To rehabilitate dogs that have social issues with other dogs, you need a balanced pack and I am so blessed to have that. I would like to introduce my clan because if your dog comes in for training they will become a part of our pack.
My canine family currently consists of 5 wonderful dogs. They will be working side by side with your dog during their program. Before introducing them, I want to touch on two dogs that recently left my pack because they are too important not to mention:
Brie and Austin
Brie and Austin were my rehab rocks. They were Welsh Corgi siblings and I had them for 12 years. Brie and Austin helped me teach my fosters to be calm, confident and collected. I wouldn’t have been able to help as many dogs as i have without them. I lost them both in the past 3 years; 8 months apart to a genetic spinal cancer.
Brie and Austin taught me that it takes a team. Not only of the human kind but of the dog kind as well to give dogs a chance at being their best. Brie and Austin were a huge component in rehabilitating the dogs I have now and without them Hannah, Nora and Calvin would not be helping me help as many dogs as I do.
Calvin
Calvin; a Teddy Rosevelt terrier who is turning 6 this year was rescued from a hoarder of approximately 40 dogs in Ohio. A local rescue and i fund-raised money to bring over 15 of the dogs to rehab and re home in Canada. He was TERRIFIED and REACTIVE with everything - missing most of his ears and a heavily scarred face from dog fighting he was a project to say the least. He’s part of my family now - I have taught him its okay to be afraid but you don’t need to be aggressive or react aggressively to tell me your scared. He has taught me to be grateful for the simple things; that no matter how bad things seem there is always a light at the end of the tunnel... and to persevere when things seem impossible. He is now patient with other dogs and loves to off leash hike and work on his advanced obedience. I can take him into the real world without any reactivity and anyone who knows him knows how special his journey has been.
Nora
Nora came from a puppy mill/ pregnant, aggressive - almost in a feral state. She is some kind of Maltese/poodle mix and is turning 7 this year. She was unable to be handled due to her aggression. She had never seen anything outside of her cage in the mill. Her response was fight over flight. She has been with me for five years and is one of the best dogs i have ever owned. She does obedience, agility, hikes, swims and helps me with dog aggression assessments. You would never know Nora came from a puppy mill and lived years of horror before starting her rehab journey. Having Nora has taught me the true meaning of “a diamond in the rough” - to never overlook what the "underdog" can achieve! I did not get these results by loving her and feeling sorry for her because of her past. I taught her to be confident, to be obedient and calm and she has flourished into an amazing family companion.
Robbie
Robbie is a 3 year old Rat Terrier who was originally fostered by me through Rat Terrier Rescue but I fostered failed and he ended up finding his forever home with us. Robbie is a very sweet boy but he is a extremely quirky. He came to me around 8 months old and it was obvious he lacked basic social skills around people and had no idea what living in a house was all about. He showed signs of stranger danger, possession aggression and was fearful of everything. He is a constant project but has come a long way. He reminds me that you need to look at the dog you have in front of you and work with that. I appreciate him for who he is and I strive to constantly make him a better dog!
Hannah
Hannah is my little Diva. Hannah is a Toy Fox Terrier and she came to me at 6 months old; she had already had 4 homes - struggling with severe separation anxiety in all of them. Now turning 7 years old she’s confident, sassy and very opinionated. She’s the boss and everyone knows it! Hannah has taught me to show your presence and demand to be seen and heard! She is so sweet with everyone she meets, especially kids. You can take her anywhere; stores, festivals, beach.. She is the sweetest girl and everyone notices how balanced she is when we are out and about.
Kira
Finally, I would like to introduce Kira. Kira is an 9 year old German Shepherd who competed a board and train with me at Sunnidale Boarding Kennel 2 years ago. She came in for human aggression, anxiety and confidence building. Kira now lives with us and has turned into one of the most solid dogs i have ever met. You can walk her off leash anywhere; hiking, stores or downtown. Her off leash obedience is flawless. Her state of mind and decision making skills are just as solid now too. She is no longer reactive and is constantly looking to her handler as to what she should do. She has built so much confidence in herself and is so much more relaxed. Kira is a fantastic helper dog when working with rambunctious, nervous or aggressive dogs and knows when and when not to put the pressure on.
All dogs are different. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colours. Not only do they look differently to us they all learn differently.
All dogs learn new skills and tools at a different pace. They all have different thought processes from one another.