Our dog, Josie, was a semi trained 2 year old Australian Shepherd when we first met Lisa. She did not walk well on a leash and had a tendency to become very excited upon greeting people. She would vocalize (we called it her "Whale Song of Joy) and jump up. She also had issues with fearfulness. She was protective of her food and some toys, particularly with our teenage daughter.
She became very concerned when people ran in the house or over odd things like my husband and I holding hands. She would initially bark but if the thing that worried her did not stop she would hide under chairs or beds. These fearful behaviors were increasing over time. After discussing the situation with Lisa on the phone we decided to enroll in obedience classes. Josie was extremely anxious in class but her problem behaviors did begin to improve. My husband and I began to see that the more training Josie was exposed to, and the more new situations, the more happy and content she became.
We have had Australian Shepherds before. They are high energy dogs that need stimulation. Our previous dogs could get what they needed by twice daily Frisbee/ball playtime. Josie needed the same degree of stimulation but of her mental capacity not her physical capacity. She is not very interested in fetch. We decided to enroll Josie in the off leash program for two reasons: to accelerate the pace of her training so she would be the kind of doggie citizen we could take everywhere with us thus ensuring intellectual exposure, and also so she would become exposed to many new situations (such as the farm) that we did not have access to and learn not to be overly fearful of new situations. RESULTS: Since Josie has returned to us she has been much less fearful. When she is fearful her training (such as putting her in her 'place') reassures her that we are in control and she is safe. I can now take her to any environment where dogs are allowed and know that her behavior will ensure she is welcomed back with open arms. Her relationship with our daughter is much improved which is a bonus I did not even expect. She is a dog who wants to please and now we have the tools to clearly communicate with her exactly what we want her to do. I am very grateful we had the opportunity to participate in this program and feel the program and the ongoing support has stacked the deck to insure our ongoing success.
- Amy Johnson