#help4yourdog – #BEINGWITHDOGS AND SUCH

Help For Your Dog

CANCELLED due to COVID 19

Coming to Kamloops! We are once again planning a 2-part seminar to help you understand and address your dog’s reactivity, aggression, fear, or frustration. Learn from dog training and behaviour professionals, and exceptional dog-handler teams who will demonstrate what they have learned by using evidence-based behaviour modification techniques. This seminar is hosted by Five Star Dog Training and Being With Dogs.

WHAT: Two-Part Seminar

SPEAKERS: Pat Cutler, Sylvia Currie, and Mary Zacharatos

CONTACT: sylvia@beingwithdogs.ca

WHEN:
Friday April 3: 5:30 – 8:30
Saturday, April 4: 9:00 – 1:00

WHERE: Five Star Dog Training, 340D 12 Avenue, Kamloops, BC

COST:
$175 individuals
$275 for 2 participants from the same household
$157.50 (10% discount) for Cactus K9 Club Members

PAYMENT OPTIONS:
• e-transfer to sylvia@beingwithdogs.ca
• cheque payable to Being With Dogs, #244, 230-1210 Summit Drive, Kamloops, BC V2C 6M1
• credit card (request an invoice)

Note: Payment must be received prior to the seminar in order to secure your registration. A receipt will be sent to the email address you enter on the registration form.

SEMINAR DESCRIPTION:
Does your dog’s reaction to other dogs or people concern you?

In this 2-part seminar we will explore:
• what’s behind that lunging, barking and growling
• how to prevent the problem behaviour from occurring
• ways to HELP your dog

Topics include:
• How dogs learn
• What leads to aggressive and reactive behaviour
• Canine communication
• Management and prevention
• Safety, and emergency handling
• Behaviour modification
• Next steps for you and your dog

We will be bringing in dogs to demonstrate behaviour modification protocols and additional techniques for helping dogs to cope in challenging situations. Your own dog(s) should stay at home.

This seminar will give you the information and tools you need to plan the next steps for helping your dog.

Pat Cutler, Behaviour Consultant
Pat Cutler is a retired veterinary technologist who taught in the vet tech program at TRU for 20 years. During her tenure at TRU, she introduced behaviour and training to the program curriculum and developed 4 levels of theory and hands on learning for the students. During this time she successfully challenged the Certification for Professional Dog Trainers exam. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the (American) Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Since retirement from TRU she has introduced Baby Puppy classes to Kamloops vet clinics and also works with private clients to help with dog behaviour problems from manners to fear and aggression.

Sylvia Currie, Being With Dogs
Sylvia Currie is a longtime educator and lifelong learner, with a keen interest in improving dog-human relationships and developing education programs for the prevention of canine behaviour issues. Sylvia’s academic background is in learning design, psychology, and applied sciences. She is an Associate Certified Dog Behaviour Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behaviour Consultants (IAABC), a Certified Behaviour Adjustment Training Instructor (CBATI) and a TTouch Practitioner. Sylvia teaches group life skills and reactive dog classes, and provides customized training and behaviour modification sessions in your home.

Mary Zacharatos, Five Star Dog Training
Mary Zacharatos has been involved in dog training for over 20 years. She keeps her perspective on dog-training fresh and up-to-date by attending seminars and courses offered by respected professionals. She is known for her positive manner and her ability to find the right approach for each individual dog and handler. Having trained a variety of dogs, ranging from terriers to herding dogs, Mary understands the many issues owners face with different breeds of dogs. Mary is also a certified masters judge for the Agility Association of Canada and her dogs have won both the BC Regional competition (3 times) and the Canadian National competition once.

The Story of Fonzie

In preparation for the November 16-17, 2018 ‘Help for your dog’ seminar at 5 Star Dog Training, I am collecting stories from dog guardians willing to share their experiences. This story was written by Julia Morton about her dog, Fonzie.

