Success Story: Two clients support one another in working toward their perfect pup
This weekend we had the privilege of working with two clients who, even though they had different behavior modification needs, worked together to help their beloved dogs be the best versions of themselves.
Our first session of the day was a couple who needed to introduce their new dog to their home and family. The woman volunteered at the local shelter and wanted to make him a part of their family, despite the dog being labeled "dog aggressive" during his four year stay at the shelter. They needed the transition to go smoothly because of having a young baby, two cats and four other dogs their mother owned being regular visitors in the future.
Beginning with teaching the owners how to properly introduce a new rescue dog to their home, we showed them how to make sure he would respect the baby as their most precious member before moving on to dog introduction while out on a walk, the "respect walk" and door control, as well as interacting with two of the mother's pups. We had all three dogs in the backyard and everyone got along great! Once taught everything they would need to know to make sure their dog fit their lives perfectly, he had no issues with aggression or adjusting to his new, loving home.
Our second clients were looking to help their pet who was suffering from anxiety and leash reaction to other dogs. He already enjoyed walking on a treadmill but because of using it incorrectly, he was unable to fully release the pent up mental energy it was experiencing. With a short adjustment to his technique, he was up and moving again.
They also needed help learning how to do proper dog introductions as well as stop their dog barking at other dogs and showing her hackles while on the leash. Because of the rain, we traveled to the local pet store to show the owners how to walk by dogs with no reaction from theirs. The dog would also yip and whine when they would take it to the vet so we used the vet atmosphere in the pet store to show them how to keep a calm dog in a busy yet pet friendly environment.
Teaching how to do proper dog introductions was a little tricky since not many other dogs were outside after the rain storm. After a quick brainstorm, we contacted our previous client and asked to meet up with them. Both clients really needed to practice introductions before they went out into the real world so it was mutually beneficial to both families. We rounded out the session with everyone joining together for a respect walk.
A big thank you to both owners for giving their dogs another chance, seeing beyond the labels and working together, supporting one another, as their journey continues in loving their pups. We feel honored to have been able to be a resource for you along the way!
