# Where can I buy a plastic hand?



## nixie1990 (Oct 6, 2009)

My mum was asking me earlier, if I knew where she could buy a plastic hand from, the type that RSPCA and others rescues use to assess their dogs?
I don't know if its possible to buy one but if anyone has any idea please let me know


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## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Mekuti do them:









Fake Hands a uesful tool for assessing rescue or touch sensitive animals


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

nixie1990 said:


> My mum was asking me earlier, if I knew where she could buy a plastic hand from, the type that RSPCA and others rescues use to assess their dogs?


oh, my dear DoG, *nixie -  
if THIS is the dog U intend to use the Assess-a-hand with...


nixie1990 said:


> My mum has asked me to make a post to see if anyone on here can help.
> We have a rescsue dog, extremely nervous and anxious, can be fear aggressive.
> The problem we are having at the moment is that when she's in the car, if anyone/thing goes past she goes mental, whether the car is moving or stationary, she bounces from side to side bouncing and is getting pretty close to breaking the windows!
> We have tried Dorwest herbs valerian compound, Bioforce emergency flower essence, Nupafeed stress less, rescue remedy and the DAP spray, all are completely uneffective in her.
> ...


all i can say is, Please, _Please,_ _*Please! - *_ do not do that. 
agitating the dog by stirring a hand in her bowl is NOT helpful, it makes things much worse.

* how long have U had this dog? 
* HOW LONG did U use the DAP-spray + how often?

* HOW did U dose when using the Rescue-Remedy? 
------------------------------------------------------------------- 
in water is not at all effective in high-stress; 5 to 6 drops AM + PM on an empty stomach, PLUS another similar dose 15 to 20-mins before an anticipated stressor, generally *is* effective... 
but it takes 2 to 3 days, of AM + PM doses, to begin to see an effect.

* do U have any history?

have U tried CRATING the dog in the car? a SHIPPING style AKA Airline-crate will shut-off the visual of passing traffic, other dogs, peds, etc. (wire crates are both too-open to help, and *Un-Safe! in transport* - they collapse or fold on impact, trapping or injuring the occupant.)

have U tried tying her down short, *with a bike-style cable as a tether*, Not a leash (which she can chew thru)? 
Tethered to Success 12 to 15-inches long is PLENTY - 
she must Lie-Down, to put her eyes below the windows. clipping it to a cargo-loop in the car-floor, a seat-lock welded to the frame, etc, is best. 
use a harness with a FRONT-ring on her forechest to be sure she cannot get up + look out - hence the need to be chew-proof.

*have U tried a Calming-Cap to considerably reduce her visual stim? *
52 Weeks : 33/52 - Calming Cap on Flickr - Photo Sharing! 
note the description - its safe, humane, easy + lightweight.

combining calmatives with B-Mod is always necessary - 
no calmative is a majick-bullet, all by itself.

i suspect she is a BC-cross, and the visual of passing cars / trucks / light poles, etc, is too much stim for her. 
all my best, 
--- terry


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## nixie1990 (Oct 6, 2009)

Leashed for life, 
Yes it is that dog, no it doesn't have anything to do with that problem. 
We have no intention of "stirring a hand in her bowl"

We have had her for about 2 years I think, and I don't know how long we used things for, as I don't train that dog, *have enough on with my 3*

Will mention the rescue remedy dosage to mum though

What do you mean by "do U have any history?"

Mum has bought a crate, which is in the car, but we've not been anywhere yet. 

And NO WAY am I going to tye her down short, a stressy scared dog thats been abused will not thank me for tying her down and chances are I'll get bitten

she is full BC, and yes you are right I think, the stimulation, but also there is fear there. Lots of it!


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

nixie1990 said:


> We have no intention of "stirring a hand in her bowl"


whew, thank DoG!  i have seen shelter-staff do this to a dog who has only been in the shelter for one night, and is still rattled by all the commotion, barking dogs, strangers, loud noise, new routine, and so on - and they wonder why the dog gets upset?!  


> What do you mean by "do U have any history?"


where she came from, what her previous life was like, and so on? 


> Mum has bought a crate, which is in the car, but we've not been anywhere yet.


i was a bit confused - U said U have had her for 2 years? 
i thought she had already been in the car, and U were describing her upset? 


> she is... BC, and yes... the stimulation, but also... fear... Lots of it!


please show Ur mother the journal entry on the dog wearing the Calming-Cap - 
its the *Flickr* link, + its a terrific description of its use + effect.

