10/31/2024
WHY I AM I SO PASSIONATE AND DRIVEN TO HELP WITH ON LEASH REACTIVE DOGS? BECAUSE I HAD ONE.
THIS IS A VERY LONG STORY, and I apologize in advance, but Max is really the dog that opened my eyes to REACTIVE DOGS. He is the reason that I have an understanding and passion for helping you and your dog.
Not all of you know the story about Max, although I know some of you do, but I think it’s important for you all to know that I have been in your shoes. I have felt the pain (emotional and physical), the fear, the tears, the shaking fear, avoidance, shock, sick to my stomach, stress and want to go and hide from the embarrassment of a dog freaking out at the end of the leash!! Or even worse, losing his mind in the car, or at the front window of my home. I became obsessed with getting this amazing boy “under control” and trained, so he wouldn’t do this any more. Boy oh boy, did I ever have a journey in all sorts of methods, tools and techniques. Finally I figured out what would work. It took combining different methods, the right tool and lot’s of fortitude. I cannot wait to share this now with you and your dog.
Here is his story………
Max was in a high kill shelter in Orange County, Ca. I lived in Southern California, and had a successful business where I physically ran 8 to 10 miles a day on trails with 12 to 14 dogs a day. It was a dream life for my dogs to be able to partake and work with me, and although I was not planning to add another dog to our family, I know ultimately he was meant for me.
I had a huge network of people that loved dogs that followed me, and when I saw the picture of Max on a Facebook post I knew I had to circulate him and see if I could find a home or rescue to save him. I shared him for a month everyday pleading for someone to get this 8 month old boy. Then on the 32nd day of sharing him across my network of people, I saw that he was going to be PTS at noon the following day!!!!!!! I almost physically got sick when I saw it. I sent it out again pleading with my contacts to get him. I tried to sleep that night, and I couldn’t. At 6 Am a friend of mine texted me that she would pull him for me, she had a rescue and so we drove to the city of Orange and snagged him as soon as the doors opened. I’m going to fast forward………he became my dog, he was a love but shy and not trusting of humans, he was in flight and so I moved slowly, cautiously and carefully. It took about a month and he was soon attached to me, loved my Mom and my son, Morgan and my other 2 dogs. He was also wonderful with other dogs when they came into our home. But if I took him on leash anywhere, or in the car he was a different dog, a scary dog. I mean Dr. Jekkl was tame compared to Max.
In my car he would bark incessantly, and so loud it drove me crazy. I tried all kinds of training techniques and nothing stopped this behavior. I had a Honda Element, and it had a dog barrier in between the front seats and the cargo area. When I pulled up to take him for a trail run at a local area, he used his teeth to pull the barrier down and when I stopped to park he jumped over the barrier and out my front window- he ran straight at 2 dogs that were coming off the trail with their owners and I thought Oh 💩 he’s going to to attack them, but before I even opened my car door, he did a full stop, and turned back around to run back to me. He was NUTTY and SCARY!!!!
I started to try and work on walking him on leash only in our neighborhood and not ever take him in the car. It was AWFUL. The lunging, barking, teeth barred and aggressive on leash behavior was perplexing, upsetting and frustrating. He was fantastic with multiple dogs at our home off leash. I’d have 6 to 8 dogs over to play and stay on a regular basis. He was sweet, appropriate in his play, in his manners, just wonderful. But attach a leash or put him in the car and WATCH OUT! Ohhhh and one more fun thing he did, he broke through a large plate glass window, in the front of our home. A Fed ex guy was trying to deliver a package, and come into our courtyard when I wasn’t home, and apparently he charge the window, broke through and came at the delivery man. Needless to say, I locked the gate and set up an alternate area so that no one could come in the front gate. This is not ideal or smart in case of an emergency, but I needed to protect anyone coming through that gate, from him. I knew I had my hands full and began to work with him diligently. I tried all of the latest behavior modification methods, techniques, consulted other friends that are trainers and tried a myriad of tools available at that time. I felt like it was hit or miss. Then at month 3 of Max becoming our dog I got diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and was given maybe 6 months to a year to live. I went through surgery and began 6 months of hard chemo and recovery. My other 2 dogs stayed away from me. They would check on me, but I think they knew to stay away from the chemo. Max on the other hand didn’t leave my side. He laid next to me, he walked me to the bathroom, he sat outside the shower, he walked glued to me anywhere and everywhere I went. He even slept above my bald head, keeping my head warm at night. It was incredible. We bonded even more deeply through this process, but I didn’t allow him to guard me or become protective.