We got Fonzie in the fall of 2007. He was a one-year old Russell Terrier – a clean slate who hadn’t been trained to do anything. He was described as being good with other dogs, but that he wouldn’t put up with a bully. In other words, he had already been bullied at his young age. Bullies beget bullies. I should have taken that as a warning of things to come. He did, indeed, start out as appearing to be fine with other dogs. I noticed he had an extremely rough play style, though, and had to be separated frequently from his playmates before he became over-the-top. I also noticed his demeanor toward dogs that were younger than him wasn’t good. HE was the bully, and he appeared to enjoy stirring up trouble. As he grew older, his list of triggers grew longer. By the time he was three years old I realized I could no longer walk him off leash. Greeting other dogs off leash had become a routine of charging toward the dog, circling around and nipping the dog’s neck. There was no play involved. On leash, his reaction to most other dogs involved vocalizing, lunging and baring his teeth. I didn’t know how to handle this behaviour. Clearly, I needed help! We enrolled in a Feisty Fido class where I learned all about classical and counter conditioning. At the same time, I taught him alternate behaviours, such as “whoa!” – meaning turn around quickly and walk in the opposite direction. I was also inclined to react when I saw another dog, so it made sense to train him to expect me to say this cue loudly. We practiced this frequently in my backyard before I ever tried to use it when we saw an actual dog. Another training protocol that became useful was LAT (Look At That by Leslie McDevitt). He quickly learned to look at his triggers then look back at me for a treat. We found a wonderful outdoor class called Breakfast Club, where owners of reactive dogs could meet in an area large enough to practice walking past each other. It was great practice that gradually enabled us to walk closer to each other.Through the Breakfast Club I learned a game called The Pattern Game, which is also by Leslie McDevitt. This was a lightbulb moment for me, as it enabled me to keep moving when we encountered another dog. It involved a rhythmic movement –click, toss the treat, cue to “get it” – all while walking. It normally involved walking three steps while Fonzie found and ate his treat, giving me time to get the next treat ready to toss. With practice and training, Fonzie became a really fun dog to work with. We were able to go on to successfully compete in Rally-O and Agility. Off leash hikes became a reality again as he learned to stop and come to me immediately whenever he saw another dog coming our way. The time and patience it took to accomplish this was well worth it. His quality of life improved, and so did mine!

The story of two photos

Tale of 2 photos

As I prepare for the upcoming Help For Your Dog seminar to be held in Kamloops November 16-17, I’ve been highlighting key learning points to share with participants.

This side-by-side photo of Sheila, a dog I worked with over a period of several months, tells a good story. It’s not a ‘before and after’ to show a dog that has been “rehabilitated”. Rather, it’s a comparison of a dog in different environments and with different experience histories.

The photo on the left was early on in our process, but Sheila’s body language just the day before was much closer to the photo on the right. Why? Because the day before we were hiking off-leash with some of her dog pals on a familiar trail. There was no pressure for her to interact with me and she was clear about what to do. But in this photo (left) we are in an enclosed area. There is lots of space for her to move away from me but she is clearly concerned — it’s a context with which she is unfamiliar.

The photo on the right follows a fun leash walk and training session, and we’re lounging on the the lawn with people she as grown to be comfortable around. By this time I have become one of those people. What would it look like if a man in a hat appeared? Completely different.

I think that’s a key message for people attending the seminar:

Don’t jump to conclusions.

The behaviour you see today does not necessarily predict the behaviour you will see tomorrow. This is why I have a slight aversion to the word “rehabilitate”, especially when it’s used in the same sentence as “guarantee”. It’s all about context and history, and it’s up to you to help your dog so you’ll see the behaviour you want.

Knowledge is everything! Without it you might jump to the conclusion that you have fixed a behaviour problem for good. Instead, learn how to recognize when the problem behaviour might occur and what you can do to prevent it from happening.

Seminar: Help For Your Dog

poster

WHEN:
Friday, November 16: 5:30 – 8:30
Saturday, November 17: 9:00 – 1:00

WHERE: Five Star Dog Training, 340D 12 Avenue, Kamloops, BC

REGISTRATION: Complete this form. It’s a quick process! You may also wish to show your interest and ask questions in Facebook.

COST:
$175 individuals
$275 for 2 participants from the same household

PAYMENT OPTIONS:
• e-transfer to sylvia@beingwithdogs.ca
• cheque payable to Being With Dogs, #244, 230-1210 Summit Drive, Kamloops, BC V2C 6M1

Note: Payment must be received prior to the seminar in order to secure your registration. A receipt will be sent to the email address you enter on the registration form.

Description

Does your dog’s reaction to other dogs or people concern you?

