Roscoe my brilliant boy

Heard back from Dodman. We are going to go back to the original dose of buspirone and try the clonidine for trial stress. I am not convinced it will work, since clonidine slows the heart rate, however Roscoe is not normal in any way and we know that medication doesn't act "normally" for him. Like, the Xanax was so useful for trial stress. It took away his worry, but also pumped him up and made him really HIGH! That's what I need in trial settings!! A dog who is pumped and crazy and HIGH!!. The Xanax worked opposite for him as it is prescribed or thought to work, it really made him HIGH and excited, which Dodman says happens in some aggressive dogs. Unfortunately, he seems to be "immune" to it now and it has no affect. So, I will try the clonidine.

I do know, from talking with friends who suffer from depression or some other anxiety disorder, that finding the right "cocktail" is tough and takes trial and error. I am going to keep at it.

I am exhausted thinking about why all this is happening with the poor dog. I try to find a pattern to the stress. There is no pattern that I can see. Sometimes he gets stressed at home and has peed in the house (he has been wearing a belly band, so it isn't really in the house - we call it his straight jacket) when life seems so normal and quiet. Then we have construction activity going on and he is fine, where before that might have put him into major worry and start him shaking in our laps.

There is one thing I plan to try (I make it sound like it is just ONE thing, easy, just ONE thing) - I think, if I am remembering right, that his BEST performance work was when Colby had her knee surgery and was out of commission. Roscoe got to do seminars, trials, classes all by himself. He thrived and was so happy!!! We were having times when he was that good before her surgery, but that was also before Spur. So, lately Spur has taken a lot of my time. He is two and at the peak of his start in training, working on getting behaviors solid. The MinPins have solid behaviors and simply need maintenance. I think that's not enough for Roscoe. He needs more. He is brilliant and brilliant minds left un-exercised start to rot. Is that a metaphor that makes you barf, or what? But, I mean it, I think he may be rotting. His brilliant mind needs more activity. New tricks, more constant work, more attention. I can't just settle with maintaining............I'll do just this one thing.

With all my free time............bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..............I am going to work Roscoe more and be mindful of making sure he gets special time. Just telling him he is special isn't enough. He is special, you know? Delaney says he is "special". She's right! I think special has different meanings. You decide, what does it mean? I just think he is - special. My special project, a special case, maybe just a case? Hmmmm, I think both.....he is a special case, for sure.