Meet Phoenix, my first surly client of 2009:
Gorgeous, right?
After his people gave me the rundown of his freak-out triggers (Northern-breed dogs, the neighborhood basenjis, loud trucks, people in head coverings like hoodies and hats, bums, people who “skulk”) we headed outside to make friends with the enemy.
Normally, when I show up to work with reactive dogs, the streets are deserted and my clients and I are forced to chase down any potential triggers so that I can demonstrate how to deal with the surly behavior, but today? Triggers aplenty! We saw a husky, tons of people in hats (cause it’s flippin’ cold outside!), a few bums, and in the test of all tests, someone floating down the street covered head to knee in a giant white wrap thingy. (It was bigger than a head scarf but smaller than a burqa.)
I’m happy to report that Phoenix was reborn today! We had a tiny reaction when he first spotted the Husky … “Hey you over there! I’m going to bark at yo-wait a sec … Treat Lady has turkey hot dogs? Never mind, Husky, as you were.” Then he was fine for the rest of the walk.
The lesson was a joy, despite the freezing cold. Phoenix performed like a champ, and more importantly, his people did too. Before we began working they sheepishly confessed that they’d been using some “whispering” dog trainer techniques without much success. I was more than happy to show them a fun, dog friendly way to get past Phoenix’s reactivity.
Remember Sadie, another surly dog? I just got an update from her person and she’s making great strides coming over from the dark side … she recently managed to pass by five dogs in quick succession without losing her mind!
Keep it up, Sadie and JulieG!
Oh, and if you’ve been reading the comments you might have seen that Athena’s person was having some issues with reactivity as well. I received an e-mail from her a few weeks ago reporting that she’d tried the LOTL hot dog technique and to quote her, “No barks. No hackles. And afterward she bounced along with her head up, and every time she went by a dog with minimal reaction I praised her like she had rescued someone from a well.”
Sounds like lots of dogs are being reborn!
