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Post by masha on Jul 26, 2008 8:32:09 GMT -5
Hi Anyone here had experience with using one of these? www.animalbehaviorassociates.com/training-calming-cap.htmIt was recommended to me on another forum in response to my saying that my dog is barking in the car a lot, and that she may be responding to visual stimulus. Any opinions on using a "calming cap"?
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Post by Aussienot on Jul 31, 2008 0:55:48 GMT -5
I have not used one myself, but with no other responses, here's what I know about them.
When I first heard about the calming cap, I was interested as shelter dogs often experience stress in the first few days, and I thought it might reduce reactivity in the timid dogs. However, at the World Small Animal Veterinary Association conference, use of the calming cap in vet clinics was discussed and dismissed.
The consensus of the speakers and of the audience comments was that the caps resulted in shutdown. It did not reduce stress (like horse blinkers do), it increased stress to the point where the dog shuts down to avoid the mental conflict. The vet techs who had used one would not do so again.
However, in the vet example, the dog is already stressed by being in a strange place, being handled by strangers, the sight and smell of other stressed dogs, and any procedures taking place. Wearing the calming cap might just be one stress too many.
Using it on your own dog in the familiar car might be sedating rather than stress-inducing. I know Karen Pryor endorses them, and usually she is not too far off the mark on things like this.
Every dog's stress threshold and intensity level is different. It might just be a case of try it and see.
I would be inclined to try DAP (dog appeasing pheromones) in the car as a first resort, and maybe try the cap if the DAP is not enough.
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