Dog Training Case Studies

Residential training and Home Visit Case Study

Intensive Training and a Home Visit - At the Receiving End

Our major discovery at the end of all this is that we realise we can, and as a result of this experience have already started, change utterly our relationship with each of our dogs. This is one based on our insight into how we all interact and how praising our dogs can channel their behaviour. Learning from Steven has left both Jo and I more confident with our dogs and whilst we know we have some way to go there have been instant results. The simple act of opening the back door with the chaotic out pouring of dog and barking has stopped. The Door is shut to everything but calm behaviour and we have already taken the time to allow our dogs to understand this. We cannot say that they are exactly lining up into an orderly queue but we have noticed that they are retaining this calm state of mind into the garden and our control of their barking at the neighbour is blossoming.
 
Thinking back we feel we should have asked for the home visit at the start, as Steven teaches the basic principles that are the foundation of this new relationship and these are best begun in the home environment.
The intensive training course was really varied over several days and a great learning experience. Looking back I was really nervous and my own body language certainly didn’t help my dog relax at all. I saw my German Shepherd as over excitable and with behaviour that would be misinterpreted. Steven’s steady presence at the cafe table gave me a lot of confidence as he showed me how my dog could sit calmly amongst the china cups and plates with other canine guests at the neighbouring tables.
 
We were taught patience and allowing our dogs a chance to make the right choice. Some of the defining moments came during the times when we were seemingly doing nothing with our dogs, but Steven was able to show us how interaction was still taking place. This has to be experienced to fully understand the impact it can have. We also loved the times in the woods where we were instructed by Steven to allow our dogs the opportunity to run free and we were then shown how to trust their bond with us whilst awaiting their return.
 
Steven’s intensive week does reveal the weaknesses and like any learning experience can have its emotional moments and crises of confidence but at the end of each day we debriefed each other over a few medicinal glasses of wine and stuck with Steven’s programme.

We have been left with this incredible opportunity to forge a really wonderful and deep relationship with all of our dogs, thank you Steven. 

Gareth and Jo, North Wales.

 

Young German shepherd

 May 2011

Do the right thing by your best friend...............see Steve. We’ve been Obedience training with out 2 year old German Shepherd Heike since she was a puppy. We thought we were making great strides as we were just about to complete our Silver award. She looked great sitting at the kerb, heeling, sit stays, down on the move and recalling.

Recently though the wheels started falling off. She became aggressive towards other dogs, and is very obstinate in her day-to-day behaviour. We thought it was the terrible twos. Little did we know that we weren’t communicating with Heike at all. We were sending her mixed signals and what we thought was the right thing to do turned out to be the exact opposite.  Heike was more interested in the treats than our communication with her.

We’d spoken to a few people and someone recommended Steve. At this point we’d have taken anything as we (including the dog) were getting increasingly frustrated. I must say, it was nice to get a call back within 5 minutes of leaving a message. Steve listened and knew exactly what we were going through. He suggested we attend one of his classes a couple of days later (sighs of relief all round).

Within 5 minutes of meeting Heike, Steve said “you don’t have a vicious dog”, and spent most of the class with us.  And yes, it was very eye opening. We thought it a good idea for Steve to see us all in our own environment. We quickly learned that it wasn’t our dog that needed re-programming, it was us (and maybe a bit of the dog). Everything we have learned over the last two years has been turned on it's head.  Now not only is our dog learning new ways of behaving, more importantly, so are we!

Needless to say we (and the dog) were mentally drained after Steve’s visit. It has been a few days since Steve was here and we have stuck to everything he taught us....I'm not going to lie, it's been hard, but we are already seeing results. Heike is calmer (and probably a little confused and mentally challenged), and we are calmer and enjoying the new lease of life that Steve has given us with Heike.

Steve is passionate about what he does, he’s straight talking, calm and definitely knows his onions. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Steve to anyone. Needless to say, we won’t be obedience training any time soon.

 

CJ, Nat and Heike, Tamworth.

 

Telephone Success

April 2011

Hi Steven
Just to let you know that we have made real positive progress with Molly (thanks to some of your advice and also to some other ideas I have decided to try myself)  and have therefore decided not to come up to Leicester on Thursday 12th April.  So can you cancel the session at 10.30 am that we had booked with you (at least for the moment).


