Apparently, one of the side effects of this drug can be increased excitability.

Precisely, I cannot understand a vet going straight for medication on the say so of a tame behaviourist.

It surprising how many dogs, cats etc can be helped by T Touch massage & it doesn't cost a bomb either

I must admit i did wonder why the Border Collie Trust consulted?

Seems the logical step to speak to them as they are the breed experts and did bring up the dog.

In any other case behaviourist practice is to obtain a history of the dog throughout its lifetime form puppy hood, previous owners etc. The period in the rescue would have been a gap in the history the present owner could not accurately describe, so if it were me, even as the trainer, i would have called the rescue myself.

Hello ,Thanks everyone for the advice ,some of it really useful ,I am going to speak to the vet in the morning about the amitriptyline as I can't see any benefit to him .He went into a bit of an attacking frenzy this morning and without the thick jacket that I wear for walking him would be very bruised and battered .I am wondering now if the amitriptyline is making the situation worse as it is meant to be calming his anxiety and help him respond to no commands etc to halt the behaviour.He has been on it for about 10 weeks now and I can't see any positive effects.I am wondring to wether he has any medical problem and maybe get the vet to run some blood tests etc on him.?? or am I going too far here ???.
Roly's history is very scant ,he arrived at the border collie trust in Rugely the very day we went along and met him .He had come over from a dog pound the previous evening in Ireland who passed on a very limited report on him ,just that he is obsessed with balls and a little shy with people at first ,until he gets to know them..The trust in Rugely say that the person who handed him into the pound in Ireland gave no information and was probably not the owner and he may have been roaming wild when picked up as a lot of dogs are abandoned in this way in Ireland .Therefore we guess that he is probably working stock and was not wanted and left to escape and fend for himself .He was very underweight when we took him only 15kg .althogh we have fattened him up a bit now ,he's now 21.6 kg ,,and hopefully that's where we'll try to keep him ,as he's at a healthy weight now ..
,His age was only guessable and our helper at the collie trust estimated him between 9-12 months ,we think he was probably nearer the 9 months when we took him on as he displays some very puppylike behaviour ,.
Thanks for the advice on mental stimulation for him .I do hide treats around the house and make him wait in the kitchen fir them until I let him (GO FIND IT ).hAave also taught him some toys to seek out and try to regularly go over the different training commands he has now learnt ,sit stay ,wait ,recall ,paw and rollover as a bit of light relief !!!!.
He isa wonderful dog and just hope that we acn get to the bottom of his attacking behaviour as at th3 moment it is unpredictable and a big worry when I am out with him .He even displayed it last week in front of my mum when we were out with him.She commented that it is menacing and frightening when he does it ,which I admit it is, even his eyes become glazed and he seems to become a wolf rather than a dog for this time .
Any way Thanks for everybody's advice and help I really do appreciate it .
Take care everyone ,hope to speak to some of you again soon Louise (Louby Lou)r

Hi Hun,
Just found this about amitryptiline

Potential side effects:

Dogs: sedation, hyperexcitability, seizures, disorientation, faster heart rate, dry mouth (frequent licking of lips), bone marrow suppression, low platelet count (bruising), urine retention, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, or various endocrine effects


Thought it worth showing you

Jann
xxx

Could it be some form of epilepsy?