Working with a fearful, scared or shy dog is also a wonderful resource - safe + helpful, no force or aversives.

all my best, 
--- terry


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## nixie1990 (Oct 6, 2009)

Leashedforlife: that bothers me, as you say the dog is stressed by the new place, and therefore is upset when they go "assessing the dogs personality" Especially as some get put down for it :S
The reason we want the hand is to introduce Megan to having people meet her, we've had her two years and she's got much better but she gets fear aggressive with people trying to meet her. We're not going to go prodding her with sticks or anything, just use it as an extended hand to make it less worrying for her. 

She came from the RSPCA, we used to volunteer there, and they rang us up to say could we take her as she was in a right mess. Don't know about her previous life but it certainly wasn't a good one. She was scared of everything, they had a fenced off areas, and she was running from side to side trying to escape over the fences (about 10 foot high) when we went to pick her up 

Yeah, I was describing her in the car, sorry, when I said not been anywhere yet, I meant mums only just come up with the crate idea last week, so shes not really had much use of it yet. 

Will definitely show her the links and especially that calming cap

Thanks 
Nickie


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## leashedForLife (Nov 1, 2009)

nixie1990 said:


> (the assess-a-hand use in shelters) bothers me, ...the dog is stressed by the new place, and therefore is upset when they go "assessing the dogs personality" Especially as some get put down for it :S


yes :nonod: i;ve seen it happen to dogs who just needed some time, and to learn some trust - 
a total stranger sticking a paw in their bowl + dragging it away as they try to eat, or stirring it up so that they *cannot* eat around it, is the classic test for RG/defensive behavior around food. 
unfortunately, _a total stranger taking ones food or preventing U from eating is NOT trust-building; instead it feeds the newly-arrived dogs worst fears, that these ppl are Not Trustworthy but are thieves_, and s/he reacts with hackles, growls, freezes, snaps / bites... 
:eek6: this is as predictable as the sun in the morning, and IMO is a lousy reason to kill a dog.  they are so worried about liability that only the most stable rubber-ball-rebound dogs make it out the door, alive. 


> ...we want... the hand... to introduce Megan to having people meet her, we've had her two years and she's got much better but she gets fear aggressive with people trying to meet her. We (won;t) prod her with sticks or anything, just use it as an extended hand to make it less worrying for her.


if using the Assess-a-hand to *touch* her is the general idea, it really won;t help much; 
the person still ===> approaches her <==== vs her choice to approach THEM for touch, of her own free will.

i;d teach her to TARGET instead on Ur hands - 
make a fist, thumb inside (no nipped fingers) and crisply offer the BACK of the balled fist to the dog - 
click / treat for looking at it, approaching it, sniffing it... the GOAL behavior is *Touch with her nose.* 
shape the Touch so that its firm pressure that leaves a little damp spot - 
when U want her to meet someone, ask THEM to offer their balled-fist with the back of the hand toward her, 
and let *her* decide if she will approach ---> Them.

then if she chooses to, and nose-targets their hand or sniffs in its direction or merely LOOKS at their hand, 
Click + treat. U have to start small, so *look* or *sniff* may be baby-steps, then *target* - 
but THEY do not touch Her. 


> She came from the RSPCA... she was in a right mess...
> her previous life... certainly wasn't a good one. ...scared of everything... she (ran) from side to side trying to escape over the fences (about 10-ft high) when we went to pick her up


unfortunately, all it takes for a BC to be in that state is lack of habituation or socialization as a pup - they become very panicky + withdrawn, frantic to escape.  she may only have met a few ppl, or been kept in a barn, garage or fenced-yard with no opps to meet strangers or experience the larger world. even DUCKING or FLINCHING is no warranty that she was ever struck - spooky dogs are highly-reactive to any approach, animate or inanimate, especially if its rapid or they cannot retreat (leashes, walls, fences...). 


> ...when I said (she had) not been anywhere yet, I meant mums only just come up with the crate idea last week, so shes not really had much use of it yet.


ah, i see!  gotcha - an airline crate with DAP (her collar - sprayed OFF her then put on; the crate doorway outside lick-reach; the car-seat; the SEAT-belt securing the crate), 
lavender-spray spritzed in the air inside the car, + Rescue-Remedy liquid (5 to 6 drops on a single-treat, given to her 15 to 20-mins before loading her into the car) should all help enormously.

good luck - spooks are huge fix-it jobs, but also hugely rewarding.  
--- terry


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