Jennie had bred Honey so knew her full history. When she asked for help coping with Honey had started to affect daily life. The behaviours Honey was exhibiting included:

• panting
• constant movement
• refusal to release a ball/toy she was holding in her mouth
• licking lips
• throaty whining
• nudging to be stroked
• nibbling on the skin of a hand or arm

When out in the rain, she crept around, blinked her eyes a lot, made herself as small as she could and would not wee. During the consultation, when asked what factors make the behaviour worse, there was quite a list – echoey rooms, presence of other dogs, flies/bees buzzing, noises on the TV, rain, and the wrong tone of voice. The worst noises for her were fireworks and thunder which could affect Honey for over a day. These lists really helped me to understand the extent of Honey’s problem and how much it was affecting Jennie’s daily life.

“We started the serotonin diet in its original format (Val’s Diet) 2 and a half years ago and she responded noticeably within a week. She was then was taught new coping strategies and the bond with me was strengthened through the support of our behaviourist, Ainsley, who showed me a new way to support and understand my dog. Honey has never looked back and whilst I did my best to be consistent with the diet regime it was not easy with work. So, when asked to trial the new kibble I leapt at the chance.”

“It took about 4 weeks and adding some extra vitamin B6 for Honey to improve on this diet. BUT this food has allowed her to become emotionally very level which was not possible with my lack of ability to be consistent previously. She is doing fantastically well; even our vet commented on her being a different dog. From my perspective, she needs to remain on this food to have the best quality of life I can give her. She is still my quirky little dog but she is happy and more able to manage stress thanks to this food and the amazing support from Ainsley.”

Submitted by Jennie