Helping Rajah Find Her Peace

Rajah's mother was our dog, one whom we'd rescued. She would run the fence and chase anyone who walked by the house, viciously barking. I phoned a trainer in the area where I was living at the time. She absolutely refused to work with her and advised me over the phone to put the dog down immediately. The trainer diagnosed her, sight unseen, as 'dominant aggressive.' Understandably, I became leery of trainers.

Then along came Rajah. I assumed that she was as content and happy as any dog could possibly be. She has three girls to look after, she never has to stay outside, she gets bones, chew toys, rides in the car, etc. on a regular basis. What's not to be happy about, I said. But she wasn't, and the sad thing is, I didn't even know it. She was a very playful pup who became a very loving dog. But around the time Rajah turned three, she started acting differently around strangers. She would often snap at anyone who came into the house if they tried to touch her. Then came the day in midsummer 1998 when she chased down a boy on his bicycle and grabbed him by the ankle.

I was wary of trainers, but I needed advice. I am so glad that Judy had her ad in the Yellow Pages. She shared with me some of her many success stories of dogs, whom I have since met, whose problems were far worse than Rajah's. When I hung up the phone, I had a much deeper understanding of Rajah's behavior, and more hope than I could have ever imagined. During the very first lesson, Judy assessed that Rajah had very little, if any, self-confidence, hardly any self-esteem, and that she is incredibly sensitive. This explained so much. I have learned that all Rajah ever wanted to do was please us, her family. She just didn't know how. Judy's job isn't to train the dog. It is to train the human to help the dog know what is expected and wanted.

I have watched a dog whom I was unable to take on a walk because she would literally drag me down the street become a dog that my two-year-old can walk; a dog who would cower if you so much as looked at her crossly, become a dog who is happy, content and no longer intimidated by her environment, who greets strangers expectantly and affectionately. She can sit quietly on a sit-stay in the center of a circle of bicycling children. I have learned so much about human behavior in learning how to work with my dog.

Lanea, Colorado