Ken’s Comments: Sometimes it takes a lot of time and effort to see changes happen. Other times, it can happen quickly. One of the biggest problems I see between owners and their dogs is simply a breakdown in communication. Forget dominance theory, leave alone pack structure, forget social hierarchy…many problems are simply caused through an inability to communicate properly with our dogs. This leaves owners and dogs very frustrated. Such was the case with Mary and Betty.
Betty is a young, rambunctious sheltie who just needed to learn some trust, some confidence and her mom needed to learn to communicate with her. We did a one on one, Mary enrolled in class and now Betty is set to graduate this week. Betty is a regular on the group dog walks, and I have my eye on her for Level Two, Level Three and Therapy Dog.
I love watching the development and growth occuring in such a short time. I love seeing an owner and their dog achieving synchronicity, watching that bond and trust form. It really is a beautiful thing.
This from Mary:
Hi Ken!I wanted to send you Betty's success story. :) 2014 has ended on such a positive note for me and her, I can't thank you enough! I'm looking forward to getting her enrolled in a level 2 class in the New Year.
Here's our story:
My sheltie Betty is a year and a half old. When she was a puppy she was so quiet. Every little noise and new experience scared her. As she grew, her reaction to fears went from hiding behind my legs to barking at every suspicious person, animal or breath of wind.
Unfortunately, the puppy training class Betty and I originally took had no other dogs enrolled. Being a nervous dog, this didn't help Betty at all. I read all these articles online about how I had missed the "crucial" puppy socialization period and felt like I had failed her. She had no idea how to behave around other dogs or new people. I also had no idea how to communicate with her - That's where Ken came in. We did a one on one and I cannot express how much it helped.
Fast forward from October to December and things are so much better! Betty is about to graduate from level one obedience class. She loves taking part in the group walks and even has some of her own little puppy friends. She doesn't bark in the car anymore and I don't have to board up my front window to keep her from jumping up and pulling the curtains down. Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face then seeing her sitting politely, waiting to greet me when I come home!
Every day is an adventure. Betty still likes to explore and test boundaries but now I know how to show her what's acceptable and what's not. Ken helped me get control of a situation that I felt helpless to fix on my own. I cannot thank him enough for the difference this has made in me and Betty’s life.
