02/09/2024
🐾 Meet JAKE 🐺 this was his FIRST session, he is an around 6 month old Shepard/Rotti, and having some fear based reactions - notice I didn’t say REACTIVITY. Because it’s very circumstancial. We don’t know everything about his history, but it’s fairly easy to see he was pulled from his mother/siblings too young, he never got enough socialization during the crucial window of puppyhood, and from what I evaluated, the experiences he did have, atleast with humans, probably were less than idea. So here, in this video, is why I say he is simply reacting to what is a core memory of being a threat (strange humans walking towards him and near him uninvited and unexpectedly). I worked him through it, now this is the first time I’ve walked with him in general, but for him to continue to take the lure, and listen to the command and following through to “Jake, come” is not only amazing, but says he is far beyond capable of overcoming this. Now this is just an excerpt of him and what we will work on; but truly, for his background at such a young age, his ability to work through it, and his willingness to learn is the sign my heart beats for. He will work through this, and the next challenge. His bounce back is far stronger than his fallbacks.
-
📍To walk you through the what, why and how, here: (we did work on leash pressure prior to this walk with the slip lead) we started the walk, and he saw this small group of people, and immediately as he noticed them and their space between them and him, he created a big loud voice to communicate to them how uncomfortable he was, instead of me allowing him to what I like to say “sit in his $h*t”, I worked him through and past it - each time he was able to stop engaging and moved forward he was immediately rewarded verbally and with a treat. (at this stage we need to use high value treats to keep him engaged to complete the task we’re trying to accomplish) As you watch, you see the barking lessen, the stops become shorter and his overall body language loosen and relax. The last look back that he continued to walk through, the barking stopped, he was wagging and he no longer cared that this once “potential threat” existed. 👏🏻👏🏻
📍We were able to continue the walk, with more people, dogs, noise and commotion, and Jake proceeded with the same body language he ended the first “scary” situation with - loose body, wagging tail, 0 barking, and he even was walking loosely next to me on a 6ft slip lead. In the moments he found himself unsure, he turned to me, where I reassured verbally and physically (with praise/reward) and the walk became enjoyable and uneventful. Jake won that war waging in his head quickly and proudly, and I also couldn’t be more proud of this.
-
-
👋🏻 I am so excited to continue working with him and his wonderful family, who advocated and refused to give up on him and a previous trainers recommendation to “put down, or definitely re-home, he couldn’t be changed” 🤯.
-
👉🏻 With time, confidence building, proper handling, reshaping experiences and CONSISTENCY of it all, Jake will grow into a wonderful companion, and adult dog. I have no doubt.
-
-
You’re gonna make it, kid - and the future is BRIGHT ⭐️, welcome to the Golden Bond Pack ☀️ buddy! 💚
