At my wits end

[Susan and Bentley]

I have been so depressed all day I don't even really know what to say.  First, I love my baby more than anything.  But unfortunately, we did not get a sweet, easy going doodle that everyone else has.  Whether Bentley was traumatized at the vet when he was a puppy, which I strongly believe, my baby definitely has a temper and other issues I still cannot figure out.  Most of the time, he's a sweet, happy boy.  He does have resource dominance guarding issues we've been working on with my trainer.  He seemed to be doing a lot better but will always need a treat to get something away from him.  But since off the prozac, he's been worse than usual - really growling when we try to get something away from him.

The other issue is his wall licking, which I've talked about before.  He obssessivley licks and bites my walls.  Sometimes it seems like it's for attention, but most of the time there is no reason he should be doing it.  We tried prozac for OCD.  It seemed to be really helping him, and then out of no where he started licking the walls again so I decided to wean him off of it.  He's been a lunatic since, he has regressed to doing things he did as a puppy - grabbing shoes, stuff, whatever he can.  Digging at my couch, pulling at my carpets.  

We had our groomer come today.  He's never liked being groomed but would settle down after a while.  We had to start to give him a sedative before she came.  And my groomer is wonderful with him.  Most groomers would have just left.  I gave him the highest dose today, that is safe for him.  He was a horror - snapping (not at her but at the buzzer, the scissor, etc.).  We put a muzzle on him, which we've used before.  He went crazy.  It was so stressful, and so exhausting.  I want to help him, I don't know what else to do.  He's been through 3 classes of training and passed with flying colors.  He listens to commands.   He snuggles with us, and kisses us.  I love him so much.  I think that I may have to take him to the vet to be groomed so they can put him out.  I just don't know what else to do.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

Susan, I'm not able to give suggestions, but I wanted to offer support and encouragement.
Maybe post this also in the main forum and possibly you'll get more help.
You sound like a great doodle mom :-)))

[Susan and Bentley]

than

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Susan, have you had Bentley assessed by a veterinary behaviorist? This is not a trainer, it's a specialist, a vet with a post-DVM degree in behavior? They do a complete medical work-up to rule out any physical causes for the behaviors, and then devise a treatment plan that may include medication and behavior modification. Here is a link to the Amer. College of Veterinary Behaviorists website where you can find a specialist in your area: http://www.dacvb.org/

[Susan and Bentley]

Karen I just looked at that website.  I would love to do it but it is soooo expensive.  Like $4000, I don't think i can afford that.  :(

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh no, a consultation is nowhere near that. I know a few people who have done it, it's several hundred, not thousands. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Right, I believe we paid $400 for a consultation for Murphy.  We had to complete an extensive questionnaire prior to the visit which she reviewed and then she evaluated him.  She prescribed prozac along with a training plan that we worked on with a local trainer and lots of exercise.  The meds were only for six months while we were doing the intensive training. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

My experience with specialists (and Jack has 5, lol) has been that you actually save money by consulting them sooner rather than later, because what typically happens is that you end up spending as much if not more than the consultation would cost with visit after visit to your GP vet, who keeps running tests and/or prescribing meds that don't help (because they aren't the right tests or the right meds, or the right dosages, etc)  and meanwhile you go through months if not years of stress wondering what to do and not having any real answers, and your dog isn't getting any relief from the issues. If you go to the specialist, you get answers and a real treatment plan, and there's also this amazing feeling of relief attached to that.

It doesn't cost anything to find a specialist in your area and look into what it would cost for a consultation. 

[Minda and Callie]

My visit was 300.00. No where near 4000. I would definitely look into seeing one.

[Susan and Bentley]

 I am an idiot.  It said $400 per hours, which is also a lot but I am going to at least make a call.

[Susan and Bentley]

http://www.nycvetbehavior.com/fees.html

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I think it's great that they are upfront about the cost. I also love that they said pretty much what I said above: 

"Consulting with a Veterinary Behaviorist is an investment in time and money.  Many of our clients have spent hundreds and even thousands of dollars with training programs of all types before coming to see us. "

[Susan and Bentley]

yes, now I have to get my husband on board which is why I want to first discuss his behavior with them and see what they think.  And I just realized they are right around the corner from where my older daughter lives in Manhattan!