Your comments made me think quite a lot about how we start off on our walks, so I’ve got Molly calmer before we go out the door. 
I’ve also been working on how she walks with me.  I’ve been training her to walk to heel and walk “nicely” and she seems to be a lot more confident, instead of dragging forwards like she normally does.  I’ve also discovered that removing the harness and just attaching the lead to her collar works even better, because she has been struggling to get out of the harness and that has taken her attention instead of walking calmly. This has diverted my attention by making me either put the harness back on or removing it completely.

She is now walking along outside of our house nicely, her tail is now in a relaxed state, just level with her back, instead of between her legs.  Her legs aren’t shaking anymore (if not much as I can’t seem to see anything like that).  Obviously we’re taking it gradually so as not to swamp her with too much, but I think she’s well on the way to coping with the cars etc. 

I’ve realised that actually part of the problem (probably most of her problem) lay with me – I was not confident training her to walk nicely.  Whenever she displayed fear, I probably reinforced it.  Taking her out on walks while she was stressed at being told that she was going out for a walk didn’t help and so on….. 

Lavishing praise on her when she is walking nicely along the road (and I know you don’t possibly recommend the use of it) but feeding her lovely bits of chopped fresh chicken titbits with a clicker to signal her good behaviour, but I am making more of lavishing praise on her and while she’s walking, so she understands that walking calmly is the behaviour I want from her. 
This morning when I finished walking her up and down the grass verge outside our house, she even continued to walk calmly back onto our driveway.
Thank you again for your help

Kind regards

Sue, Bristol.

 

   

An update from Max

April 2011

Dear Steve,
 
I am dictating this to my mum cos I have trouble hitting the right keys on the keyboard.
 
I just wanted to tell you about my trip to Bradgate Park this afternoon. Apparently now my mum is no longer working so many hours we are going to go to lots of different places so that we can practice enjoying being out and about. This is all in preperation for something called a holiday which I am going on in about 10 days time.
 
Anyway, after mum had had a cuppa we headed off to Bradgate Park. It was very busy so we decided to turn left as we entered the park and headed off up a hill. This was a good idea I think as I had been in the kitchen on my own all morning and was a bit bouncy. After about 30 mins we got back onto the main path through the park. Oh boy! dogs, joggers, kids in pushchairs, kids on scooters, grownups on pushbikes. You name it, they were there this afternoon.
 
I was so proud of myself as we walked through the crowds. I kept close to her (cos I couldn't get far as the lead was so short) and managed to cope with the lot. Well, nearly, as bikes really do stress me but I controlled myself and didnt bark or scream but just had to bounce and pull. Mum said I was a very good boy (when I had stopped doing this) and I had a good fuss on a seat where we had stopped for a rest.
 
When we got back to the car-park there was a stupid dog walking past and it kept barking and pulling its human all over the place. They headed in my direction but I was having a drink so after a quick look at it and ignored it. Honestly, why are dogs so silly, there is no point in that at all.
 
See you soon,
 
from
 
Max

 

Ned Residential Case Study

April 2011

Ned is part of a pack of four dogs and his owner contacted me regarding Ned, a three year old Staffie/Boxer cross who had become very independant and non responsive. Even the use of a ball was npt having the effect it used to so his owner was losing all control when she contacted me. Jo and Ned spent a week with me and my dogs getting to know each other and learning how to communicate. Particularly learning to see when Ned is asking a question and how and when to respond.

Jo proved a very good client, eager to learn and to put into practice her intsructions and, most important, when to trust me when all of her instincts were telling her to do something.

Read her thoughts on the week:

"Hi Steven
I wanted to put pen to paper quickly just to say such a big thank you for last week.  The insight that you’ve given into how intelligent and adept dogs are and how we humans’ disregard this was so enlightening. 

The clarity that you’ve bought to Ned’s and mine relationship is remarkable…The commitment that you show and the insight that you bought to the week that we spend with you was beyond anything that I could have anticipated.  As you know poor Ned and I came to you in a bit of a mess, with me his well meaning owner having watched every TV show, read all the books and even sent Ned away for a three week residential program! What did that do for my relationship with Ned?

A great big nothing…I turned Ned into an excited bundle of stress that would do nothing without me bribing and blackmailing him with a ball or food…no wonder he had no respect!  And then we spent time with you…In no uncertain terms you explained brilliantly where I’d cocked up… You demonstrated so quickly how different things could be even showed us with your dogs how things can be.  Ned and I are going to get a great relationship; you’ve given us that chance, now I know how to get this going in the right direction. THANK YOU….You’re fab…see you in June

ps I know too many words....but at least they're only on the screen now..."

Jo Ormerod, North Wales.
 

   

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