Fast forward………..my chemo was completed, and I was on a walker when done, but determined to LIVE AND REBUILD MY BODY AND HEALTH. I begin the process and start to feel good. Strangely I learned a lot about my life and health, and so I began making changes. Part of that change was to sell my business to the 2 amazing ladies that worked for me, and get the heck out of California! I decided to move to McMinnville, Oregon. I don’t have to work to pay bills for a little while so I can continue to heal, and I used this time to really try and help Max with his reactivity. We also added a rescue French Bulldog, who coincidentally also was extremely reactive, a resource guarder, and dog aggressive. I thought hey, I’m a dog trainer and I can help them both, we can all heal together! About 6 months after our move, Covid changed life as we knew it. Lots of people were getting puppies and rescues and needed help training and we didn’t have a trainer in the area I live in, so I decided to go back to my roots and begin offering classes and behavior modification. As the years went by I began to take other training courses from other trainers that I admire and respect and want to learn from. I work harder than ever to help my lovely Max, all the while expanding my knowledge and capabilities in dog training. Then I signed up for the course that changed everything. It was an intense weekend course that opened my eyes wide, and my heart knew that this was the key! It was grueling and tears were shed for at least the first day. The first day was the realization of what I had done to contribute to his reactivity. I cried because it wasn’t clear to me before and really it should have been, but I felt I had failed him, I failed us. The 2nd day I had tears because I saw progress and I saw him changing in front of my eyes, and attached to me with 12 other dogs and people around us. The rest of the days spent learning were challenging and beautiful all rolled into one. It was the best thing I have done in all of my years of training. Fast forward again…I began using the method I learned, with a tool I found that gave me exceptional control and communication, and then added in something called The Trust Technique, some basic obedience, my 24 years of my experience and knowledge of dog behavior, and working daily with pack dogs. It was like creating a recipe through trial and error, until BOOM I had a winner. I began to work with both of my boys, and my recipe was working, they both were quiet, they both were calm, they both were happy, and so was I. That is when I began slowly working with people privately on their dogs' reactivity, getting better and better with each new dog and owner I trained. I learned with and from each dog and person. It was so fulfilling because I could feel the same feelings that I had when their dog’s begin to trust them on leash, and are quiet and calm. Talk about full circle!
Max began to help me with these people and their dogs, and now he has helped 100’s of dogs! Batman, my French Bulldog, helped in class 3 weeks ago for the first time ever, and did fantastic. He helped 10 dogs in California, so he is now officially part of the training team too.
I developed the class curriculum so that I am able to help more people in a class environment so that it is learned in a shorter time frame, and you are spending A LOT less money. However, this process is a more intensive training process, I use a lot of body language, body positioning (the human), a technique based on natural horsemanship, trust building techniques and obedience. I also use a psychological process called flooding to expose our dogs and us to their triggers in a controlled environment. This allow the perfect environment to “face our fears”, and come through the other side unscathed, confident and able to help our dogs and ourselves through the fear and trauma of our past experiences. As you practice this more and more, the fewer the eruptions and quieter they become. They begin to trust us on leash to guide and lead, and we begin to trust them to be calm and collected and supported by us. The dog’s physically begin to shift their bodies into allowing us to support them and you can physically feel the shift happen. When I see it, I feel it with you and almost want to cry. I know the relief the feeling you are experiencing so well, and now I live to be able to see this happen with you and your dog.
So this is where you have met us. This is a journey, and I am glad you are here to learn and receive the support you need and deserve. Whenever you get frustrated, want to give up or even cry, please remember Max’s journey ❤️.
