In June of 2021 Axl's owner reached out to me, he was a nine month old German Shepherd puppy who was a bit out of control. He was jumping on them, mouthing, pulling on the leash and even played tug of war with one of the family members' pant legs as a game, that as he got older (as you can imagine) became not only annoying but very serious.
Axl joined one of my board and train programs, where I set the foundation for the owners, working on basic skills such as walking on a loose leash, crate training, overall creating a structure for him he could thrive on rather than the "I do what I want" structure he had previously. He thrived in my care, not only learning awesome skills but also how to be a calmer dog overall.
The take home went very well and his owners were amazed that they had control over their big puppy and now they could take him for walks, but also that he was calmer and had learned obedience skills!
However, the work for his owners was just beginning!
Once they got him home they had to follow my structure with him, from exercise to proper crate rest, but also when he made a poor choice, to correct him in a way that was fair and clear (usually right to his crate, calmly). Every time he was to think about grabbing a pant leg or putting his mouth on anyone straight to the crate for some downtime, then try again. This was a tedious process for them, but they trucked through it! Anytime they needed guidance I was only a message or call away!
Sometimes he would get one behavior under lock and another one arose that we needed to work on, and I was able to support his owners through the ups and downs that raising dogs creates!
Axl Now
Now Axl is an adult dog, who thrives with his owners! He goes on regular outings with his owners, who will take him into pet friendly stores, they will take him regularly to go get ice cream in the summertime. They frequent my Walk This Way, group class on monday nights, that is only for graduates of my programs. They get compliments on his behavior when they are out and absolutely love their dog (he's become an awesome dog indeed.) He comes to daycare every Friday and socializes well.
Here's what his owners have to say:
"We got Axl (German Shepherd) as a puppy and I knew training would be a must. I wanted him to be sociable when he grew up. I researched places and when I saw that my friends used her and also asking them I took Axl to The Bed & Biscuit for training. Axl was enrolled in the My Best Friend program. When he got home my expectations were quite large but with working with Christina and going to the Monday night classes Axl is becoming quite successful. Being a part of the training gives me more of a connection with Axl. I also was a non-believer of kennels/cages but now I would recommend them it helps making the training less stressful for both you and the dog."
If you have been interested in training but are unsure, reach out! Don't wait until you're at your wits end with your dog's behavior, I have programs for many situations and my goal is to help owners like Axl’s really LOVE their dog and enjoy time with them.
Dog's are meant to enhance our lives, let me help you!
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