In this 2-day seminar we will explore:
• what’s behind that lunging, barking and growling
• how to prevent the problem behaviour from occurring
• ways to HELP your dog

We will be bringing in dogs to demonstrate behaviour modification protocols and additional techniques for helping dogs to cope in challenging situations. You should leave your own dog(s) at home.

This seminar will give you the information and tools you need to plan the next steps for helping your dog.

Speakers

Pat Cutler is a retired veterinary technologist who taught in the vet tech program at TRU for 20 years. During her tenure at TRU, she introduced behaviour and training to the program curriculum and developed 4 levels of theory and hands on learning for the students. During this time she successfully challenged the Certification for Professional Dog Trainers exam. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers and the (American) Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Since retirement from TRU she has introduced Baby Puppy classes to Kamloops vet clinics and also works with private clients to help with dog behaviour problems from manners to fear and aggression.

Sylvia Currie is an longtime educator and lifelong learner, with a keen interest in improving dog-human relationships, and developing education programs for the prevention of canine behaviour issues. Sylvia’s academic background is in learning design, psychology, and applied sciences, and she is one of five Certified Behaviour Adjustment Training Instructors (CBATI) in British Columbia. She serves on the education committee for the Pet Professional Guild and is an active member of the International Association of Behavior Consultants and the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Sylvia teaches group dog and puppy life skills classes, and provides customized training in your home.

Mary Zacharatos has been involved in dog training for over 20 years. She keeps her perspective on dog-training fresh and up-to-date by attending seminars and courses offered by respected professionals. She is known for her positive manner and her ability to find the right approach for each individual dog and handler. Having trained a variety of dogs, ranging from terriers to herding dogs, Mary understands the many issues owners face with different breeds of dogs. Mary is also a certified masters judge for the Agility Association of Canada and her dogs have won both the BC Regional competition (3 times) and the Canadian National competition once.

Rowdy Rovers: Help For Your Reactive Dog

I hope to help as many dogs as possible at this upcoming seminar in Merritt! As usual, the fee is nominal – $10 – to remove any barriers for anyone needing this important information to help their dogs.

Rowdy Rovers: Help For Your Reactive Dog
Thursday, May 3, 2018 5:30 – 7:30
Merritt Civic Centre, 1950 Mamette Ave

Here is the description from the Merritt Spring/Summer Activity Guide:

Does your dog’s reaction to other dogs or people concern you? Do you wonder why your sweet, calm couch potato becomes anxious or unruly in certain environments?

In this seminar we will explore:

what’s behind that lunging, barking and growling
how to identify problem behaviour and prevent it from occurring, and
ways to HELP your dog to cope in the world

Sylvia Currie, MA, BEd, is a Certified Behaviour Adjustment Training Instructor with a special interest in helping humans understand their dogs. She is a full member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers, and serves on the education committee for the Pet Professional Guild, an international organization and accreditation board promoting force-free training.

This is a people-only event. Please leave dogs at home or in your vehicle.

Reflections and Artefacts

5starseminar

Thanks to Alison Anderson for taking photos!

Last month Five Star Dog Training hosted a HELP for your Aggressive Dog seminar. There was a lot of interest in the seminar (~80 expressed interest on the Facebook event), and a great turn out (~37). It was a mix of males and females, and dog owners and service providers such as groomers, kennel caregivers, trainers, and vet technicians.

The title probably had something to do with the appeal, and as I explained right off the bat, labelling a dog as aggressive is not something I feel comfortable doing. However, it is a meaningful label to those who struggle with what to do about their dog’s behaviour. I hope during the seminar I was able to convey that context is everything, and there is much we can do to set out dog up for success so that they do not need to resort to aggressive behaviours.

The seminar was designed to be a very broad overview, so that participants would leave with ideas about what to do and who can help. Mary Zacharatos, owner of Five Star Training, talked about her experiences with her own reactive dog, Tavish. Monique Ruppel, a Registered Veterinary Technologist at Kamloops Veterinary Clinic, brought her expertise in puppy socialization and low stress Vet visits. Patricia Porter, owner of Harmony Farm Kennel, shared stories and talked about her approach to working with aggressive dogs brought to the farm for a vacation. It was remarkable to hear how Patricia is able to build relationships with dogs that wouldn’t otherwise tolerate strangers in their personal space — a lesson in taking whatever time is needed, non-threatening communication, and canine body language for sure! Others contributed in absentia. For example, Brittnee Van Breugel shared her story of Ishkin, and Yvonne Babij gave us permission to distribute her List of things to introduce your puppy (or any dog) to.

