Hooper’s story
I’ve always loved dogs, but working shifts in the Police and living in an apartment in Bristol City Centre meant I was always short on time and space. It wasn’t until I bought a cottage and some land in the Welsh countryside that it felt like the right time to own my own.
Hooper was everything I’d ever wanted in a dog. Intelligent, confident, loyal. Inquisitive and playful with other dogs, relaxed and friendly with people.
But one incident when he was two years old transformed him, and our life together, in an instant.
One day, on a walk, he was bitten unprovoked by another dog. That single experience was all it took to change my happy-go-lucky Rottie into one who was desperately fearful of everyone and everything.
From that day on, I was the dog owner other people would either disapprove of or pity. On walks, Hooper would fixate on ‘threats’ from a distance and work himself up into a panic if they came anywhere near - barking, growling and even lunging. Taking him to public places became stressful, not to mention potentially dangerous. I no longer felt comfortable inviting people to the house.
Safe at home with me, he was the same loving, joyful, eager-to-please dog he’d always been. But in any other context, he was a problem.
I turned to a number of different dog trainers, including specialists in anxiety-based aggression, but I was left feeling frustrated and hopeless by the experiences I had and the results I saw. Avoidance was the common theme from the advice I received - avoid socialising with other dogs, avoid walks in places he felt protective of, avoid situations where I couldn’t control what was going on around us. Hooper’s fear meant his world was shrinking day after day.
So I decided to take matters into my own hands, and began my journey learning about dog psychology, behaviour and training techniques.
My understanding grew, my training toolkit expanded, and before I knew it, I started seeing significant changes in Hooper’s behaviour and state of mind. As his anxiety waned and his confidence increased, I began seeing more and more of my old pal.
It took time, but I gradually helped him to overcome his fear and aggression. Adventures, interactions with other dogs, outings in public and visitors to the home all came back into our lives.
In return, Hooper led me to a job doing something I love - teaching people how to get the very best out of their relationships with their dogs.
Hooper’s story is proof that there is always hope.
If you are experiencing any uncertainty about training your own dog or puppy, or would like some support overcoming behavioural issues, then please get in touch or click to learn more about the services I offer.
There’s no dog, or problem, too big or too small.