Recognizing Stress

A few years ago, my shy dog, Murphy had to see a vet specialist about a
surgery.
As the vet and I spoke at length, Murphy stopped pacing, sat down and
looked like he was about to fall asleep. It seemed odd to me. How could my
nervous dog sleep in this strange, scary place. Surely he wasn't
comfortable enough to dose off.
I know that yawning is a stress indicator in dogs, but sleeping??

Cortisol Vacation

First, I'd start with a cortisol vacation for at least one week.

Too late for socialization

Books like Ian Dunbar's "Before And After Getting Your New Puppy" and others stress the importance of socializing young puppies.  They tell pet parents how important it is for puppies to meet people of all different races, sizes, genders, people with hats, people with sunglasses etc.. That puppies should be introduced to new surfaces, new sounds and smells....

New family pet

Make sure pets are allowed - per your rental agreement or insurance contract.
If pets are allowed, be sure that the breed and size you have are allowed

1. Let the dog live indoors with the family.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/latrenda/tag/outside-pets/

2. Let the dog settle in before inviting friends over, taking the dog pet stores, etc.. If the dog is shy or not confident around strangers, keep him/her away from strangers for now

Pica

•   shared from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats by Liz Palika Calcarea carbonica: This remedy originates from crushed and powdered oyster shells; the active ingredient is calcium carbonate. Puppies with pica (that is, they eat strange objects) benefit from this remedy.
  
  
  
  
  shared from Not Fit for a Dog!: The Truth About Manufactured Dog and Cat Food by Michael W. Fox, Elizabeth Hodgkins, Marion E. Smart

  A deficiency in dietary phosphate can result in pica (eating dirt) or depraved appetite. This may be the reason for some dogs to engage in coprophagia (eating their own stools). Excess calcium in the diet can cause phosphate deficiency. Other dietary deficiencies, however, may also play a role in the genesis of coprophagia and pica. Pica is a common sign of iron-deficiency anemia in dogs.

  
  
  
  
  shared from Behavior Problems in Dogs by William E. Campbell

  Most pica cases hinge on an unsatisfactory relationship between dog and owner. There is usually an element of over- or underattentiveness on the part of the owner. Most cases involve nervous, inhibited dogs. It is also interesting that most cases involve puppies that were either orally oriented to begin with, or were made so through excessive oral stimulation (tug-o'-war, etc) during early life with the owners.

 shared from Behavior Problems in Dogs by William E. Campbell

In all cases, the dog's diet and feeding regimen must be considered. Underfeeding or overfeeding may be an underlying cause of pica. Older dogs should be fed 2 times a day.

  shared from Behavior Problems in Dogs by William E. Campbell

When a dog starts to swallow nonfood articles, owners often wonder if perhaps they have a neurotic pet. After all, why should a dog swallow rocks, pins, wrist watches, panty hose or toilet paper? The logical answer is that such behavior must make the pet feel better. That is, it probably relieves tension.

shared from The Whole Dog Journal's Guide to Optimum Dog Care: Good Eats by Whole Dog Journal

Advocates of home-prepared diets often claim that a well-balanced raw diet eliminates or prevents pica, but occasionally the condition occurs even in well-fed dogs.

  shared from The Whole Dog Journal's Guide to Optimum Dog Care: Good Eats by Whole Dog Journal

In one case, a female German Shepherd Dog had a history of licking wrought iron and eating Christmas tree lights and glass. Treating the patient with an improved diet supplemented with plant-derived colloidal minerals, digestive enzymes, and probiotic foods cured the pica within 21 days, and the dog had no additional seizures.

  shared from The Whole Dog Journal's Guide to Optimum Dog Care: Good Eats by Whole Dog Journal

When pica is caused by a nutritional deficiency or imbalance, other symptoms accompany the condition. In the May 1996 Journal of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association, Martin Schulman, VMD, reported that mineral deficiencies often contribute to the development of seizures.

  shared from The Whole Dog Journal's Guide to Optimum Dog Care: Good Eats by Whole Dog Journal

