Trying to calm on leash...

Question
I have a 6-month Aussie who is a rescue dog with a lovely personality. I should mention that she has cataracts in both eyes (either genetic, or as a result of severe malnourishment), but does do well at figuring things out & learning her surroundings. She trains very well, definitely a quick learn, quite a happy & gentle dog. We have been working on walking her on a leash, with which she is doing well for the most part. She can see steps, curbs, etc. & does not seem to be afraid of walking. My dilemma is this...after about 5-10 minutes of calm & happy walking, she will suddenly stop, drop into a "down" position on the grass & then runs & darts frantically back in forth & in circles, almost like a stressed-out & hyper fit. The first time she did this, I thought it was a little funny, until I tried to refocus her, which was impossible...this led me to wonder whether something more is wrong. She acts almost trance-like or possessed (that's the only way I can describe it) & will not come out of it for about 2 minutes, at which time she pants frantically, almost uncontrollably. During these "episodes", if any part of me is near her (leg, arm, hand) as she is darting, or if I try to calm her, she will suddenly try to bite quite quickly, hard & a little angry, which is totally out of character for her at all other times. When she does start to bite, I should say that it seems as if part of her wants to bite, yet she's clearly holding back from full snapping (as if she knows she's not supposed to do it, but can't help herself from trying). This girl always works for food & responds very well to any training with positive rewards such as great treats, but during these episodes, she will not even calm for a treat (actually, she does not take notice of the food, which never happens anytime else). Part of me thinks that she doesn't hear me until she calms. These episodes happen when she is on her leash & it often takes a while (10 minutes or so) to happen. I was speaking with our trainer about it, who thought that it may be neurological. I'm confused on what this could be & what types of things I could try to remedy this. I have no idea whether this is strictly a behaviour reaction to something or whether it is neurological. We have tried changing her route, & also limiting the length of her walk.

It has been recommended that we give her small dosages of Acitone & Rescue Remedy to see if this has any effect (thinking that it may be some sort of panic attack). We have arranged a vet consult for this for next week. I'll be anxious for the vet to see her, since I'm assuming that the possibilities of what this could be are rather endless...behavioural, stress, perhaps her eyes are getting worse & that scares her, or... as we fear -- neurological. I find it interesting that this happens more often outside, which makes me wonder whether it's behavioural, yet she is so focused & withdrawn (& mildly aggressive -- unlike her "normally"), which hints at neurological, I guess. Guessing is right, since I am by no means knowledgeable about this area. I'm not sure how the vet will proceed with diagnosing it. Perhaps he'll refer us elsewhere for that if need be.

I would really appreciate any thoughts you may have!

Answer
Since I cannot see your dog, I can't say for sure what is happening, but I can tell you that many Aussies have epilepsy, and it tends to occur more in dogs that were poorly bred, as I suspect yours may have been.  There are tests for eye abnormalities that should have been done on her parents before they were bred - so if the breeder was not testing, he/she was probably not paying much attention to whether epilepsy ran in any of the lines either.  Some dogs do well on medication, and some don't, but until you find out for sure, don't panic.  Another possibility is that she is just having episodes of the "puppy zoomies" and because of her heightened arousal, is snapping or mouthing you as the result of a displaced herding type behavior.  I'm glad you are going to have your vet rule out the physical causes first.  If it turns out to be behavioral, I'm sure the vet can refer you to a behaviorist or the nearest teaching vet hospital, which should be able to connect you with someone who can possibly help.

By the way, I hope I didn't offend you with my comment about the dog being poorly bred.  That doesn't in any way mean that I think less of your dog (I would like to thwack the breeder!).  She is an innocent victim of this situation.  I am strongly hoping that you can get her the help she needs and that she will have a long and reasonably healthy life with you.  I know how easy it is to fall in love with an Aussie, and how painful it is to see your best friend having difficulties...