Project Briscoe: The Beginning

I met with the Best-Friends-approved trainer for nearly 2 hours one night at my house. We talked about Briscoe, his environment, his behaviors – the good and not so good. We agreed that he is a smart dog and oh-so cute. She tested him very subtly by looking him in the eye. This usually resulted in him barking nervously at her with a lot of unfortunate enthusiasm. His nervousness with a new person in the house is a behavior I have noticed and been saddened by over the last few months. Add it to the list of issues.

I am still reading through the paperwork the trainer left with me: suggestions to improve his diet, get him tested for possible medical conditions and keep his brain busy. Separation Anxiety is an issue that cannot be solved with a sudden "Tssst!" and touch to the shoulder, unfortunately. I often watch your show and even auditioned, Cesar, but yours will not be my way.

The mealtime switch is underway with a little tummy discomfort. One suggestion the trainer made was to focus on keeping Briscoe’s brain busy with chews, toys and problem-solving. (So, yeah, he’s doing my taxes this year). I have invested in a variety of chews and items to stuff in his beloved kongs – in addition to his meals. No more placing his food in the bowl and serving it to him with a happy 'take it!', he must now work for it by nudging around his red kong toy with his nose. A busy dog is a happy well-fed dog at my house.

Another item looming over me the past week was the question of whether Briscoe has hypothyroidism. This is a fairly common occurrence in dogs and can lead to many unfortunate side effects, including increased anxiety. The trainer recommended an out of town lab that specializes in thyroid testing, so I took her suggestion. I had my vet’s office take the blood sample and shipped the vial off, I anxiously awaited the results. I received the results today: "thyroid levels are adequate overall”. {thud} Is it bad that I kind of hoped my dog had this medical condition?

Don't worry, fans of Munchausen by Proxy Syndrome, one of his counts is far below the appropriate range which can reflect a concurrent health problem, so I will discuss this matter further with the veterinarian and find out what the next step might be. As long as it is forward, I am ready.