17/06/2025
We are SO proud of Astro and the incredible progress he’s made during his E-Collar 101 Program!
Astro has always struggled with reactivity toward mostly people, and he’s naturally a pretty nervous guy in new environments. At the start of our journey, he was quick to shut down, which really limited how much we could do with him. That all began to change when we introduced the E-Collar 101 Program in the comfort of The Dog Wash—now one of his favorite places! We moved slowly and intentionally, introducing new distractions and triggers at a pace that felt safe for him.
Almost immediately, we started to see a shift. With the support of thoughtful e-collar conditioning, Astro began to loosen up and choose to engage with us. Vacuums became less scary, and The Dog Wash employees felt less like a threat. Most importantly, the e-collar gave us a way to communicate with Astro—helping him understand when he was putting too much pressure on himself and giving him permission to choose engagement with us instead.
Now, we’re back at Falmouth Community Park—once one of Astro’s most challenging environments. During his initial Behavior Modification Program, he’d hug the perimeter and often bolt back toward the car. Today? He was frolicking through the field! He’s taking food, offering engagement, and even letting out the occasional howl toward the other dogs.
It’s always amazing to witness a dog start to process instead of panic—to think before reacting. With the right tools and a little patience, we’re giving Astro a life that’s so much more fun… and so much less scary.
