# A fly in the ointment



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

With Frosty, once his attention is gone from something he's scared of, it's gone. I would have called it a night if I couldn't get his attention back in class. 

I normally only enter him at indoor trials, but there was a local trial that had a covered patio. I had heard it's a really nice show and I figured it was a permanent cover on the patio. Nope, awnings. He's afraid of anything hanging over him; as a friend put it, he thinks the sky is falling. He was so spooked, he kept looking up and had his tail down while I was warming him up, I had to scratch his classes because I knew there was no way he'd snap out of it in time. He's such a funny dog. No other dog was fazed by it, and some even got really high scores that day.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Oh dear, that sounds miserable for both of you. I think I might have stopped doing serious work and tried playing some games near the ring to let Noelle know that it was okay to be bothered by such an invasion of her personal space. If something that bad happened at a trial I think I would probably ask to be excused. I don't like to stay in a trial ring once things go off the rails.


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## Vita (Sep 23, 2017)

Click-N-Treat said:


> ...Two flies bit Noelle on the butt...


Sorry to laugh, but that's pretty funny. Here she is, minding her own business and having a great time, and _Zzzz! Ouch!_ And again! And again! 

It sounds like a scene Muse would come up with. Hint, hint.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

It is the kind of thing my little Muse would come up with just to torment me.

My husband pointed out we just had the county fair and lots of horses and other animals were in that building. It was super hot out and both the front door and back doors were wide open. So, biting flies were no doubt a problem brought in by the fair. We were going to have rally class afterward but Noelle was too upset to focus anymore so I took her home.

Maybe some of the flies will die off before next week. I would really hate for the ring to become a place Noelle is nervous about because of flies. Horseflies hurt! She yelped when they bit her. If the flies show up again, we will leave the ring and goof around somewhere else. I can't let the ring become a painful place. That really would be sad.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Good plan to take her out and play around. I hope those flies die off and/or disperse before next week.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Oh no - poor Noelle. I hope I would be wise enough to leave with Babykins. 

Those horse flies really hurt when they bite. Were they just drawn to Noelle - or everyone? Were they drawn to Noelle because of her shampoo scent? Would bug spray help? Just throwing out ideas here.


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## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

Oh no - poor Noelle. I hope I would be wise enough to leave with Babykins. 

Those horse flies really hurt when they bite. Were they just drawn to Noelle - or everyone? Were they drawn to Noelle because of her shampoo scent? Would bug spray help? Just throwing out ideas here.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

The flies seemed to be attracted to Noelle more than the other dogs. They just wouldn't leave her alone. Maybe she reminded them of sheep? Hopefully next week we will have less biting flies. I really felt bad because she was so glad to be back at our training club after a month away. Noelle actually yodeled for joy when we turned into the parking lot and she is usually silent in the car. Getting attacked by flies wasn't what either one of us had planned.


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## barbiespoodle (Apr 25, 2010)

Back when I kept a friends horse, during fly season, I would spray him with fly repellent. I don't know if livestock fly repellent is safe for dogs, but it might be worth asking your vet about using until fly season is over. Or maybe someone here knows a natural fly repellent. 

On a side note, I never had a single horse fly until I got the horse and the very next day, there they were. How do the little fiends know? And yes, they hurt like the dickens when they bite.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Flies must have the olfactory capabilities of blood hounds! They show up like crazy on my back door screen every time I cook livers for the dogs.


Skylar (and anyone else who does performance sports) it is way better to ask to be allowed to leave the ring than to try to make your dog work under bad conditions. You will know if that is what you should do when it happens. I have asked to be excused twice with Javelin in beginner novice because he had up stressed and was jumping up and mouthing my hand. If he does that when we are training I heavily correct him for that by putting him on a time out down stay. He actually hits the floor himself when I sternly say NO to him for that behavior. I think he understands that is a way to reset his brain, but I can't do that in a trial ring unless the judge is very relaxed about letting teams that are NQing do a little training and there is no AKC rep around watching them.


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## JenandSage (Mar 9, 2018)

Noelle is such a sweet and smart dog — so sorry that happened to her! I hate horsefly bites too. They hurt and I sometimes swell right up.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Poor Noelle! It seems like those flies are drawn to light colored dogs. Out at the dog yard we had a basketful of dogsafe insect repellent sprays, right by the gate as you entered. The dog yard was in an area surrounded by acreage with livestock, orange groves, and a natural pond. Ugh, it was haven for insects. I even carried a bottle Benadryl in my pocket, just in case the bees or wasps attacked. Of course, this was not formal showing but, in the case of a "crash and burn", I would choose to take my dog aside and play a few rounds of easy earning treat games... then, call it a day. Those bites, hurt! I had completely forgotten that our German Shepherd had to wear a Defy, the fly dog collar to keep the flies off the tips of his big prick ears.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Well, I'm hoping they are gone by next week. If not, I'll tell my teacher we're leaving so Noelle doesn't think the ring is a bad place to be.


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