Pet owners looking for answers. Failing more than 1,000 times on one experiment, Thomas Edison was asked how he felt about failing. He (supposedly) replied: "Well, now I know 1,000 ways this will not work." Isn't this what modern diagnosticians do today - find answers through a tedious process of elimination? Recently, BlackWing Farms got to be part of this experience with a very dedicated owner with a very difficult Dog, behaviorally.
In her own words:
"Dog breed with the highest rate for anxiety claims are Australian Cattle Dogs, according to pet insurance company Trupanion. This confirms my ACD rescue, Ghostface Killara, is the norm. Highly trained, intelligent, biddable, sweet, funny, Killara nonetheless suffers with chronic anxiety, specifically toward dogs, people, UPS trucks, and other triggers known only to her.
Indoors, she is great! Venturing outside for quick potty breaks or longer hikes in remote areas, however, demands constant vigilance to ensure I see the triggers first, then redirect & distract Killara. It is not aggression. She is genuinely afraid, proactively barking at everything and nothing.
Eleven months testing eight (prescribed pharmaceutical) drugs failed to achieve therapeutic levels. Further behavioral conditioning with a trainer remains on hold until Killara is sufficiently calm to respond to difficult training. Well intentioned family and friend’s advice and critiques, neighbors avoiding us, dog walkers swiftly turning around all add to the heartache knowing my pup cannot help herself. Most discouraging, her behavioral vet blames me for Killara’s nonresponse to meds and pheromones, dismissing my appeals for more clarity in administering meds and deflecting responsibility for no progress. I requested another vet at the practice and remain hopeful.
Through all this, Meg Harrison is a shining beacon of hope. After I ordered the Calm, Bitch & Brave Balms, Meg called to follow up. She was available within two hours after I requested a counseling session, recommending Drama Trauma Spray and offering practical advice about using BlackWing Farms balms & spray as well as using a specialized harness & navigating with two leashes. She proposed a ten-day case study to document Killara’s before and after behaviors, continued sharing valuable training advice and most crucially, unconditionally supporting my efforts during this difficult time.
I wish our case study had a more positive outcome. While Killara is the norm for her breed’s anxiety she has proved, by contrast, the outlier for BlackWing Farms excellent, efficacious products to date. With a heavy heart I admitted Killara’s chronic anxiety continued without measurable improvement over 20+ days. Meg graciously accepted the results and followed through with a refund, despite assurance it was not necessary.
Meg’s warm, enthusiastic, solution-oriented support continues to inspire and motivate. I fully recommend BlackWing Farms because Killara is a tough case and in no way reflects the overall quality and positive impact these products contribute for the majority of cases, and especially far more serious circumstances than Killara’s."
* May I add? In my experience (50+ years) if the ‘bad’ behavior is due to ‘bad’ genetics, possibly going back many generations; then the turn-around can take up to 6 weeks before the thinking-before-acting part of the brain “re-arranges” itself. Is this neuroplasticity? Additionally, my research has revealed that STRESS can and will destroy those parts of the brain that govern behavior and IMPULSE CONTROL.
** Thank you for letting me share! Even tho our Remedies failed to help - as did 11 months of other attempts – we gave Killara’s owner HOPE! Yes, she will stay in touch and tell us what is next – we will share that with you as information becomes available.
