Delilah, our min pin-beagle mix, has made remarkable progress under Debby’s guidance. Taking her on walks used to be a fraught proposition. She would bristle, bark, and jump up at other dogs on the street, but now we’re armed with techniques to distract her and keep her focus away from passing dogs. As long as I know another dog’s around, we can mostly get past without an explosion of barking and lunging on her part. Our walks are no longer punctuated by apologies on my part as I drag Delilah past other dogs and their owners. It’s made taking her out much easier.
She was also a big puller, straining on the leash and pulling it taut. Now she walks ahead of us, but the leash isn’t fully extended, and she’ll even slow down to walk next to us (if there’s a treat to be had!). We’re still working on it, but she’s gotten much better.
Debby’s also helped us handle Delilah’s demands for attention. This is a daily battle, but we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves now to keep her busy and manage her energetic nature. I’ve been able to avoid some of her frustrated tantrums where she chews on bedding or other verboten items.
Debby’s given us insight into why Delilah acts the way she does, and how to work with her to adjust undesirable behavior. I understand my dog better, which has helped me to appreciate her even more.