Bree has turned into a neurotic mess. It’s a new problem to me, since neither Tess nor Zoe were that way at all. I say this more in a declarative, hope to be blameless way… because instead of pointing fingers [ahem] I’d like to just deal with the issue so it goes away.

That said, it could be my fault and I just don’t know why or how to correct the behavior.

I think it started with her plane ride from Houston to Ft. Lauderdale, because her first really phobic behavior began when she would hear loud rumbling sounds like plane engines. That would be her cue to tuck her tail and tremble. Easy to figure out, right? Now it’s grown to dishes in the kitchen! Once upon a time if I was in the kitchen, she was right there with me. Now? If I’m in there, she’s fine, but if I touch a dish runs like I’ve just set her tail afire, and usually trying to crawl up someone else’s butt while doing the whole trembling, tail between the legs bit. Which pisses me off no end, which I realize does not help at all.

One day two weeks ago she started the whole trembling bit around 7:00am and it wasn’t even trash day. No dump trucks, no school buses, nada. I tried acting like nothing was wrong, I tried working on her commands, I tried Cesar’s method of letting her know that it is not acceptable behavior. I tried holding her tail up and speaking in a happy tone like he sometimes does, which probably looks really funny… any and everything I could think of, but she couldn’t let go of that mindset. I finally had to drug her with an ace! I had Benadryl, but didn’t think of it. The ace took the edge off and she was fine… That was only day I’ve done it and I don’t want to do it again.

You know, part of that dog’s problem is she’s smart and never forgets anything. Is she just too smart for ME?