Why was Luna struggling to cope with the world outside her new home? Luna on the left, age six months, has been them for just one-and-a-half weeks. She came from a pound where she had still been with her littermates. As well as not being used to living in a Read more
Why does Noodles panic the moment her young lady disappears – and how can gentle, gradual work build real confidence instead of dependence? The young lady has had 3-year-old Chihuahua Noodles for about six months. The tiny dog won’t let her out of sight. Previously Noodles had lived with someone Read more
An online consultation Why would a friendly dog bark and lunge when people approach his home or family? Cockerpoo Bobby is a soft, loving, friendly little dog. Bobby feels insecure. Why? Because of Bobby’s reactions to anyone approaching either his house or himself, I believe he feels insecure. Another thing Read more
It is vital with a dog that won’t walk not to force him. It’s never going to be simply stubbornness or being naughty. There will always be an underlying reason.
Walking by the roads Dexter simply feels too unsafe so he’s on high alert, panting and pulling. Twice a day he pulls desperately to the nearby field where they can let him off lead. Once free, he’s a different dog. He charges about, happy, and will once more listen to them.
What can you do when a fearful dog doesn’t feel safe even in her own home?
She seldom feels completely safe. Lucy’s fearfulness affects everything, most importantly her reactions to their baby daughter.
With fear being at the root of all the issues that are a problem for the seven-year-old Cocker Spaniel’s owners, general fearfulness is what we must address. (more…)
Hand-feeding doesn’t mean pandering to a dog and treating her like a princess. In the case of a dog that needs a lot of desensitising and counter conditioning around things that make her fearful, the food can be used as a sort of tool. It can also be scattered on the floor. Foraging and searching is incompatible with spooking or barking.
When I arrived British Bulldog Bentley was very interested in sniffing me as most dogs are – they probably know all about my own four dogs within a few seconds! He didn’t seem nervous of me initially and was happy with me tickling his chest as he sat on his Read more
From her owners’ perspective, adorable Bichon-Maltese mix Charlie is given everything a dog could possibly want for a happy life. They always thought that the more excited she is the more joyful she feels. From Charlie’s perspective, she is living a life punctuated by extreme stress and chronic anxiety. She Read more