Dog Clients

Janet and Angel

"You had such a totally different approach — and it worked..." 

Dear Alana,

I want to thank you for your help with my Belgian Sheepdog, Angel, and her resource guarding. I came to you because my new puppy, Angel, would growl at me when I came close to her when she was eating. I do not tolerate my own dogs growling at me and I dealt with it as I had in the past with other dogs, by punishing her and trying to "establish dominance," which is what prior trainers taught me. Much to my surprise, that only made things worse. My new puppy did not seem to be bonding with me and the growling only got worse and now escalated into snapping. When she was chewing on a rawhide it was particularly bad, with her snapping at me, and anyone else, strongly whenever approached. From a pup only a few months old, I was totally taken aback and had no idea what to do. I even considered returning her to her breeder.

Now, several months later, I cannot imagine that I even considered such an option. You had such a totally different approach and it worked, while at the same time giving me new insights into how dogs think. So I want to thank you for your insights of positive conditioning — trading, rewarding and giving her food, and hand-feeding her. The positive method, step-wise approach worked wonders! Angel again bonded with me, and now welcomes me close to her food bowl. And the once coveted rawhide? Now, rather than growling or snapping at us when she has one, she actively seeks one of the humans to hold her rawhide for her while she chews!! Angel will turn a year old soon, and is almost full grown. I am delighted to report that she is a playful gal, very loving and deeply bonded with us. We have no problem taking anything out of her mouth at any time thanks to you! We can't imagine life without her. I feel as though you have given me the dog I always wanted!

I also want to thank you not only for help with Angel, but for the way you opened my eyes to my son's dog Joe, a dog I had lived with for close to eight years. All that time, I viewed Joe as a nice enough dog, but rather stubborn and difficult to train. To be honest, I was secretly thankful he was not "my" dog, so I did not have to do much with him. I had tried to train him in the old yank and jerk method that I had used back in the late 1970s. Every time I tried to train Joe, he would get slower than molasses in January, would yawn and look away, lick his lips, and other behaviors that I took as stubborn refusal to be trained. I gave up on him as hopeless!

But in clicker-training Angel, I was amazed that Joe was always there, listening and doing what I was asking of my puppy. A few treats, and he was enthusiastic about being trained. But I still didn't understand his previous behavior — not until you explained calming signals (again in conjunction with my puppy). I suddenly realized that all those behaviors I took as blowing me off and being stubborn were calming behaviors! What Joe was really trying to tell me, in the only language he knew, was that he was no threat to me and would I please stop hurting him! I knew that Joe had tremendous understanding of other dogs and never got in fights — Joe the ambassador we call him. But I had not realized he was using that same language with me. Your insight opened a whole new appreciation for that dear dog and I have integrated him into training, which he now loves! I always said that Joe was not sure I liked him. Now, I understand how he got that impression. We have a much closer relationship and deeper understanding and now, well, Joe KNOWS I love him and I do.

Thank you so much for sharing your understanding and love for dogs, and for opening new channels of communication between me and my canine companions. We are ALL enjoying training now!

Thank you!
Janet