I have a difficult time watching videos with cats, due to the reactions of mine at home. I never thought of using ear buds. Thanks for suggesting it. ❤
To me this definitely looks like a dementia type anxiety reaction. I used to work in care and one of the most common dual disorders with diagnosed dementias was anxiety and/or depression. The fear of not knowing fully what is going on or why drives huge waves of anxiety. I can imagine it is very similar with dogs. My grandad's collie had dementia and would just stand staring at the wall until someone came by to give her a nudge in the right direction, like she was being paused, but luckily she didn't have any severe anxiety around it. Whereas my elderly cat would become very stressed and wail loudly if she wasn't sure where one of us was (even if we were in the same room) and we would have to get her attention, which always calmed her down straight away as she felt secure again. The way this boyo reacts is very like how my cat was, not at all aggressive, just very anxious about having someone nearby to make them feel safe.
I agree! I heard lots of clues where this sweet dog seems confused by very basic things (like the leash), and the fact that he gets very anxious the second she leaves, like he can't maintain the idea that she's there. I haven't had a pet face dementia yet. Closest I got was when my elderly cat became completely blind. She had a panic attack because she couldn't find me and couldn't figure out how to get off of her food platform. (Our other cat was very fat, so I'd put my cat's food up high.) Once we worked out what was going on, and changed things for her, she settled down.
Hes like that because he’s sedated. He’s showing zero signs of past trauma. He’s showing signs of a dog that is used to getting his way when he does something so when it’s not working he’s getting worse… this is bad ownership unfortunately
@@xobelladonna2443 that would make sense if he had always been this way, but he had previously been fine with grooming until he became older. The fact that he is sedated and still this anxious is what strikes me as being something far more neurological than behavioural. Dogs don't just suddenly decide to misbehave after a decade of being well behaved. I never suggested there was a trauma in his past, I based my observations off personal experience of dementia in both humans and animals.
Dogs are not human they do not think. I was a groomer and a dog behavioralist/trainer, I retired because I was injured in a car accident and am now disabled. The video is in part not a good idea because the dog does not know you are not talking to him a video like this should be narrated and the only thing said to the dog should be a correction for barking and misbehavior. When you talk nice to a dog in distress the dog's bad behavior is rewarded and he now feels he is doing the right thing. Fear, aggression, and any bad or unwanted behavior should have consequences, not pets, pats, and good boys. Animals do not get dementia, they do get depressed but not in the same way people do. They forget as soon as the issue changes. People some more than others hang on as if their life depended on them having sympathy. Too many people treat dogs like they do their children dogs are pack animals they need a pecking order if no one leads some get really unhappy and try to fit into the part of the leader. When the humans in the pack won't follow them they get anxious and even aggressive. You have to be the boss of the dog or the dog will not respect who you are. A dog who does not want to be pack leader will act like the dog in this video or get aggressive sometimes both.
Amen! My late dad, a WW2 survivor, had his hearing munted by the roar of the 25-pound field gun he was assigned to, with a "sergeant" that made the men stand to attention when the gun was discharged, denying permission to put their fingers in their ears, as was sensible. He had howling tinnitus for the rest of his life.
@@peteacher52 People underestimate the value of ear protection a lot or maybe it's lazyness! I have to constantly remind some of my family members to put in the earplugs when using things like lawnmowers, electric saws, etc...
I’m an ear doctor and I can’t tell you the number of people who when I ask about noise exposure tell me they’ve had none or hand waive the answer because they don’t count it if it was in the past. Your body doesn’t forget!
I have 97% hearing loss and have tinnitus in my left ear. I wear hearing protection when we take the dogs to the doggie wash. My German Shepherd is especially loud. I also wear hearing protection when I vacuum, work in the yard with a blower, weed whacker, lawnmower,when I’m using a sander or anything else that makes noise. I can’t get the hearing back in my left ear, but I fully intend to protect what hearing I have left in my right ear!
Definitely something you live and learn with, as much like humans dogs can react wildly to different medications. I remember my sister's dog Kiki was given some medicine after a tumor removal to reduce the pain and make her sleepy, but she ended up spending the next four hours hyperventilating and pressing her face against my sister's leg or the nearest wall ;v; so needless to say we got the okay from the vet to just give her tylenol instead going forward.
I have a cat who hates feeling "altered" by the sedation. You can tell it terrifies him that he can't think straight, so he fights it and becomes a sedated nervous wreck who vomits and has diarrhea. That's why when people say Gabapentin is some kind of wonder drug, I am sad.
@@GracieValenti1 Gabapentin has helped my dog greatly. She has Isolation Anxiety and is also scared of thunder (fireworks don't seem to bother her, oddly enough).
