We have two golden retrievers who keep us on our toes, but I’m at my wit’s end with Percy. Percy is a 7 year old male and is the head dog in our house. He not only believes he is in charge of other dogs, but he believes it is his job to keep me on schedule (if I am not in the kitchen cooking dinner at the appropriate time, he barks at me) and to make sure I spend enough time touching him (a dog has needs).

Percy scratched open a big sore on the side of his face about 6 weeks ago. We immediately coned him (we’ve been through this before) and let it heal completely – scab was completely gone. Once it was completely gone, we took the cone off and he scratched it open again. We’ve been playing this game for weeks with the cone on then off, then he scratches it open again and we put it back on. We went to the vet a few weeks ago, who gave him a shot and shaved it (which I think makes it worse since it not only itches, but if he does scratch it, there is no fur to protect it). Well that didn’t help at all. We’re headed back to the vet, but I’m about ready to strap some doggie boots on his back feet to stop him from scratching it and put him on doggie Benadryl to reduce the itchiness.

I feel terrible for him in his sensory deprivation cone and we take it off and closely supervise him so he can roll around on the floor and we scratch his neck and ears for him. He’s at the point with the cone where he has decided that if he has to be miserable, then we do too. He whacks me on the back of the legs with it going down the stairs. He runs it along the edge of my expensive kitchen cabinets like a prisoner running a spoon across the bars. He lays in the hallway outside my office and whines a sad little cry to let me know how unhappy he is. However this in no way has prevented him from drinking out of the toilet (which he will do if the water in the water bowl is not fresh enough for him – he sniffs it to check how recently it’s been changed. 6 hours is iffy. 4 is acceptable). I’m at the end of my rope with this thing and hope we can get some solutions. If you have suggestions, please weigh in!