06/08/2025
I will be giving updates on the OCNJ plus Leo soon, but first I want to highlight a very special dog.
Holly
Holly (2023 Winter Litter) was matched and sent to FL as an SDiT in Aprill/May 2024. From the beginning, this match should not have happened. I failed her. She was matched as a multiple purpose SDiTto a family who currently owns a Rough Collie, but had Collies in the past as well. This client did not follow the contract for training. There was a barrier with a hospital stay. It was during that stay that I saw many huge red flags, which were addressed. A "trainer" friend was handing Holly in the hospital and recorded her going into an elevator to go to the handlers room. There was zero skill in the video. Over treating and inappropriate behavior of Holly with the incorrect behavior getting treat, thereby cementing this as good. This was addressed immediately by me.
Handler did do some one on one video training by an appropriate, skillful and highly accomplished trainer. This was too little too late, and inconsistent follow through on the lesson being taught.
The decision was made for Holly to come home. When I met the handlers SO and Dad, what was returned was not my puppy. It was a fully reactive, fearful, dog. I was horrified.
By the time I had gotten her home, she had completely settled in the car. I brought her into the yard in a mini quarantine area, as I had puppies due soon. She was joyous to be home, to see my son. She had to have a 10 day quarantine, and I had Lollipop in with her. The behaviors the Dad told me about, did not happen at home and I tested her thoroughly on it. Such as climbing and jumping the fence, being one.
I started working with her again and got her back to her correct weight. In time, I had her back out in the community as an SDiT. However, while she would work for me 100% of the time, when I handed her off to one of my kids, who are all very capable of handling a SD/SDiT, she got nervous.
Because of this, she would either have to be placed as a fully trained SDiT and an experienced handler who has worked with 2 or more SDs in the past.
Instead, I sought out the perfect career change placement and Holly was placed at the end of March as a Therapy Dog. This is an older, experienced couple who has met Holly before and fell in love with her. I started her out in FastCat for fun before she left, and she is doing training sessions with her new Dad!!