My fur baby passed away in April, I got him as a support animal for my own anxiety, PTSD and depression. When he started going blind our positions swapped and I became a companion for his anxiety and depression. I miss him so much.
This is practically me with my rabbit that passed in March. He was given to me because I was getting very depressed from the new permanent health problems I was starting to have. He was my support animal, he became my main focus instead of continuously falling in that depression. When he was dying I was in a way better shape mentally. The morning after, my dad quickly swooped in to keep me occupied so I didn't start spiralling. My rabbit came into my life when I was depressed and left when I was healthy again. Strange how that works. I still miss him dearly but it's better to think about the good times and move on than dwelling on what I could've done and reversing all of his hard work.
It's lava, sandpaper, flame thrower and fluffin death machines!!!! Wait! Person with fluffin death machines, don't leave me alone!!!! King of mixed messages 😂
I had to look this up: _Dogs can get dementia, but not Alzheimer's. Dementia in dogs is known as Canine Cognitive Dysfunction Syndrome (CCDS). It is a neurological disorder that affects older dogs and causes symptoms such as confusion, anxiety, listlessness, and other behavioral changes. CCDS is similar to Alzheimer's disease in humans, but it is not the same brain disease._
My parents' yorkie/chihuahua suffered with this (plus blindness!) during his last couple of years. It was heartbreaking to see, because he had practically become a different dog at that point. He didn't get mean or anything, but he just seemed...lost most of the time 😢
Thank you for this comment! My elderly girl has started to show some symptoms of this. Her confusion at times is becoming more noticeable. * edit to add as well as other behavioral symptoms.
That's really interesting. I can't imagine having a pet with dementia. After watching my mother suffer with dementia for years my heart goes out to you.
I had a mini schnauzer who had horrible dementia. She was good to groom when she was younger, but as she got older, she too got fired from groomers. Thank you for working with the older touchy ones. It is hard to find groomers who accept them. I used to trim one foot of her nails outside and my neighbors reported me for dog abuse. I wasn't hurting her, she was just so sensitive she screamed.
Our darling Wheaten Terrier developed laryngeal paralysis in her last two years and could not tolerate visits to the groomer. We found a groomer who made house calls who came around every month. Molly loved her and looked like a champ to the end.
I'm sorry to hear that about your girl. That must've been so hard to watch. ❤ Since you had a Wheaton terrier, I have a question. I'm not super familiar with Wheaton Terriers. Is this pup that Vanessa worked on typical in size for a male Wheaton? For some reason, I thought they were shorter. He's quite a beautiful boi though. Really love his build, coloring, those adorable ears.
I’ve seen bigger males. We had two girls, they were in the 35 lb range (a little over weight). It is a charming breed. I hope this boy is happier when not being groomed
did your housecaller bring a van or actually groom within your home? it seems to me in my experience like actually staying/being IN-home is more stress reducing than merely a mini-salon that parks on the curb.
Awe I know this is odd but my dad is suffering from that right now and he hasn’t been able to talk In a month, now they want to do surgery on him while he’s awake! So sorry for your loss as well ❤️
Sorry for the loss of your beautiful girl. Her family and her new friend, the groomer refreshed her spirit and her dignity stayed with her. Bless you loving hearts.❤❤❤❤
I have another thought. As a disabled senior citizen, I can attest to the fact that pain causes a lot of stress. I don't know when I get up if I'm going to hurt and how much. I also don't know where I'm going to hurt. When I'm in an unfamiliar situation or setting, I have to reevaluate how I'm going to cope. I'm also wondering if the dog is deaf. Oftentimes deaf people and animals don't hear themselves vocalizing.
I thought the same. I am deaf and even with my hearing aids I'm not always aware of how loudly I speak. And of course pain. unfortunately, as we age. Our pets too.
I am sitting on my deck with my dogs while watching the video. One was turning his head like what the heck is that and the other one is running around the yard looking for the dog barking lol.
where as my cat is happily kneeding my tummy like "we have a great warrior chosen for the next cats v dog war" rofl. I wonder why hew so worrier if he's had bad experiences or bless him just thar aniexty controls his life it be awful for the second.😢
Wow, that was a lot of emotionally charged work. Well done Vanessa. Someone further down on the chat suggested a dementia type disorder. I had never thought of dogs getting dementia, but it answers a lot of questions about their late in life anxiety and poor behaviour.
Agree with other commenters, he seems to act like he's "lost", which indicates more of a neurological issue than a behavioral one. ❤thanks for groomers like Vanessa!