In many cases, improving a dog’s diet and/or digestion has resulted in significant behavior changes. In addition to using positive reinforcement to encourage dogs to consume appropriate food items and leave other things alone, a few simple adjustments to the dog’s daily fare may solve the problem.

  shared from The Whole Dog Journal's Guide to Optimum Dog Care: Good Eats by Whole Dog Journal

Most veterinarians consider pica and coprophagia behavioral problems having nothing to do with nutrition because their patients are fed a 100-percent nutritionally complete canned or packaged dog food.

  shared from The Whole Dog Journal's Guide to Optimum Dog Care: Good Eats by Whole Dog Journal

Young puppies often chew on inappropriate items in an effort to ease the discomfort of teething; this is different. Adolescent and adult dogs who exhibit pica compulsively chew and consume inappropriate items,

•   shared from Behavior Problems in Dogs by William E. Campbell

  In all cases, the dog's diet and feeding regimen must be considered. Underfeeding or overfeeding may be an underlying cause of pica. Older dogs should be fed 2 times a day.

Collar and Harness Acclimation

Note: I would advise to NOT make a dog drag around a leash if he does not like the leash yet.  Do this in stages instead.

Finding a vet

- Referrals – word of mouth, discussion lists, forums, etc..

- Check certification agencies to be sure the vet you choose is certified

- Read internet reviews – i.e. yelp, etc..

- If the vet has a website or facebook page, check it out.  You might see something you like or don't like there and it might save you some interview time.

- Read several books on diet, holistic care, etc.. Ask questions based on the books.  See if any responses align with how you feel you should be taking care of your pet. Speaking for Spot" by Nancy Kay is not a holistic book per say but might be a good read. I think it actually has questions you should ask your vet or potential vet.

- If you are considering holistic care, consider what type of holistic medicine you like and read more books in that area and start narrowing down your search for candidates

  i.e. Chinese medicine, homeopathy, etc... 

 "For Pet's Sake, Do Something" has a good overview of different types of  holistic medicine. Dr Pitcairn's book has some good info on vitamins, herbs and homeopathy and other stuff.

- Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, schedule interviews sans dog.

- I think my first concern would be how open the vet is to allowing you to share in decision making.  i recently consulted with a new vet about my Puddin's itchies.  He wanted to do several things that I wasn't opposed to - I just saw no need to do them all at once (antibiotic, steroids, revolution, skin scrape, etc..). I said let’s start with a skin scrape. He said, "if you don't trust me completely, I can't help you."  Needless to say, we walked out.

- Do some reading on vaccine protocols - Dr Shultz and Dr Dodds and the AVMS might be a good start. Decide how you'd like to vaccinate then ask the vet about it and see if his or her views somewhat align with yours.

- Ask the vet if he or she is willing to work with a lab of your choosing.  I've gotten some hostile attitudes from a couple of vets when I mention Dr Dodd's lab.

- Ask if the vet is willing to work with/consult with other vets.  Maybe you'd have a need for a vet behaviorist one day or a sports vet or something.

- Ask about their low stress handling procedures. For more info, See Dr Yin’s website and DVDs

http://drsophiayin.com/lsh/online/abridged/

- Ask about how they handle stressed dogs in general – i.e. can you go straight into a room instead of waiting in a crowded lobby. Can you wait outside and have them call you when it’s your turn? Etc..

- Take note of how you are treated buy the receptionist and techs

- Look at the layout of the lobby and exam rooms – see if they are conducive to bringing in a nervous dog

Here is something I wrote after consulting with 4 different vets about Puddin's allergy issues. It's based on mistakes that I've made

http://www.stubbypuddin.com/2012/12/pet-alleriges-before-you-start-treatment.html

Consider what type of services you’d want.  Perhaps a clinic that also does boarding. If it’d needed one day, you have already “vetted” the place and it will be a place that is already familiar to your dog.

If your dog is nervous about or aggressive towards other dogs, cats, children etc.. Ask if staff pets roam freely at the clinic. Ask if staff children come to work often. 

In Dr Karen Overall's  Manual of Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Dogs and Cats, 1e, read Part I: Understanding Behavior: Modern Paradigms to read about how pets and humans should be treated by staff and read about how vet offices should be laid out.