I'm finding that I'm starting to get nervous in the ring - even at a ringcraft match last night my hands were shaking with the dog on the table. Why? - it's only fun? I don't want my youngster to sense my nerves so am thinking of buying Bachs rescue remedy before another show this Sunday. I've heard it mentioned before on this forum, but does it actually work and if not, can anything else be recommended (I think several glasses of brandy may be a bit extreme at 10am in the morning).
thanks
sarah

lol a bit exsessive maybe?

I've used rescue remedy and didn't 'feel' it working but by the same account I wasn't as anxious as I thought I was going to be so it probably did work! It apparently works on skittish animals too so it couldn't just be phsycological.

I also use Kalms - herbal tablets from Boots etc - especially if I know I'm going to be having a stressful day and they do seem to work.

I've used Rescue Remedy and didn't find that it worked for me but a friend of mine won't leave home without it! I think it's a case of try it and see. Another good remedy is homeopathic Gelsemium 30c Good for anxiety, stage fright, nervousness before exams or any big event etc. I used to give it to my son at the beginning of every school term as he always felt worried about going back.

Kath.

Hi Kath, where can you get this from?
Charlotte

Hi Charlotte. :)
Health food shops and Boots sell both homeopathic remedies and Bach Rescue Remedy.

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_list_new_template.jsp?classificationid=1017043

[link]http://www.boots.com/shop/category.jsp?classificationid=425&wblinktype=SSN&wblinkdetail=SM[/link]

Kath.

I know several people who use it on nervy horses :) they all swear by it

thing is, I'm not a horse!!!! (only joking)

true, but if it can calm a horse, it should sort out your nerves...perhaps take a slightly lower does though :D

i use it, tho for a slightly different reason, i have a bitch who is very fidgity in the ring and i am not a calmest person on earth so sometimes before i show her we both take some, i have noticed she isn't so fidgety and i am more relaxed, so i really do recommend it

Hello Ice Queen
I have a dog thats awful fidget in the ring. Which product do you recommend?? Did you mean Rescue Remedy ??
Nutkin

Hi all SUN ESSENCES also do a blend called Emergency blend this is quite good too

Janines

yes batches rescue remedy

Little yellow box one!!!!:d im better with colours!

Hi, can rescue be used on dogs as well? Reason being because my bitch is also a fidget.

Rescue Remedy and homeopathic remedies can both be used on dogs( and people, in fact any living thing...even plants!). :)

Hi all, they can be used for both us & animals :) Her`s a link to a description of the remedies.
http://www.naturalpetcare.co.uk/flower.htm

The safeway store chemist sells them over here :)

Christine, Spain.

i use it my animals use it and i swear by it! if you believe it will work it will!! But check the dosage as my vet told me a horse should have a lesser dosage than a human> he did give me a reason but i have ufortunatly forgot it!!! And i find it lasts longer than 20 cigs and a half bottle of brandy (and cheaper)

Ice Queen

How long before you go in the ring do you give the RR to your dog? I have only ever used it on an epileptic dog to help her through the post-ictal stages, and then would just give it during her seizures and when she came out of them.

10 mins before, 20 mins before, just as you step in the ring?

Would like to try it on my male to see if i can combat his recent attack of ring apprehension....

Tanks in advance

Caroline

I used Rescue Remedy on my bitch border terrier as she was extremely nervous at training classes and yapped all the time. After two training sessions she started to enjoy herself & didn't need it any more although I still gave her some for the next two weeks. last week both she and her brother did their Bronze obedience test so we all, including my husband, took some and we were all so relaxed we passed with flying colours! I find it works better if you give/take one dose about an hour & half before you need it and then a second one just before the event - you can't overdose!
Good luck
Suem

Hi all,

Chloe, I really had no idea that rescue remedy could be used for horses. I'd just never thought of it before, although I use it, and I use it for a couple of the dogs. Maybe I'll try it with Tango (tb) as he's really acting up at the moment, not sure if he's turned nervy or is just being a prat!!

Anyway, Rescue remedy....for me, was a life saver!! I suffered badly with panic attacks for a while, and was having around 10 - 12 a day, which was very frightening. I was put on to anti depressants which took around 3 weeks to work, but in the meantime, a friend who I met at the doctors, also suffering with panic attacks, recommended Rescue remedy. I told my Mum, and she went out and got me some. It worked from the very first time I used it. If I got really panicky, I'd have 4 drops on my tongue. Also, throughout the day, I'd drink water with a couple of drops in it.
I'm much better now, but always keep a bottle of rescue remedy with me, just in case.
It doesn't work for everybody, but for me it's been great.

