This is Riley and Brittni. Riley came to a local facility where I worked in training and daycare. He had been in the shelter since he was a puppy, and at 1 year old had started to show signs of aggression and instability. He would lunge and rage at anybody walking by his kennel, and had actually bitten a worker when in this state. If you offered a hand to him with outstretched fingers, chances were good you might lose one or two. He showed aggresion towards other dogs as well. He needed behavior modification and his chances of being adopted while showing these traits were none. We started him on a program of desensitization and counter-conditioning right away. He needed to be taught that an outstretched human hand (a greeting that most humans dont understand can appear aggressive to a dog) was a good thing, and that rewards followed if he was calm, patient and non-aggressive towards this action. We made sure he got plenty of exercise. He loved to chase a ball or a rope, and making sure he got this type of interaction on a daily basis was a must. After months of counter-conditioning, we brought Riley into a Basic Obedience class. Brittni Long, Assistant Trainer, handled Riley in class and he behaved quite nicely. He actually enjoyed the training and it helped smooth out his manners and stability, as well. He was now allowed to greet people and in most cases, other dogs. He was great in a crate and kenneled up nicely. He stopped showing aggression towards people and other dogs outside the kennel or crate, and was allowed to participate in daycare with a group of well-socialized dogs. Brittni ultimately fell in love with Riley and adopted him. He lives with Brittni, Austin, three other dogs and the various critters that find their way into Brittnis heart. He is loved and well-behaved. If your dog has behavioral problems, there is help. Call or email Train Your Dog Cape Cod for a free consultation.
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 18:57:59 +0000
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