In my recent class I have a woman called Anne, with a shepherd named Zena. Zena was bought from a "guard dog trainer" (read:behavioural idiot, in most cases) and had sever aggression problems towards both humans and dogs.
She would snarl, snap and generally go into a frenzy at the end of her leash.
She had to wear a muzzle constantly as she had bitten two club members. However, these bites never penetrated as Zena had excellent bite inhibition.
Anne had been told that Zena should be put down, and was a danger to the commmunity and to herself. But Anne was as dependent on Zena as the dog was on her. They were inseperable, and Zena was the most gentle affectionate dog when she wanted to be, but Anne came to the club as a last hope.
Thank goodness she did. With extensive desensitization, reward based training and some serious changes in ANNE'S behaviour Zena now intiates patting by strangers she meets! Last week she was able to be cuddled and her feet handled by me and it was just a moment of indescribable joy. Anne had tears in her eyes and Zena shook my hand and licked my face.
Anne and Zena will soon be moving to papua new guinea, where Zena is to act as a protector, so, no more cuddling strangers!lol. We have taught her to bark and growl on command, now we just have to get her to stop wagging her tail so much!
She would snarl, snap and generally go into a frenzy at the end of her leash.
She had to wear a muzzle constantly as she had bitten two club members. However, these bites never penetrated as Zena had excellent bite inhibition.
Anne had been told that Zena should be put down, and was a danger to the commmunity and to herself. But Anne was as dependent on Zena as the dog was on her. They were inseperable, and Zena was the most gentle affectionate dog when she wanted to be, but Anne came to the club as a last hope.
Thank goodness she did. With extensive desensitization, reward based training and some serious changes in ANNE'S behaviour Zena now intiates patting by strangers she meets! Last week she was able to be cuddled and her feet handled by me and it was just a moment of indescribable joy. Anne had tears in her eyes and Zena shook my hand and licked my face.
Anne and Zena will soon be moving to papua new guinea, where Zena is to act as a protector, so, no more cuddling strangers!lol. We have taught her to bark and growl on command, now we just have to get her to stop wagging her tail so much!
