The acupuncture process is disarmingly simple. Red is very accepting of it, it appears to cause absolutely no pain or discomfort, the needs are extremely think and cause no bleeding, leave no puncture wounds or scabbing. Red reacts to the first needle or so, more startled than anything else, and then he submits himself to the process. Dr. Flaherty talks to him throughout the needle insertion, moving confidently and skillfully. It takes three or four minutes for the needles to go in, and then the dog is left alone (with me) for 20 minutes. In each case, Red settles down, lays down on the floor and appears to go to sleep.

The needles – placed in this case for calming and stress- seem to calm him, Red doesn’t move a muscle. For 24-48 hours afterwards, he seems more at ease, less restless and vigilant. My ideas about acupuncture are evolving, it is not a cure-all, nothing is, but I hope over time it helps show Red how to relax, how to calm himself.

Red works with sheep several times a day, jumps up every time I move ( thinks he is going to work) which is about 200 times a day, he does intensive one-on-one therapy work, he goes everywhere I go and is greeted by people, often strangers,  many times a day. I have the sense he gets cranked up after all this work, even by border collie standards, so I want to work to help him center and be calm.

Animal lovers tend to enthusiastically and uncritically embrace Asian approaches to medicine (this always puzzles me a bit, since they eat dogs in many parts of China and Asia), and I want to give it more time before I start waving the flag for it. I am impressed with Colleen Flaherty and I clearly see the calming effects on Red. Whether they will make a lasting change, I just don’t know yet.

I feel very positively about it so far, after 20 minutes Dr. Flaherty removes all of the needles, counts them carefully to make sure they are all out. Red shows no hesitation about coming to the vet’s office, submits calmly to the process. We’re going again next week.