Participants were active throughout the seminar, asking questions and offering their own stories and tips. For those who were able to stay on after the 2 hours, we talked about practical applications and strategies (not how to, but what they are), and briefly touched on enrichment confidence building exercises. We were clearly too ambitious with the amount of material!

Resources

I tried to gather the articles and other items related to this event in a way that is useful to everyone. Here’s where to look:

Posts on this site are tagged #help4yourdog

I posted several articles and websites for local Kamloops services in this Google+ collection.

The slide deck was uploaded to Slideshare, and includes Monique Ruppel’s excellent sections on vet visits and socialization. The materials are licensed Creative Commons CC-BY unless otherwise noted.

HELP For Your Aggressive Dog from Sylvia Currie

Feedback

After the seminar several people took the time to thank the speakers personally. This is always a good sign! Also, a couple people jotted down comments and suggestions on the index cards. Very much appreciated! Here are some of the comments we received:

I never thought to do a “happy visit” to the vet. Love that idea.
It was a really nice atmosphere. People felt comfortable to ask questions.
I would be interested in a Part 2 — including hands on with our dogs.
The seminar might have been better titled “How to raise a non aggressive dog”
I was hoping for a more advanced course on how to heal an abused and aggressive dog.
One thing that really hit me like a hammer was that my dog is not being disobedient.
You covered important points clearly, content was great!
More depth into specific training strategies like BAT but that’s for selfish reasons.

What’s next?

During the seminar participants were encouraged to jot down their questions on index cards and hand them in at the end. My promise is to respond to each of those questions! Monique Ruppel has already responded to question about socializing puppies and parvovirus. Thanks, Monique!

Local dog trainer Pat Cutler is interested in working together to offer a seminar/workshop to go deeper into this topic. We’ll be back with details!

Follow Up Question: Parvovirus

During the HELP for your aggressive dog seminar participants were encouraged to jot down their questions on index cards and hand them in at the end. Monique Ruppel responded to this question about socializing puppies and parvovirus. Good question and response!

How do you socialize puppies without fear of contracting parvovirus?

Behaviour problems are the #1 reason dogs are left at shelters. We euthanize more dogs with behavioural problems than puppies with parvovirus. We see anywhere from 0-3 parvo cases per year ( my personal guess) the majority pull through if caught early enough.
For these reasons it is very important to socialize your not fully vaccinated puppy. You need to be smart about it. If your puppy has had its first vaccine between 7-8 weeks of age you can start socializing 7 days after the vaccine is given. Only socialize with other healthy dogs and dogs with a known vaccine history. Continue to booster as per your doctors recommendations. Avoiding public dog areas like off leash trails and dog parks until your puppy is fully vaccinated. If you are unsure about the area, pick up your puppy. If they walk through something suspicious, wash their paws when you get home. Parvovirus is transmitted via the fecal/oral route. It can live in the environment for a long time (1-2 years) so that is why you should avoid such areas until fully vaccinated. It is safe however to visit friends who have healthy dogs who never had parvo on that property.

#help4yourdog Tip Sheet

What tips would l give someone who has a dog with aggressive behaviours? This is a list of the first 20 things that came to mind, and hope it will spark participants to share more tips at the Help For Your Aggressive Dog seminar.

Keep your dog feeling safe
Dogs learn by association, and consequences
Focus on supporting your dog
The vet is your first stop sudden changes in behaviour
Success is reinforcing for everyone! Set your dog up to make good choices
Know your dog’s triggers and limits
Never treat aggression with aggression
Don’t be embarrassed by your dog. It’s only behaviour.
Observe your dog carefully, and learn as much as you can about body language
Notice the environment, triggers, context. Take notes!
Train foundation behaviours so you can help your dog learn what TO do
Fear is an emotion, so cannot be reinforced (it is ok to assure your dog!)
Harsh treatment in the presence of a threat will only worsen an already bad association
Your reaction and stress level affects your dog’s behaviour
Adjust to accommodate your dog’s issues and well-being
Instead of being frustrated, review your training plan
Be patient!
Ultimately, you are responsible for your dog and the safety of others
Training should always be fun for the dog
It’s ok and possible to satisfy your dog’s physical and mental needs without leaving your home.

