has to be something else going on other than a bee sting. My dogs have been stung by bee's before but never acted like your Rocky is doing. This is really not normal. See if you can talk with Lynn on this board..She is very up on dog behavior and might beable to give you some help or help you find a behaviorist in your area to work with you and Rocky before Rocky goes any further with this. Something is not right and I don't believe it's just a bee sting thing..

I'm currently dealing with a Grover who doesn't like to go out anymore. No Listerine in our yard, either. LOL.

He loves going out during the day, but he's developed this irrational fear of the backyard in the dark, because once, I watched him get divebombed by a large MOTH.

A moth.

Now I have to go out on the deck and scoot him off manually every night.

He didn't even get STUNG like Rocky... he has no excuse! But he's terrified of bugs. They're always buzzing him tail and he's always freaking out. So I think it really screwed him up. LOL...

Hope that helps... good luck with Rocky. (and the flea! )

Julia


Bulldogs are adorable,
with faces like toads
that have been sat on.
Colette

posted above but you were correct Penny, I shouldn't have forced him out with his harness, I was just so worried about him not going the bathroom for so long he'd run into trouble. I only did it once and realized how afraid he was. After talking to the vet he said also not to worry about the Listerine, it was getting stung making him afraid. I loved him up all day long and like Melissa and others suggested, including the vet, lured him out slowly with cheese. He was much less afraid and we praised him the whole time and we got him in the grass with cheese and he finally peed and poopped for us. He didn't want to go out later that night so I only asked once and he said no so we left it at that. I was so worried about the health thing I was overlooking how he was feeling. You guys are great, always "on the money" with bullies, that's why I get on here right away for help. Thanx so much from Rocky, he's doing much better!

with this fear, and I was starting to worry. Not that I want Grover to be a mess, but at least I know this is a bully thing. Now Rocky is afraid INSIDE, he is hiding under my computer chair, in corners, and today he went upstairs to our bedroom, which is has NEVER done before, unless me or my husband was already up there. He's tiptoe-ing around like there are bees in here too, I wish I knew how to help him, I guess over time he'll calm down. I've been giving him extra chews and stuff just to get him out of the corners and to relax and think of something else. It's so frustrating, I have to laugh, he's so pathetic! Thanx again for sharing, big kisses to Grover!

bullies that HATE the smell of Listerine! I'm not even sure if the smell is still there, it's been three days, I've watered it so many times I lost count. But if he smelled it once he probably has it in his head it's there, I just took him back outside, to a place where the Listerine isn't even near, another yard, and he won't even go on grass at all, he tries to stay on the sidewalk, so he still hasn't gone to the bathroom, I don't know how long he'll hold himself. Once I put a liquid vitamin on his food and he hated it, only that one time, and it took him a week of coaxing him with goodies on top of this food to eat it, even though I never put the liquid back on it after just that once. I can't believe this is happening, I'm so frustrated! Thanx for replying, you gotta love 'em!

whenever I get the bottle out, they all run and hide in the closet. Just keep spraying it with water, it will eventually go away. Use some yummy treats to lure him back outside.

Go to your local pet store and ask them if they have pee posts or if they know where to get them. they are stakes you put in the ground and it teaches dogs where to pee. also try bribing him outside with his favorite treat.

haven't resprayed anything else yet, I've only see that one flea on him thank heaven, and he is on Program. I can take him elsewhere to go to the bathroom, but I'm worried this will become a habit, I wish I knew how long the Listerine smell will last, it's been three days. But I definitely won't spray the Febreze, and I'll keep re-hosing with water the areas. I read about the Listerine in a Parenting magazine, something safe to spray for bugs around children (me not thinking how it would affect Rock!) Thanks so much for your help!

If he's having an allergic reaction you don't want to keep aggrevating it. You want to use things that are as scent free and calming as possible.

Have you given him a bath in a flea shampoo yet?

I think your best bet is to lay low right now and try to get his hives to calm down instead of trying a million things to get them to go away...

Can you take him for a walk down the street, out of your yard, with a bag of cheese treats? To a place where he can't smell the Listerine?

I think, if you're that concerned about fleas in the yard, I would hose it down and spray with an insect spray like Adams Flea & Tick. While I don't use that personally right now, I have in the past.

Less is better right now. Keep giving him the Benadryl. Hose the yard down with water again... I've never heard of using Listerine in the yard... and take things slow.

Julia


Bulldogs are adorable,
with faces like toads
that have been sat on.
Colette

I would NEVER beable to get them back out there. Big mistake forcing a Bulldog to do anything they are not interested in doing. Loosen up and act like nothing is wrong, and forget about the listerine smell, it will go away in time. Treat him and act just like nothing has ever happened..Changing your way of doing things, dragging or forcing him to do something is going to make this dog a neurotic mess and he's never going to regain his trust in you. Calm down, lay down on the floor and love on him. When it was the "normal" time to go outside, open the door and ask him if he would like to go out..If he doesn't, forget it and act like nothing is wrong and go back to your normal routine. You need to get back to what his routine was before this Hives break-out...

Thanx to all who have been responding, your insight is greatly appreciated...Kathy, you were on the money! I talked to my vet at length today (there are 4 total at my vet's and all are great with bullies!) and after going over EVERYTHING, he said it definitely sounds like a reaction to a bee sting, he said giving the benadryl was correct and it should take approx. 5 days for the hives to clear (we're finishing day 3) and his behavior sounds like he's afraid of the grass, not from the smell of Listerine. He also said it probably wasn't the Skin-so-Soft, and if I did want to use it in the future to dilute the lotion or oil 1 tbsp. to 1 pint of water and spray a fine mist over him. We did find a small hard lump on his back leg near the toes which we think is the bite, and that's why he's afraid of the grass, he probably stepped on the bee. Bullies are so smart! We did lure him out today with cheese to pee and poop, but he's still frightened and looking around at the grass, like "where are those bees, I know they're out here!", poor thing! Anyway, I don't know what I'd do without this site, you guys are awesome, thanx from the bottom of my heart and Rocky's for taking the time to help us!

Maybe he would go potty somewhere other than your yard. The ride might be a nice reward for going outside, and a distraction from his obsession with the dreaded smell of listerine. Just a thought. Good Luck!

while he was out there like a bug bite or ant bites or something in the grass that frightened him? It is kind of wierd that he still won't go out there.