jenzaar
Active member
- Aug 24, 2013
- 956
- 50
- Country
- USA
- Bulldog(s) Names
- Winslow
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
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.
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.
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
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! 
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!!! Shocking!!!!
Watching tv with his cousins
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?!!
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!
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
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.
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.
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
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! 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!!!
Shocking!!!! 
Watching tv with his cousins
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?!!
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!
. My parents are judgmental too.. ahh well.. too damn bad.
