Success Story: Goldendoodle makes a new best friend
Goldendoodles as a breed have been gaining popularity during the past decade and for good reason. Typically, they are very friendly, intelligent, affectionate and adaptable to any situation. When asked to work with one recently we were surprised to hear she was showing dog aggression and the owner could not have her sister, nieces and nephews over to visit because the dog would jump on them and bump the kids out of the way. We arrived and immediately understood why these issues were manifesting. She was the largest Goldendoodle we have ever seen! Both beautiful and full of energy, we were excited to work with her and her owner.
The owner was having trouble with her barking and seeming aggressive when on the leash, especially since there were dogs behind almost every fence in the neighborhood. She would drag and around in every direction. After demonstrating and practicing the Respect Walk, both owner and pup were able to enjoy a more calm walk together at a pace both could work with. The dog just wanted a leader and now that her owner was in control of the walk, she no longer felt the need to act up. To help with not barreling people over the minute they walk through the door, we worked on door control as well as the "drop it" command and how to keep her from following her around the house by doing a
"down, stay" command. We didn't get to actually walk by many dogs while teaching the Respect Walk so we had our good friend Kathy join our session with her two foster dogs for Chihuahua Rescue of Indianapolis. They came over to help show the owner that once she was seen as the pack leader, she could walk by any dog without issue. Her pup was simply reacting on leash while working, not showing aggression. Even when the chihuahuas came into the house to visit, she was very respectful of her new friends and even let one of them accidentally cool down in her water bowl. The owner gained confidence and control of her pet and the pup gained a new best friend.