@@Emzzz78 guessing you've never been involved with an older dog ( or a human) with cognitive decline issues. In most cases, I would agree that "anxiety" in dogs is primarily because of genetics, poor handling and poor training. With that said, ALL "anxiety" is based in neurology.
@@Emzzz78no if it was that he would’ve been that way when he was younger but as she said the owners said he wasn’t like this when he was younger he’s getting older and might be developing a Neurological condition that’s making him be majorly stressed
@@Emzzz78 Many behavioral problems, especially one that are difficult or impossible to treat, are rooted in medical issues. Some dogs no matter how much training you do don't get better because of issues like dog dementia, arthritis, etc. These are cases where training may help, but medication (if appropriate) and mitigating the behavior are going to be how it's mostly treated. This isn't uncommon as animals age and can be very difficult for owners. Some things like early arthritis, UTIs and dental problems can be handled if not fixed and so the behavior goes away. But some are really difficult to treat even with the best care. Behavior isn't just a reflection of the owner, because dogs are living beings it's a complex interplay of many factors.
I often forget your in Canada. I was shocked hearing you say you are taking a dog out to dry in 30 degrees. I thought oh god he will freeze to death lol. 😂😂😂😂😂
@@kathleenspellman5658- A friend of mine does this … she doubles the given number (in this case, 30C) = 60F and then adds approximately 26 which = 86F. Her method isn’t always completely accurate but it’s close enough for me.
Poor pup. Even sedated, he still has so much anxiety. I think your singing is stress reducer that works for you too. He looks so good despite all his squirming.
He did calm down when she sang to him. Maybe that would be a good idea to sing to him the whole time he is being groomed...put on some tunes and sing!!
Poor little guy! I hate to see them so upset! But Vanessa did a great job accommodating his needs. I see why people drive hours to bring their precious animals to her. She puts the animal's well-being before the owners desires. ❤
@@aliceanneacts6164I also think the paw pads are big triggers for him enough the owners warned her about it, felt like after that he was super overstimulated on top of things starting to slowly wear off. No fault of the groomer of course, she just finally reached his big trigger area 😭
Thanks for bringing up that dogs can get more difficult to groom as they age. Chuckled when you dried him "long distance" and on the floor. You made it past "groom the dog at all", to "getting him to look fairly decent", to "put a little polish on" as in neat ears, face. Impressed. It could be that hearing protection for the groomer reduces the groomers broadcast pain and anxiety and the dog, not feeling any reaction, may be calmer. He was behaving better at the end. (Singing worked.) The end was a miracle level.
I'm so glad you're able to take the time with animals like this. They still need somewhere to go, and they need someone who had the time to give them individually. You're a godsend to these people.
Used to work in a nursing home with dementia patients. Shower time was very stressful for most, I always assumed it was because they were afraid of falling on the slick floor. We had a special made shower chair that just looked like a rickety disaster waiting to happen. The worst ones for me were the medicated ones because they were heavier and off balance. Almost like the meds gave them vertigo. Not a well run place at all, was very happy to leave. I understand the new management is doing a better job now.
poor guy is worrying himself into a panic more severe than anything Vanessa is doing to him. I can only imagine how bad it would have been without sedation.
Really bad anxiety even sedated. I have to say you have such patience and kindness. That was a real challenge. You didn’t let his anxiety get to you. ❤
I love that about this groomer. I wish more people would understand that their emotional state becomes the dog's as well. Being nervous and fearful goes right down the leash to the dog.
Strangely, my Scottish terrier in his first year was terrible when groomed and sedation just made him worse-- lowered all his inhibitions! He is just fine now, though he flinches when his groomer works on his face. No DRUGS. What a difference it made. My groomer is wonderful, just like GWTD. We LOVE you.
🇬🇧🐶🐶🐶🐶Oh Vanessa you are so fluffing good at your job! That poor doggy was so,so anxious despite being sedated and you managed him with such care, love, patience and attention, great job he looked fabulous after his groom, bless his little heart!🥰💓
SO happy to see a Wheaton! Very loyal dogs, great mousers, no shedding, very little dander, and energy to burn! My boy Phinnegan wasn't whiney, but he was the only male in a litter of two, so we had our own set of "issues" (i.e. very willful). He was 15 and a 1/2 when he went to the Bridge. I miss him every day.
This pup is gorgeous, imo. Love his build and coloring. Is his size typical for a Wheaton. I thought they were shorter. There's a UK YT channel dedicated to actual working Terriers on English farms. They go to these farms and rid that farm of vermin. I think one of owner's best Terriers is a female Wheaton but I'm not 100% certain. I believe this video showed up in my recommendations after watching one Vanessa's videos.