Yvonne Babij’s list

A few years ago I enrolled Maxwell in an agility class through Five Star Dog Training, taught by Yvonne Babij. It was an excellent experience all around. Maxwell was comfortable working in the outdoor fenced area, and, with Yvonne’s clear instructions, all participants understood how they needed to behave around Maxwell. I was amazed at how much progress Maxwell made in that environment, and probably a lot had to do with how relaxed I was knowing that we were in good hands.

It wasn’t completely without incident though! There were a few moments where Maxwell got pretty excited, but not surprisingly since we were surrounded by sights and sounds that were new to him: low flying airplanes overhead, pedestrians with dogs and strollers, fast moving vehicles, etc.

Understanding these challenges, Yvonne took the time to send me encouraging emails in between classes. She emphasized the good stuff — “Just wanted to say Way to Go! You handled Maxwell very well. No reactions!” One evening she passed along this list that she had prepared for the Animal Health Technology students at Thompson Rivers University. I think before that exchange with Yvonne, I hadn’t really registered that socializing an adult dog is not much different from socializing a puppy. IT’S THE SAME LIST!

As I was preparing for the HELP for your aggressive dog seminar, I asked Yvonne if I could share her list. She was most willing. Here it is! Along with an invitation to keep adding to it. 🙂

Yvonne Babij’s list of things to introduce your puppy (or any dog) to

This is not meant to be a complete list…improvise and ad lib to your heart’s content!

Farmer’s market

Kids on swings

Baseball caps/cowboy hats/motorcycle helmets

Parents carrying their children on their shoulders

Place pup in wheelbarrow/boat/wharf etc

Put dog under stuff/make bed on top of them

Hold pup upside down

Point things at them/camera/h2o bottle/syringe

Umbrellas/rain ponchos

Trains/buses/bicycles/skateboards/inline skates

Baby strollers

Drop your flexi and let dog drag it

Flush toilet around them

Feed in bathtub (cover drain)

Walk your dog at night

Shake out a plastic bag

Vibrating toys/singing/talking toys

Feed when smoke alarm goes off in house

Feed during a thunder storm

Microwave beep/hair blowdryer

Fireworks/gunshots

Feed around clothes dryer with shoes/tennis balls inside.

Walk downtown and expose them to fire hydrants, sandwich boards with balloons, sewer grates/statues/pedestrian overpasses

Mobility challenged people, wheelchairs, walkers, canes, motorized scooters, people with a distinct limp

People carrying stuff, groceries, guitar cases

Children squealing

Lawnmower/vacuum/ATV

Changes in tactile surfaces, dirt, gravel, asphalt, linoleum, tile, slatted decks, steel stairs

Take dog outside during rainstorms and play in the rain and wait until they have had a chance to potty themselves in the rain

Heights/ open back stairs/ metal stairs

Trips to Home Depot/buggies/carts and lots of men

Local hotel elevators

Automatic doors

Running H2o/ fountains/sprinklers

Birds that fly away in flocks

Cow/horses etc

Laugh at your dog

Put your crate on a wagon and tow pup around

Amusement fair-hang out at the little kiddy rides

Parades-Easter is good with all the cars…some even AAAOOOGA

Sand at the beach/wading pools/ water from a hose (have a drink)

Lay down beside your dog and do leg raises

Yoga stuff around your dog (shape shifting)

Sunglasses, take your glasses off and use your contact lenses

Pet stores-intro to other pet types

Brooms/shovels/mops/rakes

Popcorn popping

Clapping-yelling at the TV ie: Stanley cup finals

Running to catch the phone

Start your vehicle around your dog (teach a default safe location to go to)

Have your dog load into running vehicle on cue.

Take dog thru carwash

Outside during weather changes wind/hail

Sleepover at someone else’s house

Feed dog in strange Places,crate/carpet/lino/bathroom/up/down/outside/ in the car/ in a parking lot

Same goes for h20..teach taking h2o out of varying vessels-h2o bottle/squeeze h2o bottle, hose/ your cupped hand

Accidentally drop noisy items

Husbandry/teeth/eyes/ears/nails/paws/tail/belly

Open drapes/blinds/windows

Close up ironing board

Open garage door

Power tools/ chainsaw/porta-potty door slamming

Dogs barking

Doorbell-teach appropriate response

Visit vet for weigh ins only

Tactile surfaces, walk on tin foil, bubble wrap, cookie sheet, tarp, on wobbly stuff, disc, balance ball

Teach a really reliable recall

Emergency stop

Have dog see you use a blow dryer, microwave

Feed them everywhere, bus stop, on a park bench, outside the mall

Your hubby’s drone…on the ground and in flight

The Story of Tavish

In preparation for the February 27th Help for your aggressive dog seminar at 5 Star Dog Training, I am talking to dog owners about their experiences. I am grateful for their generous time and willingness to share their stories.

