Heather Horton

& Dory

  Dory and I started training with Lisa In 2008. My concern with Dory was that she was very nervous and uncomfortable around other people and dogs, especially small children. We took one private lesson with Lisa, in which I learned an incredible amount of information about dog behavior, and the reasons for Dory's behavior. Lisa told me that Dory had fear aggression, meaning that, when she gets scared, her first reaction is to show aggression. The best thing for Dory would be to expose her to as many things as possible (in a very specific way) to desensitize her to the many things that make her nervous. Another goal was to make her "think" instead of "react". Shortly thereafter, we started obedience class, first with beginner, then intermediate. To my surprise Dory immediately showed much improvement. Being exposed to different dogs and people (in a controlled environment) has really helped her alot. I also learned alot about the way I act, and how that affects her mood or behavior in different situations. Most of dog training is actually more about training the human than the dog!

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  Dory and I have been involved in weight pulling since September (2008), and she has really excelled at it! It is great exercise which lets out a lot of energy. Weight pulling is a dog sport that Dory and I have adopted (as a form of "behavioral physical conditioning") and she I have had a lot of fun with. It has really helped build her confidence and trust in me. We have even participated in the weight pull competitions for several years now, and I am really proud of how well she does! We have also taken agility classes and earned ribbons in several agility trials. This is another dog sport that we are really enjoying!

All of these experiences have been amazing for Dory's progress. She is a much better behaved dog and is much less reactive than she used to be. She has learned to ignore situations that used to make her nervous. Lisa has taught me to "think dog" and understand dog behavior much more than I have in the past! And I still continue to learn more with each class I take. Dory and I communicate much better now and have a much closer relationship! 

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  I like Lisa's methods of training because it's based on positive reinforcement, not punishment. Dogs do what works! I would highly recommend Canine Culture to anyone considering any kind of dog training!

 

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