My 81 year old mom moved to an urban setting with a small yard and a neighborhood with lots of…read moresmall, yappy dogs that sets off reactivity in her German Shepherd.
Although the dog has been through several training programs, she had recently reverted back to being reactive on leash: barking, pulling, and lunging at any dog that barked at her or gave her a "look". Thankfully I found Rob's Dogs through a search online. Rob offers dog training either through individual sessions sold as a packet of 8 or 3, or you can elect to do a board and train method. Since my mom's dog had done two board and trains with other training facilities in Florida and Texas, I opted for the individual sessions sold as a packet of 3. Not to disparage the other training schools, I want to note that the dog had learned a great deal of commands, but she was a little rusty and selective when doing them and was selectively reactive on leash around other dogs.
What we needed was a trainer that could come to my mom's neighborhood and see the dog being reactive in the environment where she was going to be walked. Thankfully Rob's Dogs offered this as an option. It cost a significant amount to do this, but it was possible. The additional cost was for the mileage and drive time to my mom's place.
We had a meet and greet at the facility. Rob, the owner, met with us and got the back story on the dog and the current behavior problems. He took the dog and walked her around a bit and near other dogs, tested her response to commands and leash pressure. He explained the package options available to us. He also made us aware that we would be using both a prong collar and e-collar to reinstate her former training. We had these tools, but my mom hadn't used them with the dog since she left Florida, and I had never used them.
We were assigned a trainer who was contracted by Rob. Lauryn was super friendly and had a love and full understanding of the German Shepherd breed. She herself had a German Shepherd. She went over the operation of the two collars which I was not familiar with at all.
Rob's dogs sent us a link and password so that we could watch some important training videos. His website also had some very useful training tips. I highly recommend watching/reading this information carefully and then reviewing it again each week.
It's easy for owners to slip into bad habits quickly which results in their dogs behaving in ways they don't want. You will have to enforce rules and get into a routine. Restrictions can be lifted once the dog consistently behaves as desired.
You will find that YOU will have to do the hard work. The trainer and Rob's Dogs will assess your current situation and give you the tools and training to use those tools to reinforce good behaviors. It won't happen overnight. You will need to work with the dog for at least an hour each day to reinforce the seven commands and expectations.
As I mentioned, we only had three sessions. This training was going to determine whether or not my mom could keep and handle her dog. Immediately after the first session, we started using the tools and putting restrictions in place inside the house to set the law of the land. Right away, we noticed a difference. While the dog was already really well behaved in the house, it improved her response to us when we walked her outside of the house. The prong collar made a drastic difference in her behavior when she saw other yappy dogs on the walk. I no longer had to worry about her lunging, pulling or barking incessantly in an aggressive stance. She still got up, moved forward, and barked once, but it was all very controlled. I didn't have to use all of my strength to hold her back.
The real test came when my mom was able to walk her dog around other yappy dogs. After session two, my mom was easily able to do this, and I felt confident that continuing this training would allow my mom to keep her dog. Her German Shepherd is sometimes still reactive, but it is much more controlled and manageable now. In time, and with continued consistent practice, I believe my mom's dog will eventually stop the reactivity altogether. She has already shown amazing progress and only slips occasionally.
If you are looking for effective dog training (well, really we know it is human training to learn how to effectively communicate with the dog), then consider Rob's Dogs. You will work hard to get your dog's behavior issues resolved, but the longterm results will allow you to have a wonderful relationship with your pet.
