Fred......

Today Fred was to have is hair cut with Auntie Helen.

Unfortunately, the last few times he has been he has been very stressed and fidgety due to a bad experience when he was a puppy. Helen was really concerned that he'd have a heart attack the last time, as he got so worked up!

We came up with a cunning little plan, on Helen's suggestion. She said that the last time he had his hair done at the same time at Hamish, he was much calmer. He would be much better if his bestest bud was with him.

In the meantime we had to start using anti stress herbal tablets on him, made with scullcap and valarian.

Last Saturday I started to double dose him so to speak as it was the run up to the big event. The tablets did not stop him being his usual mischievous self, so I was not sure at all if they would work.

I gave him a double dose at 7am and then another at 10.15am, as it said to give a dose 2 hours before the stressful event.

We then went off to Portreath to collect Hamish from Sally-Ann and Mike, so that he had some doggy support with him. We took them for a nice stroll on the beach and then bought them home to settle for an hour before the 12.15 appointment time.

Hamish settled down, like the good boy that he is and curled up to rest on my lap. Fred on the other hand, considering he was dosed up the the eyeballs was a wittery, bark monster!

We arrived with Helen at 12.15, and Hamish trotted into the travel cage, good as gold and Fred went onto the table for his cut. At this point Hamish realised he was not going to get to play and lick Auntie Helen and got quite upset, and had a little cry. That's OK said Auntie Helen, H can play in the garden and that way Fred can watch and it will take his mind of what it happening to his legs and paws (the problem area). This worked well - H watched from the gate and Fred looked back at him.

OK so this wasn't what we originally planned when it was suggested that we have both of them together, but it still worked well. When he wasn't watching H, he was watching me, as I had a very large bag of cheese cut into small cubes...... at the end of the day, he is is mothers boy and loves his food , so this acted as the second distraction.

Success - Helen said 300% better that ever before.

Now we aren't sure whether it was Hamish. the tablets, the cheese or me being there, but something worked and now all we have to do is recreate it for the next time!!!!

Thanks H, you were a good boy, even if Fred did keep sniffing your bits and annoying you!