He was an anxious mess to say the least. Poor buddy. I bet he went home and passed out. Well, he looks great and you stayed calm. You have the patience of Jobe.
I am so glad there are grooms such as yourself. You show that even, the most nervous or difficult dog can be groomed. And it's even better when owners are chill about the results. Because we have a dog who can be difficult. And we have a groomer who has a heart of gold like you.
I had a westie who screamed bloody murder at claw clipping time. She never bit, but would try and dislocate her own leg, rather than have her claws trimmed. She was such a good girl, other than that. I miss her, she was nutty! He reminds me of her
Or it could be him getting older and developing a nerological condition or something cause that level of anxiety to throw him into such a panic attack in the tub is crazy
He reminds me of Tintin’s dog, Snowy. Also, when you started singing for the 2 times he seemed calmed all of a sudden for a few seconds. I wonder if music helps to calm him enough for grooming.
@@joyful_tanya Sedation and anti anxiety medication are different things. Most anti-anxiety medication that I know of takes time to start working. It took nearly 5 weeks before I saw results in my dog. Sedation tends to work immediately
@@TheQuickSilver101 that sounds more like an antidepressant. Short acting anti anxiety meds, benzodiazapines, are used for sedation in humans. I'm not a vet, but a human medical professional. But the same exact meds are used in veterinary care. Buspar is an antidepressant which is used, Elavil is a tricyclic antidepressant used to treat anxiety, both which take up to 6 weeks to work. But Xanax, and Valium are also used to treat anxiety and are also used in sedation because they are short acting.
@@joyful_tanya Essentially, sedation works by interacting with a dog's nerve channels in a way that causes the brain to slow down a bit, resulting in (typically) drowsiness and relaxation for a brief amount of time. Anxiety medicine, on the other hand, (typically) works by increasing neurotransmitters in a dogs brain resulting them being in a calmer state of mind over time. Definitely two different types of medication with two different effects.
100% I can't imagine how his owners manage at home when he loses his mind over just Vanessa turning and stepping a few feet away. Either they always have one person stay home or their neighbors hate them. And I'm sure that level of anxiety isn't fun for him either. He seems like a really sweet dog, too.
It's kinda sad, my mom has a dog that I grew up with, so he's a bit old now, but he's still very jumpy and hops a lot. He has always been an anxious dog, especially when he's alone. However, his anxiety got worse after our other dog passed away last year. He now cries like he's being murdered if you're not in the same room as him. He paces a lot, as in, he walks into every single room to check on it and does this several times a day. Especially when there are multiple people spread out throughout the house. Like, if I was in my bedroom, he would walk in, sit in for a few seconds, then get up and go check on my mom. He's horrible at being left alone in the backyard, like he'll dig himself a hole underneath the fence to try to escape because he's looking for us. He constantly asks for attention and if you stop petting him or talking to him, he starts pawing at you to get your attention or whining at you. It almost seems like my mom is his emotional support human rather than him being her emotional support animal.
@@carolinacoreas7716 That breaks my heart. Can he travel to a dog park and play with other animals? It must be hard on family members to be there for him all the time. Is there a student or vet intern who can walk him? Come over and play with him? I used to do that in elementary school. Have you talked to the vet about mild sedatives? Good luck with your precious boy. xoxoxo
@@susanlewis1875 he's close to 13 years old, and he's a small dog, so I don't think sedatives would be safe for him to use, especially because I doubt sedatives will calm him down enough without making him paranoid. Another thing is that he lives with my mom and my mom lives on her own, so I get to see him every now and then to help with grooming him and trimming his claws. He can't stand not having my mom around because she's her person, so although there can be several people in the house, he still gets super anxious if he doesn't see my mom around. He also doesn't get along with any other dogs, especially if they're bigger than him and he's intact. My parents are/were hispanic and old, so they don't really believe in neutering him (which in my opinion is dumb, but at his age now, he wouldn't be able to get surgery anyways). There have been several times where he would instigate fights with bigger dogs to the point that this one time he somehow escaped the garage and picked a fight with two huge shepherd siblings who were also not socialized properly, so they almost tore him apart by using him as a tug toy. I cried heavily because I thought he was done for since my mom found him before getting torn apart, but he ran off in fear and was missing for a day in the neighborhood, he eventually came back and was injured and bleeding. We cleaned his wounds and put bandages until he was okay 2 days later. Despite the trauma, he still picks fights with other dogs even if the other dogs don't care about him. My sister and I took him to a dog park once and he was so scared he stayed on the table of the picnic bench at the park and didn't want to come down. We used treats and we gave him lots of praise and he still refused to try to socialize. He doesn't really pay attention to my sister's female dogs because they're fixed, so he doesn't really care to give them any attention. And finally, he has never been a dog who is motivated to play with any toys, we tried a variety of things throughout his life since he was a puppy, but he doesn't care. He doesn't even like to chase us around in the backyard because he runs away back to the front door. He really is just a dog running on high anxiety cat software.
