It was the first time that Henry did not lose all self control/growl at a stranger

We wanted to share our story and relate how grateful we are to Debby McMullen of Pawsitive Reactions for her transformative work with Henry (and us!). Henry came to us as a sad, abused and malnourished puppy. He was the runt of a litter of 10, rescued along with their emaciated mother by a humane officer and the police. Due to their poor condition, they were all slated to be euthanized, when rescue organizations intervened. We adopted him into our family of two other dogs, and we quickly reversed the physical effects of his neglect. Over time however, the psychological effects of his poor start in life began to manifest more and more. He had much anxiety and a lack of self-confidence. It began to affect our other two dogs. He was so afraid of strangers, of the car and of places other than our home, that even vet visits became impossible. During a complete meltdown at one vet visit, our long-time beloved and trusted veterinarian suggested that we may need to consider euthanizing him. We were not going to give up on Henry that easily! We began researching canine behavior specialists. We chose to contact Debby based on her extensive experience and expertise in working with dogs that others gave up on, her specialization in multiple dog households and her work with Animal Friends. Thankfully she agreed to take our case. We will never forget our first meeting. Debby literally showed up at our door with her back to us. She entered our home walking backwards while offering food to Henry. It was the first time that Henry did not lose all self control/growl at a stranger. We were amazed and at that point, it was clear that we had hope for helping Henry. We went into the sessions committed to the fact that WE needed training as well as Henry…that his success would depend on us. Debby was our anchor, even attending a vet visit we were anxious about for vaccinations that Henry needed. Our vet was astonished at the progress that Henry had made in such a short time. He by no means loves the vet (what dog does?) but we got through the visit smoothly with no meltdown. Debby was very attentive in addressing issues Henry has in specific situations. Every session was followed up by her email detailing the visit, her observations and suggestions and homework for the next visit as well as links to valuable resources. She made it clear she was available to be contacted between visits and encouraged us to keep her updated. In closing, we are so grateful for all that Debby has done for us. Henry is a happy and well-adjusted member of our family. We are now able to read his cues and keep him confident in any situation he may encounter.