No More Fear for Joey

My 10-year-old Australian Shepherd Josey has had fear issues since the day we brought her home from the breeder at eight weeks.  We trained and trained, and she got worse and worse.  Just last year I tried agility training with her, thinking she would enjoy the “work.”  She was a basket case, and the trainers didn’t like her.  After repeating the intro class four times, she was finally comfortable enough with the equipment and procedures to go forward, but the next level of instruction was again so stressful for her that I decided not to take her back. At home she wanted to please us, but was terrified of our every move. She attacked me when I was leaving the house. She attacked my husband when he touched me. She would growl and snap at strangers. Several years ago she viciously attacked my neighbor who entered the yard to borrow a hose. I resorted to putting her in the bathroom when anyone came over just to avoid the hassle. But she barked and whined the entire time anyone was in the house. She slept on the floor next to our bed at night and would growl and snap at my husband when he came to bed...If I would get up in the middle of the night she'd do the same to me when I came back to bed. I talked to my vet about it, and he could only suggest medications. I think the thing that challenged my husband and me the most with Josey was that she never showed any positive response to our encouraging and kindness when she was afraid.  So we resorted to finding immediate ways to stop the aggression before it resulted in a bite to us or someone else.  But after finding your web site and reading your December newsletter and the stories from owners who had learned Dialogue...I found hope that there was still a way to reach her through praise rather than confinement and correction. 

As soon as possible, Josey and I flew from our Florida home to Colorado to learn Dialogue®. As I write this, we’ve been home three days, and I can hardly believe what I’m seeing in Josey. I have to pinch myself to be sure it’s real. Our first test was at the Denver airport Monday night.  She had to go from the ticketing area to the baggage area where they inspected her crate.  They suggested I walk her on leash through the airport. That meant walking past all those moving targets and next to the porter who had our bags and her crate. I said, “Let’s go for a walk!" and she walked along in her bubble, with me giving her constant praise and doing a few 180’s. She was just the perfect dog, walking so calmly by all those crowds and staying so perfectly in her bubble.  The baggage area was very small and crowded with people (another potential problem).  She stayed in her bubble and never once showed any signs of aggression. As a matter of fact, her tail was wagging the whole time, and she wasn’t panting.  She was actually enjoying this! 

Next morning, we had five electricians at the house working in various rooms, coming and going, things that would have sent her over the top before Dialogue®. Today, instead of wrestling her into the bathroom and shutting the door and having her barking sharply at every noise all day, I let her stay in my office as I worked, where she could see all the coming and going of the electricians at a relatively safe distance from them.  With an occasional “You're ok, you're ok” from me, she was the perfectly calm companion all day with not a bark at anyone.  

Her relationship with our three Border Collie puppies has greatly improved.  Before Dialogue® she wanted nothing to do with them and snarled and snapped at them when they approached.  Now she sits calmly while they may be rollicking around her and crashing into her.  She glances my way, and I give her great praise and reassurance, and she accepts that.  Judy, are you sure you didn’t switch dogs on me while I was there?  I can’t believe I have the same dog!

Tonight I came home from a meeting, and my husband was working in his office on the computer.  Normally if I would so much as call his name, Josey would start barking loudly, stopping all conversation.  If I approached him, or he me, she would jump and try to separate us and bark and bark.  Not tonight.  She sat calmly on the floor, so I gave her a couple of reassuring comments and patted her side, and she in turn allowed us to have a conversation like two normal human beings and never once jumped up or even acted like she wanted to.

What I see in Josey is so exciting I can’t stop telling everyone.  Of course, my family is amazed and grateful.  Now my goal is to keep reading and studying so I can work confidently with her because she loves the exercises.  Right now, I’m going slowly because I want to be sure I’m doing it right.  But she really wants this and is probably wondering why I’m such a slow learner.

I am so grateful for all your tireless coaching while we were learning Dialogue®exercises.  You really drilled us on being precise, and now I see why it’s so important to remain absolutely consistent so that Josey feels no anxiety.  But the rewards are so huge!  With just a bit of extra time and patience on my part to be sure I’m doing it RIGHT, Josey is enjoying her life for the first time in 10 years! I can give her no greater gift than to stay true to the course that you set us on. 

(A month or so later)

I really like Josey now, more than I ever did.  We seem to connect in all ways at such a different level.  She trusts me to take care of her now.  And now I want to take care of her, whereas before I just wanted her to behave.  Now I understand her fears and work quickly to remove them or to help her deal with them from a safe place.  I feel such an incredible sense of appreciation that we found you and Dialogue.  Josey is just a different dog and a remarkable pet now! 

The puppies are in her face often, and Aussies hate having their space intruded.  I’m so surprised she is so tolerant of them now. She never has a cross word for them anymore.  She just turns her head and sometimes, but not always, walks away.  I usually get a glance with an expression I read as , “Oh, how long will they be puppies?”  We have actually caught her playing with toys (never did before) and once or twice playing with the other dogs.   I can just feel her sense of relief now that she is a happy girl.  Her tail wags often!

Linda, Florida