Take care

Lisa

Hi, have used it on nervy dogs with some success, and even dose Mike with it at stressful moments, like Crufts! A friend who is a pharmcist oringinally recomended it to me over 20 years ago - she took it when she had to give a big presentation at a conference, totalllya unsued to puglic speaking and terrified, she felt it worked wonderfully.
bye
Gwen

Hi Gwen,
I've just bought some Rescue remedy and want to try it with Willow tomorrow night just at ringcraft to see if it makes any difference.  How much do you normally give your dogs, how do you give it and how long before a show?  Sorry about all the questions, but I don't want to give her an o/d.

ok i no im not gwen but i give 4-5 drops to my setters and that seems to do it.  i give it to them about 30 mins beofre going in ring and then a couple of drops just before we head of to the ring just to make sure there is some fresh!!!

thanks - I'll try that.
sarah

Rescue remedy is basically just alcohol, it is brandy based and this is why it calms the dogs.  It is NOT designed for animals, there are veterinary products on the market that are licensed to calm for dogs - why not use them?  Also you know that you are giving the correct amount - no guesswork involved!

Sorry - but how big is your dog??  The alcohol content in the two drops that you should use at a time wouldn't be enough to calm a flea - let alone a dog! Even if they downed the entire bottle I doubt they would even be tipsy.... :-)

Bach flower remedies work on homoeopathic principles - and as such are safe for animals - and indeed are recommended by many vets. What are these veterinary products you are recommending??

Janet

OK its acctully made for humans but it does work on animals, its alcohol based but not enough to do any harm wot so ever!!!

As you can see from above posts many people use it on their dogs, it does exactly the same as ones designed for animals but isn't as expensive and you can use it aswell!

You could have a whole bottle of the stuff and it won't do any harm that drugs may do!

Well, both my dogs have had the odd sip of beer at my village local and it's never done them any harm, so I can't imagine a few drops of RR will hurt them.

I swear by the stuff. Always have a bottle handy!!

Hi all, another link below gives all the details of most of the Bach remedies & how much & when to give them. The second link is the home page of Bach himself with loads more info about them :)
http://www.holisticdog.org/Symptoms/symptoms.html
http://www.bachcentre.com/

Christine, Spain.

Swear by RR, brilliant stuff - always use it just before exams (I'm a mature law student and the exams are v.v.v.scary!)  Never tried it on my dogs but know people who have and am seriously thinking about tipping a bottle down my horse's throat (ok, not a bottle, but u know what I mean! ;-) ) because he's turned into a bit of a loony over the last few weeks (he's a 3/4 TB).

I always get my RR in Boots, they always seem to stock it.  And the RR cream is miracle stuff for healing cuts etc...human and animal...would never be without it now.

Juliet,

Glad (?)  To hear that somebody else has got a nutty TB!!!

I was going to try RR on mine, but I can't get near him at the moment....he's really lost the plot!

Hope you're having better luck with yours!

Lisa

Lisa, I'm just hoping it's the weather playing havoc with him - haven't ridden him for a week due to a sore back (his, not mine!) but will ride tomorrow - am expecting all hell to break loose!  Will drink a bottle of RR myself I think before climbing aboard!

Apparently, if you cut a carrot in half and hollow out a bit and put the RR in there, that's an easy way to administer to RR to a horse!  If I haven't drunk all of it myself will see if I can manage that tomorrow morning for him!

Juliet, did you try the RR?  How did the riding go after your horse had a sore back?

Lisa

Hi Lisa, totally forgot to take the RR with me - typical!  He was in high spirits to say the least and the ride involved some pretty fancy half-passes down the road and almost a few "airs above the ground"!  Oh the joys of horses - NOTE TO SELF: MUST REMEMBER RR!

lol Juliet,

sounds like you had fun!!
Glad his back is sorted though.

I can't get near Tango (IRTB) at the moment even to give him RR.  The damn stupid animal is out with the welshies, and he's not even rugged yet.
Mind you, he's grown a thick coat (just like the welshies) and it's not very cold here anyway.  Still, I'm going to have to get the sod rugged up sometime....any ideas??

Thanks,

Lisa

Hmm, difficult one...bribery perhaps..but you've probably already tried that one!  Not sure which are more difficult at times, Welshies or TB's!