Border Collie goes nuts!!!!

Hello ,can anyone help ,or maybe has had a similar experience with their dog?We have a 1 and 3 month old border collie from the border collie rescue trust .He is a great dog and we think the world of him .The problem is whilst out walking him he sometimes goes into a mad frenzy where he seems to zone out and start behaving really aggressively towards me ,snatching at the lead and then jumoing up my body biting at my hands ,arms and elbows .He is seeing an A P B C behaviourist recommended through my vet at the moment,but progress is very slow at present and although he seemed to be getting a little better seems to be going backwards at the moment.He is on amitriptyline medication as advised by the behaviourist and vet as they feel the problems are stress and anxiety related.When he becomes like this I try to calm him with calming signals that I've researched but they have no effect and it can take a while to calm him down and get him home .At the moment his walks have been shortened to just 2 40 minute ones a day with at least half the time off lead ,as I was told I was perhaps over exercising him before .
I just wondered if anybody else has seen this behaviour in their dog before ,particularly in a border collie and wether anyone has any advice for me .
Thanks very much
Louise

Often when you have issues with a dog progress can seem very slow.

However - as long as you are seeing gradual improvments ts best to stick with what the APBC advisor has told you - they have seen the dog and will have a better understanding of what is going on at home.

I have always found that keeping a diary can be great - that way you can look back and see how far you have come.

Well done for giving this guy a home and even bigger well done for sticking with him.

Do you do any brain work with him at all? clicker training tricks etc at home? Just an idea.... he might be frustrated if you don't stretch his brain as well as his legs

Well done for taking on a rescue by the way would love to see some pics of him

Jann
xxx

Have you tryed feeding to calm him when he gets mad/manic, just trickle feed tiny titbits slowley? thats what i would do.

My 7 month old puppy Missy does this sometimes on a walk, I have bruises on my arms where she has nipped me so hard, but I just put it down to her being fed up of being on the lead and walking so nicely - all I do when she starts is to stop walking as I do when she pulls on the lead and I just stand very still apart from keeping my arms out of her way until she stands on all four paws then I start to walk, if she starts again I stop again and the walk does not continue until she is calm (she is beginning to get the hang of it). With Missy it is just high spirits but it can't continue so we are dealing with it in the above way!
I must just point out that the walks where she is expected to walk nicely for the whole walk are training walks and she does also get play walks and runs in fields and by the river (just in case I get told off for being boring and expecting her to be good all the time

Are you happy that your dog is on medication, which only treat the symptoms & not the cause ?

Have you been offered alternative treatment in the form of T Touch massage, homoeopathy or holistic treatment ?

I didn't think that Amitriptyline was licensed for use in animals in the UK

Does he have a job?

Amitriptyline is licensed for animal use and I suppose by treating the symptoms Loubylou feels able to get to and treat the cause.
Good luck Louby, let us know how things go.

Amitriptyline isn't listed in the NOAH compendium what is the VM number for it ?

The Border Collie Trust usually offer full back for the dogs they rehome I would have thought they would have been the second point of call after a vet check for a medical cause

I would not want any of my dogs having this medication on the advice of a Behaviourist even if they were associated with the vet.

What have the BC Trust said about his behaviour(which it is always difficult to advise on over the internet)

Hiya Hun, firstly I see you live in the West Mids, there are a few of us that do and get together from time to time, you are welcome to join us (we have bc's too)


I am a little concerned that at 15 weeks it has been recommended that he has medication...not getting at you, but can I ask...

First the BC trust/rescue where you had him from, they should be on hand with support have you asked thier opinion.
Second....do you know any history from them...ie is he from work stock or not...ie farm breed parents etc.,

Thirdly, BC's need to have alot of stimualtion mentally, ie games where they are taught things...hide and seek, fetch toys be name, opening a cupboard to get thier dish (rewards given)....all in all what I mean he needs a purpose to life.
Is he your first BC, have you had others, alot of vets don't see BC behaviour as bordem they see it as ''bad behaviour''

Obviously you have contacted a behaviourist, but IMO the behavourist should be working to solve not to mask it.

Such a young age he is/should be raring to go and the frustation is BC behaviour when they become bored.......alot get frustrated.

The jumping up and grabbing the lead, your arm, hands etc., can be worked with.....one of ours used to do it and she used to lunge at traffic, but it can be worked with and they can be stopped ...it all takes time.

If you want to join us anytime let us know and we can meet up