you're in the mood, just Google wheat free dog treat recipes. Tons of recipes come up and you'll be able to try the one that appeals to you. My favorite is the cheese twists. The recipe calls for whole wheat flour but I substituted oat flour and it works just fine. In fact, the second time I made them I didn't even make twists. I made little balls that I flattened with my thumb. Apparently, they still tasted good.

Our Toby girl

The Syn-Flex seems to really be making a difference for Toby. She doesn't limp nearly as much as she used to and on days when she seems more uncomfortable, a little Tramadol seems to help her.