One-on-One Sessions — From Triggered to Calm
Protective Riekee Learns Submissive Leash Behavior
The beautiful dog I would like to highlight this month is a one-year-old German Shepherd female named Riekee. Her owner Josee reached out for assistance — she was afraid to leave Riekee in a kennel’s care due to her protective and aggressive behavior.
After talking with Josee, I learned that she rescued Riekee when she was 7 months old with no knowledge of her prior background or treatment. Josee and her family found Riekee to be extremely protective of them. While that was great for their family, it also made Josee reluctant to take her anywhere because she feared Riekee’s aggression toward outsiders.
I knew that the best way to improve Riekee’s distracted, protective tendencies would be to get this girl in a calming cord and work with Josee on a new leadership style, backed by confidence. Riekee needed to learn how to submit and trust Josee, and this one-on-one leash behavior session is where that would happen.
Riekee Was a Very Distracted and Easily Triggered Walker
Then we began. With every iteration, I could feel Riekee relaxing into the exercise and the Calming Cord™. After only a short time, I reached down and removed the muzzle with confidence; we were working together well! When I returned to my client in the driveway, Josee stated, “I can’t believe what I just saw.”
Then it was Josee’s turn to handle Riekee on the leash and Calming Cord. I instructed Josee, and she continued to relax into the training as she acquired more confidence. It was a joy to witness her new budding relationship with her beautiful girl Riekee. By the end of the session, not only had Riekee developed a keen eye for walking with her owner, but Josee was like a whole new person herself!
I always remind my clients that patience and practice are necessary. In order to reach a desired outcome, repetition and consistency are keys to success. Even though she saw significant improvement after our session, Josee continues to work with Riekee in order to achieve the best relationship possible with her furry friend.
“Within about five minutes, she was already starting to behave better. Within one hour, she was walking by my side without pulling and without the muzzle. She had been directed to the right way of walking. No longer aggressive, she was submissive.” — Josee, Riekee’s owner
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Dog Training Methods?
Struggling with aggression, leash behavior, jumping, or barking?
Leash behavior like Riekee’s is a common canine issue for many families. It’s one of the reasons I began offering private 90-minute focused training sessions at my home/kennel. My objective is to assist my clients in significantly improving their dog’s undesirable behaviors that their family is struggling to correct.