The Story of Tavish

Tavish This is the story of Tavish, who teaches us that dogs will communicate what they can cope with in this world, and we should listen.

The big surprise for Mary was when they took Tavish on his first road trip. Tavish, a 3-yr old freshly neutered charmer from the SPCA, was welcomed into his new home just a few days before that. Apparently a top notch escape artist, Tavish had a long rap sheet from the Bylaw for running around at large. Other than that, very little was known about him.

Mary knew just what to do to introduce Tavish to their multi-dog household. “I take care in introducing new dogs to the home dogs, and was slowly starting that process. He was doing quite well with lots of management with leashes and barriers, and plenty of good treats to create a positive association with his new environment.” Tavish seemed ready for his first camping adventure with his new family.

Mary and her husband are agility enthusiasts, and frequently travel to judge at trials and compete with their own crew. Road trips in the motor home would become big part of Tavish’s new life. They arrived at the agility site, and parked in a quiet spot surrounded by large, open green spaces, far away from the field where all the dogs and handlers would be performing.

Mary took Tavish out to explore for a walkabout to explore. Right away, he spotted a dog on leash and completely lost it – lunging, barking, spinning. The big surprise was that they were 300 feet away! “Tavish turned into a CUJO!!” This marked the moment that Mary realized Tavish wasn’t exactly the dog she thought she had; there would be some major work ahead.

Was it the stress of the trip? Too much too soon? Had he always reacted like this to dogs, but was overwhelmed in the SPCA environment, so these behaviours didn’t surface? We’ll never really know.

Over the next few months, Mary continued to bring Tavish to agility practices and trials. These locations were ideal because she was always familiar with the layout of the spaces and could anticipate where dogs and their handlers would appear. Also, trial people were dog savvy, and completely understood Mary’s agenda.

They made great progress together. “I started it at 300 feet away from the leashed dogs, and over time he was able to walk within site of the working dogs. He can now walk into barns where strange dogs are working.”

The main protocol Mary used was Look at That (LAT), developed by Leslie McDevitt. LAT is often explained as a counterintuitive approach to reducing dog reactivity. Instinct for many people when their dogs react to triggers is to “correct” the behaviour with harsh commands, or worse, leash jerks. Dog owners who have dug into modern dog training books may work hard to have their dogs focus attention on them. While one approach is clearly more humane, both might help to get everyone through sticky situations, but it doesn’t do anything to change the the way the dog feels.

LAT is a little different. It literally asks the handler to cue the dog to look at that (the trigger) in order to get reinforced. The key is to maintain enough distance to keep your dog quiet and calm, and gradually reduce that distance. Those who are accustomed to using positive reinforcement / marker training will quickly notice that the dog looks at the stimulus, then back to them for the reinforcement. What you are achieving is the anticipation of something good, and clear instructions about what should happen. So for Tavish, the appearance of a dog came to mean good things are on the way, like delicious meatballs.

As is often the case with dogs that develop and practice reactive responses to triggers, there may never be a time when Tavish is completely comfortable around other dogs. We will never know how long he has been struggling. Mary quickly learned that she will always need to manage Tavish’s environment to keep him feeling safe and calm. She tried doing an agility class where he needed to work off leash with other dogs behind the walls of x-pens, but he found that very difficult. Mary could see that asking Tavish to participate in group activities with dogs simply wasn’t enjoyable for him, so he was quickly retired from that sport. Tavish does enjoy many individual activities, such as scent work, and training in the back yard.

What do we learn from Tavish’s story? There is much that a caregiver can do to help a dog with aggressive behaviour, and certainly a lot can be done to prevent it from becoming worse, but it’s also important to adjust expectations and understand what brings your dog joy. Tavish is happy to be a house dog and to go along to agility trials for the ride. Now, 3 ½ years later, Mary continues to make Tavish’s world predictable and low stress. Tavish is thriving and happy.