Has anyone used valerium?

Hi
Benny has been aggressive to other dogs when they come over to him, so we have started taking him to training classes to socilaise him more and also meet others. He is doing well but is very scared, tail between his legs, tries to sit facing away to everyone etc. He was getting a bit better 2nd lesson but some new dogs started last week who were really barky and jumpy- ben was really scared and had to be coaxed along to walk at some points. The trainer has told me to get him valerium so he is more relaxed and can cope with the situation better.
He has also been nervous of people coming toward him and has snapped at a man in the park who went straight in to touch his head, he doesnt like loud cars or the bin men either - so he is nervous in other situations too. In the house though he is chiiled and doesnt show any nervousness at all.
I am worried that he will become reliant on it and become more stressed when he stops having it - i dont want him to be on it long term. The trainer says that once he has got used to not been nervous he will have no issues stopping and that being nervous can be a habit we need to break.
I was wondering if anyone else has used it and if it has helped calm your dogs down.

Valerium can be useful in some cases, but it won't work on all. It isn't addictive, though, so the trainer's right in as much as once he's more confident you probably won't need it.

Has he been castrated, and if so, do you know when?

It sounds as though his past has stripped him of all his self-confidence & it might take a little while & a lot of patience to get him through it. You're going to have to do a lot of desensitisation over the next few weeks.

Is his nervousness over specific things, or is there no pattern to it?

We have had him for about 6 months and we had him castrated when we had him- he was 18 months. He seems nervous when other dogs bounce over to him - he doesnt cower and his tail doesnt go down - if anything he gets an "interested" face at first and will pull towards them but as soon as they get close he will snarl and snap. He will ignore dogs that ignore him. In the training he has his tail down, shivers sometimes and sometimes pulls back. With people it has been when they have gone straight to him and gone to touch his head. I tell people when we are out not to touch him now, which is a shame as he is most likely going to be friendly but i cant risk it. We keep him on lead and he is confident when walking normally, but will pull away from loud cars and lick his lips or yawn.
I dont know wht happened in his previous home - they were selling him because their son wanted a puppy and didnt like him any more : ( he spent most of his time shut in the kitchen. He had bald strip down his tail, a bald nose and a patch on top of his head (could be why he is funny with strangers there, but has no probs with us touching him there)

selling him because the son wanted a puppy ?? OMG some people just don't have a clue how to train their kids

I think they should have sold the kid instead! - but then we wouldnt have had the joy of having ben. I wonder what will happen when that pup grows up too

Joj wrote:I think they should have sold the kid instead! - but then we wouldnt have had the joy of having ben. I wonder what will happen when that pup grows up too

Everything happens in life for a reason , I'm a firm believer of that whether it is good or bad

If he was nervous when you got him, he probably shouldn't have been castrated. Not to worry now, but it might take a bit longer to get over the fears.

Start to teach him the 'watch' command - hold a treat in front of your face & as soon as he looks at you (the very second he looks) say "watch" and give him the treat. It'll take a few goes, but soon he'll look at you when you say "Watch".

When you're out & a strange dog approaches, get him to watch you & walk straight past the dog. He will eventually learn that walking past without reacting gets him a treat.

It's a long haul, the way he was treated before will have left scars, but with careful handling he'll come through it.

Thanks caryll - will try that. He is such a happy lad most of the time, it is horrible to think of him being scared.
It doesnt help when people are so half soaked when they see us bring him close and still let little poochie bound over and then look surprised when we tell them to call it back or he reacts - had 3 of them yesterday, after a lovely walk there, ben happily exploring (on long lead, tail wagging) on way back had loads of off lead dogs. Some he ignored but the bouncy ones scared him. Had a man with a english bull - on phone ignoring dog who was stood across the bridge, said dont worry hes not dangerous when we asked him to call him. We explained ben doesnt like other dogs - he said oh hes dangerous is he -NO hes not danngerous just needs you to control your dog - grrrr wont be going to that park anytime soon