@@carolinacoreas7716 Oh, my. I'm not trying to change anyone's mind, but I used to give my cats CBD for fireworks displays. I just moistened one fingertip and rubbed it inside one of their cheeks. Sounds like you have a full-time job. I'm so sorry. xoxo
You being able to take your time with him, have no other dogs barking in the room, and more than one option in grooming tactics is an absolute blessing for these "impossible" pets. Thank you for everything you've done!
So anxious...poor old duffer. Hopefully your magic and the pretty positive experience of this groom will help him do better with his grooms in the future. 💜 My dog got worse with grooms as she aged too. Turned out she had a congenital neurological condition that had developed over time which caused her nerves to be extra sensitive as she got older, poor baby. Wow! Had to add that he looked amazing at the conclusion of the groom, and it honestly looked like he felt really proud of how he looked too, running around the back yard. 🐶
I'm way too sensitive and empathetic to be a dog groomer. My heart is so heavy seeing this little soul in so much stress and anxiety 💔 Thanks Vanessa for helping him.
Vanessa I am so glad you adapt with your dogs and cats in your care to whats best instead of whats the quickest for you. You understand animals behavior so well. ❤
Ooh he sounds so sad moaning . Bless him , it is obviously a very stressful situation for him being groomed . Poor soul . As always you do a marvellous kindness Vanessa
My wonderful Wheaton is 11 years old and is also a total drama queen. That said, although she may not like going to the groomer, I’m lucky that she isn’t a problem for her. My long time groomer is excellent with my dog, but also doesn’t put up with her nonsense, so it seems to go well. As well, since I know many dogs don’t particularly like their front paws touched, i started massaging her paws regularly when she was a puppy and turned it into a loving thing. It’s worked, she has no issues with her paws being touched now.
I enjoy watching you groom the animals. You are so patient with them. I can’t believe that dog was sedated. Wow! Anyway, I appreciate what you do for the animals. ❤❤❤
Despite being so whiny and loud i was suprised he wasnt aggressive i expected a lot of biting and teeth but Vanessa went through the whole process with not much issues
My 14 yr old Jack Russell terrier hates his nails done, especially back right and he wiggles like a fish out of water while I hold him and the groomer clips them. It's well worth $5 a month to six weeks to get them clipped.
Years ago I worked for a few veterinarians and one would bring in a pet psychologist for consults. I remember she told us that in most cases she find that the problems originated from the owners who would unknowingly reinforce the adverse behaviors they were complaining about. I believed her as I have seen nice dogs come back into the clinic exhibiting problems they never had before. It was very sad. Vanessa you have great patience and insight for your furry patients.
With my hyper nervous dog, she was the same on sedatives as without them. It was pointless really🤷♀️ a bit like when you are drunk, then something scary happens and you feel sober straight away
Vanessa you did a wonderful job with this poor old fellow. Bless you for not giving up. As the parent of several cats and dogs who lived to a ripe old age I know how difficult it can be, and you were gentle and kind, and took notice of his triggers. Hugs. 🤗💖Xxx
In my experience (9 years a dog groomer) some breeds generally bark louder and have more piercing of a bark. Wheatons are absolutely one of those breeds. They are loud but they have a specific pitch to it that causes the ear piercing bark.
You're amazing giving this advice for a highly strung dog like this. I'm hoping this helps other groomers & dogs in this situation SO MUCH. I hope the poor guy isn't this anxious all the time for his AND his owners sake. My gosh! I had a precious Papillion who was so loud & barky he was unbelievable - another Das Limput! Loved me to death & visa versus. Lost him to neurological defects way too young. I'll grieve him forever. Prince's ✨ voice is still reverberating through the stars I'm SURE! ❤
I wonder if this boy was a rescue? I have a wheatie and I was vetted pretty hard by the breeders I researched-they are pretty particular about making sure you know their temperament… Not to say all wheatens shouldn’t come with their own service animal-mine included, but they shouldn’t ever be this anxious under sedation if they are worked with from the start.
I love the compassion you have for these babies. This guy is so riddled with anxiety, I can't help but feel bad for how awful it must be for him to feel that way all the time.
Poor baby ❤ Thank you for being so calm - I’m sure that had everything to do with you being able to groom him at all. My personal experience with sedatives is that some pets fight the effects and are stressed by feeling weird, which just makes it worse.
