Vermont trip / our experience with calming supplements (and pics!)

jenzaar

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Hey all! Last week I posted about a trip we were taking to Vermont, with Winslow, visiting family. Here's that thread.

It was nuts, but overall a good experience. It might have been a lot less stressful if my husband hadn't gotten sick and STAYED HOME :hissy: last minute, but that's past sooooo...

We actually wound up with two different kinds of these products (the one we ordered didn't come until after I left - grabbed another, and my dad picked up the first one on his way up!). I think they worked?

Friday night we tried the backup, which was called @-Eaze Calming Support. It came as a gel. He thought it was gross but ate it if I dipped them in puffed corn snacks haha. oops.
Luckily the toddler was asleep by the time we got there, so I think that helped keep the excitement down just a little.
I did as [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] suggested and kept him on the leash when we first arrived. He inspected for quite a while, but was fine on the leash. No issues with that, which surprised me a little as he tends to get kind of pissy if I keep him on it too long! Instead, he seemed a bit more grounded (?) while on it. I used it a few more times throughout.
When he seemed calm enough I took him off, keeping a close eye on him. After a little he did get pretty anxious and couldn't settle at all. We turned in for the night, but sleep did not happen. He was up and aloof the entire night, poor guy.

Next morning we tried that again, and my parents showed up with the Composure chews by Vetri-Science, after we walked him for over 45 minutes and played outside for another hour. aaaaahhhhh
I really DO think that those helped. He STILL did not settle for a nap, not even a moment's rest, but seemed less uncomfortable in his nonstop pacing. Once night came around, he got anxious and bratty again. Nowhere (that was his) to settle, nowhere to cuddle, although he did try. :luv:
HOWEVER, once my sister let him on the couch (huge shocker - she can be intimidated by him, he doesn't go on our couch ever, etc), actually on her LAP, he just let it all go and lay his weariness to rest. :drawheart:

I am super impressed with his behavior around the kids. There were moments of, "oh crap" but for the most part, he did so much better than I expected - I really thought he'd have no manners with the younger one. That's not to say she didn't get knocked down :eek: or that her flailing arms and running away didn't instigate him, but the fact that he would stand still for her while she pet him, and same with my other niece, those really surprised us. Phew! :whew:

by Sunday morning he did calm down quite a bit more, though I think at that point it was mostly sheer exhaustion haha. He even stayed outside on the line with no complaint (well the usual bulldog complaint, who knows what he was arguing with in the distance), and eventually, yes really, layed down!!! :eek: :eek: :eek: Shocking!!!!


Watching tv with his cousins :havemyheart:






Trying to get some lovin' in. My parents think I am totally nuts, they couldn't have even tried to hide their judgement haha, but whatevs! Why wouldn't I want this every night?!!


:luv: This made it. He has never snuggled like this with anyone but us, so this was really wonderful.
It makes me kind of sad that he doesn't show what a snuggly lovey guy he is to other people, so this was a nice treat. I don't think my sister minded either. :)

Sooooo wow, long story short!
I think the Composure treats definitely helped, and we will be using them again. Hopefully he will come on more trips with us so these things become somewhat more normal, or at least less nerve-wracking (for him AND me). Kudos if you actually read all this, and thanks for the help and advice!
 

nycbullymama

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I'm so glad to read it went well, and that pic of him and you.. :luv::heart:. My parents are judgmental too.. ahh well.. too damn bad.
 
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jenzaar

jenzaar

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I'm so glad to read it went well, and that pic of him and you.. :luv:[emoji813]. My parents are judgmental too.. ahh well.. too damn bad.

Thanks! I'm loving that picture too. ;)

I think my stepmom's thing is that i made a dog that can barely function when things change (she used to work with dogs and breed Bouvier de Flandres so she knows things, and wears her badges). I get that, but there are worse things a dog can be than a creature of habit....
 

aprilemari

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I totally get it, and im glad you found some happy and calm times to have some snuggles. Lola is like that on road trips as well, but once we get to 'our bedroom' where we're traveling, she usually knows it enough to relax. It helps if we close the bedroom door when she's left in there to nap (when we have things to do out of the house that aren't dog friendly). Otherwise, she's on the couch with me glued to my hip :)
 

Manydogs

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[MENTION=9723]jenzaar[/MENTION] So glad that you had a nice visit,and all went pretty well! I just love the pictures! The one with the cousins watching TV is so cute! He was just one of 'em.
Thanks for posting the pictures-I really enjoyed them,happy that it went well for you and Winslow!:heart::heart: Just when they get settled in and used to things,it's time to leave.
 

CCandMurray

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What a good boy Winslow!!! Good job buddy :) I'm so glad it went well
 
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jenzaar

jenzaar

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[MENTION=3225]aprilemari[/MENTION] So what you're saying, is that we need to let Winslow on the couch from now on?? :D
I probably should have crated him even while we were there (did not 100% trust that he wouldn't mark, i dunno just a feeling) but i couldn't, he was so anxious in our room downstairs that i just wanted him up with us!
[MENTION=8741]Manydogs[/MENTION] So true! He was finally okay with things by the time we were getting ready!
And thanks, the pic with all the kids was just after we woke up and he got to meet the little one. :)
She declared to my sister, "look, we got a dog! I gotta name him." [emoji813]
[MENTION=14810]CCandMurray[/MENTION] thankyou! I am too. :)
 

CCandMurray

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Plus I mean honestly I can't think of anyone he couldn't win over with that handsome face!!!
 

aprilemari

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Ohhh! i didnt know he was used to his crate, i would have totally brought the crate to make him feel like home! We've done that before Lola earned free roam, she really liked having a 'home base' of sorts. And yes, couch puppy!
 
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jenzaar

jenzaar

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Ohhh! i didnt know he was used to his crate, i would have totally brought the crate to make him feel like home! We've done that before Lola earned free roam, she really liked having a 'home base' of sorts. And yes, couch puppy!

Derp, no, I make things confusing!
He is a free roamer here at home, but we brought the crate for when we'd be out/if he just needed a time out or something.

but i wonder if we just left him in the crate that he might've gotten some rest. That's all. ;)
 

2BullyMama

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Love the picture of you and him...... who cares about the parents thoughts... they are missing out on some serious loving!

Happy it all went well and he was a behaved boy for your visit.
 

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