“Dog Training Isn’t Even That Hard!”

My husband and I adopted our first dog in 2015.  He was the EASIEST dog to train. I felt like I could talk to him in full sentences, and he would understand.  He only needed a few private training lessons and BOOM he was an off-leash, well behaved, “goodest boy ever.” My husband and I were like “HA look at us, we are great dog parents! Dog training isn’t that hard!”  That statement would come back to bite us.

Jump to 2021, we adopted our second dog, Ollie.  Ollie came from a backyard breeding situation and had a hard first 10 weeks of life.  He was rescued from that situation with mange, worms, fleas, and was severely underweight (he looked like a skeleton ghost dog).  Despite these health challenges, Ollie was wild, spunky, and full of cute stubbornness.  Unfortunately, this “cute stubborn puppy” turned into a 75-pound, anxious, reactive dog.

We tried all the training: puppy group classes, private lessons, day schools, etc.  Nothing fit Ollie’s needs and he remained extremely reactive towards people, overprotective of me (his mom) and our home.  Eventually, we ran out of options as many trainers would no longer work with us as they considered Ollie a safety risk.  We felt like we were out of options and that Ollie would have to live a sad, fearful life inside our home and that was not what we wanted for him.  We couldn’t have people (except a small circle of friends that he was used to) over as he would become anxious and aggressive.  We couldn’t take him in public or even the car because he would jump, lunge, and bark at any person he saw.  He loves all dogs, but we couldn’t take him on playdates or to dog parks because he couldn’t be around people.  At home, Ollie was the most loving, cuddly dog, we wanted everyone to be able to experience this side of him.

We found Well Balanced Dog Training and took Ollie in for a consultation.  He was more anxious than I have ever seen him and was extremely reactive.  Despite this, the trainer took the leash from my husband, with Ollie jumping at her, and she looked at me and just said “We can help him.”  It was a huge relief and I started to cry, maybe we had finally found a trainer that would work.

We signed Ollie up for Learn & Playgroup to get him used to the facility.  Each drop off was hard, I saw his anxiety and fear.  Each time the trainers reassured me that he can be helped and we don’t have to live our lives this way.  Finally, we signed Ollie up for a 5-week board and train.  This was not an easy decision, I almost cancelled multiple times, developed stress rashes, and I cried daily.  I knew in my heart and soul that Ollie deserved this chance to be the best dog he can be and it would be selfish to let my own feelings get in the way of him getting the help he needed, but 5 weeks is a long time!

While Ollie was away, I kept myself busy while I waited for the weekly Friday check-in calls from Ollie’s trainers.  My older dog and I bonded over our old routine of Starbuck's puppuccinos, going on off-leash walks, and visiting friends and family.  I dreamed of being able to include Ollie in these activities!

I knew there would be changes in our routine when Ollie came home.  Ollie’s first night home was tough for everyone.  He established great trust in the Well Balanced Dog Trainers and I had to convince him and prove to him that I could be there for him just like they were.  I felt more like a dictator than his mom, I felt the rules were too strict.  By day 3, I realized that his behavior was dependent on how I guided him.  I realized that Ollie THRIVES on structure and needs a confident leader.  I followed the instructions carefully and Ollie was patient with me while I worked to transition into this new role as his leader. He was with me every step of the way as I fumbled over the commands, the e-collar, and release words. We truly had to be patient with each other for this to work and clear boundaries needed to be set right from the beginning.  It is hard work, but we are doing 100% better.  I can manage his reactivity using the tools and commands provided, whereas before I wouldn’t even think of bringing him on walks where I knew people would be around. I am now a confident dog leader to him, and he is beginning to trust and respect me, something we didn’t have before.

I want to thank everyone at Well Balanced Dog Training for their patience, dedication, and love for Ollie. A lot of places turned him away and basically told me he was a lost cause, but that thought never crossed these trainer’s mind. Their willingness to help him and work with him has allowed me and him to live a new life. I am extremely thankful for Well Balanced Dog Training’s board and train program, it literally saved my dogs life.