All talk Tyson!!!!!!!

Tyson is a biiiiig boy. He has had a rough past, but Dawn and Ted have done right by him. Tyson has moved around a bit, has had to deal with some instability and under socialization, but is on the right track now.

Tyson loves training

When I first met Tyson, he was growling, snarling, barking, lunging, and...well lets just say he didn't want to have a nice quiet conversation. He had apparently been great with his former owners and currently with Dawn and Ted, but would not allow strangers or strange dogs around him without mouthing off first. Tyson has a lot to say. It took a few lessons with him to get him comfortable with me. By the third lesson the light switch went on.  He became the dog I knew he could be.  I was privy to the doggy kisses, and the belly rubs that his owners have experienced. He is a diamond in the rough. Dawn and Ted continue to work with him with other dogs and people, calming his leash reactivity and guarding, and he has made great leaps and bounds. Tyson, I am very proud of you.

 Dawn and Ted, great job and keep up the good work, its around the corner.

ENZOOOOOOOO!

When I met Enzo he was a frail, timid anti social 4 month pup. He was withdrawn from human contact with strangers, and lacked normal socializing for a pup his age.  I remember him hiding from me at first contact, with a nice strong warning bark for me to increase my distance.  His new owners started him on socializing as soon as they took possession of him.  His training has come along well.  I met him almost two months ago now at a pack walk, and now he is 15lbs heavier and a loving sweet boy.  He and his pack mate stayed with us while their owners went out of town and Enzo was a delight to have.  He responds great to commands, is eager to please, and plays well with the other dogs.  The best part was he wasn't timid of frightened from new human contact, and was easy to integrate in to my home.  Great job Jess & Steve for helping this boy out of his shell.

Mooooose!!!!

This Month's Spotlight Pup is the one and only Moose! A work in progress, but a star student.

            Moose is a young German Shepherd Dog, who under the guidance of his patient and persistent owner, Tammy has blossomed into a trusting, and secure dog. The first encounter I had with Moose, he was uneasy of my presence and more apprehensive if I made any moves or gestures. An issue area with Moose was when he and Tammy were walking; people wanted to pet and admire him, getting in his face and causing him to feel anxious about all the commotion.

            After recognizing triggers that made Moose uneasy, we were able to implement a plan to build his confidence along with Tammy’s. We began by establishing Tammy as Pack Leader, while Moose learned to hang back and follow her lead. We are proud to say that Moose has come a long way! During our Pack Walk in May, Moose made friends with dogs and humans! He excelled during drills we practiced, listening to commands and trusting in his Pack Leader. Giving Tammy the right tools to utilize for training, she has been able to provide an environment that he will excel in and recognize those that he may not.

            From a shy and reactive pup Moose is now a playful, confident (not to mention adorable!) dog who loves to please and make new friends. We couldn’t be more proud of his and Tammy’s progress. Together, they will both overcome the hurdles of dog ownership and enjoy the lifetime relationship that will continue to grow. 

KP 5/30/12

April's Spotlight Pup: The Shady Lady

This month's Spotlight pup is my very own Shady.  I came to know Shady as a puppy.  She was feisty from the start, quite the bully of her litter.  I knew from the beginning she was going to be a handful.  

    Shady was a shared pup, spending half the time in my home and half the time in another.  I was aghast to find out while not in my home, she was being used as a fighting dog.  Once I discovered this she was immediately removed from this household, never to return there again.  However, the initial behavior damage had been done.  It took a few years to get her back to neutral completely.  She was quite aggressive towards other dogs, off leash and on.  Shady also did not trust humans now.  In her mind, humans had failed her, and she needed to protect herself and could no longer depend on her pack.  It took equal time to develop the pack hierarchy with her again.  She was 2 years when she fully came to me and we began her rehabilitation.  She is now 13 years old, suffering from degenerative spinal myelopathy. She has come so far from where she was.  She is calm and stable around other dogs, allows and enjoys attention from people, and has accepted new members into her pack as brothers. She is a great ambassador for the American Pit Bull Terrier, and I am extremely proud of her.  

March's Spotlight Pup- Elphie!!!

Elphie is this month's spotlight pup.  I met her when she was about 6 months old when she first attended my Puppy Obedience group class at Best Friends Pet Care in Gaithersburg, MD.  I had a feeling she would be a star student.  Her family, the Freedberg's are steadfast in her training, following their homework assignments and continuing training through classes.  The Freedberg girls have been a key part in her "excellence."  They have worked with her each day incorporating her training into their daily routine.

Elphie's main battle was her attention level. Her high energy breed combined with her incredibly friendly personality gave the Freedberg's a run for their money.  Their persistence and dedication lead Elphie in the right direction and resulted in an attentive and eager to please pup.  She attends my Basic II class currently, perfecting her off leash training.  Gold Star Student!!!  Great job to Elphie and the Freedberg's!!!


DJF

February '12 Spotlight Pup- EVA!

This month's Spotlight Pup article is contributed by my fellow VGSR volunteer, Sue Shank, who did a wonderful job not only writing this article, but also being a caring and patient foster with this little girl.  Thank you Sue!

January '12 Spotlight Pup- Bear!!!

Owning a German Shepherd is not a simple task, even for the most experienced.  So when Bear went to his third owners at only 3.5 months of age, the Price's knew they were in for a challenge.  Bear was rambunctious, very nippy, very stubborn, but also a very smart pup.  And it is the intelligence that gets these beauties into trouble.  I remember meeting Bear at 6 months of age.  He was notorious for grabbing your hands or your clothing as he raced passed you in a game of keep away.  The Price's called on me for basic manners and excitability.  Bear was a challenge for them.  His stubborn temperament, meant we had to find what made him tick.  He was eager to please when it came to training, and exercise was key for this energetic bundle of joy.  The Price's were determined to make this work and not give up on Bear.  Bill now bikes Bear twice a day regularly to disperse the energy and works with him on basic obedience (you can watch a video below to see his exercise regime during his stay with our pack).  He knows all his basic commands verbally and thru hand signals.  Bear and Bill attended our Pack Walk a couple months ago to work on socializing, excitability during walks, and leash walking behavior.  Bear did exceptionally well.  Time and patience were key to Bear's training and Bill was a great dad for providing it.  Bear you turned out to be a wonderful companion!