Thank you for taking the time to share your experience, Lisa. I’m so happy we could help you and Sofie navigate this challenging behavior and figure out a way to make life livable and safe again for everyone.
“Susan and Animal Minds are an incredible training program. I enrolled Sofie, a 90lb 4-year-old german shepherd, in their 8 week behavioral board and train program. Sofie is a very intelligent dog who knew a lot of basic commands and was fairly decent at listening to the commands. Majority of the time she is able to loose-leash walk without any problems, the only exception being when she encountered cats. My biggest issue with Sofie was her reactivity/aggression toward other dogs when it came to her possessions, especially in the household. We live with 2 other large dogs and 1 small dog in the house. Sofie was possessive over her food, toys, the bedroom and at times her owner. Though she has only lived with the other dogs in the house for a little over a year, her aggression had been progressively worsening, especially with the small dog. The last straw was when the small dog wandered too close to my room and she attacked the small dog to the point where there was a cut in the small dog's neck from Sofie biting so hard. I was faced with the decision to either give her up or take her to training.
Sofie did not have ill will toward the other dogs, she just didn't want them touching her stuff. When in a neutral space she got along fine with the other dogs. Susan recognized this when she did our consult visit and recognized the potential that Sofie had to modify her behavior, but she made it very clear that just as Sofie's behavior did not start overnight, it would not go away overnight.
Sofie stayed with Susan for 4 weeks then was gradually re-introduced back to the household. She is now e-collar and muzzle trained which is amazing so that she can still be out around the other dogs and we don't have to worry so much about risk to the other dogs. We are continuing to work on her behavior modification even after completing the board and train, but now we have the skills and resources to effectively communicate with Sofie. We have noticed a great change in Sofie's behavior and now, approximately 3 weeks since she returned home, Sofie is able to stay relaxed in my room even when the other dogs wander close to my room and she can see them through a baby gate. We are hopeful that with time and consistent work on our part, Sofie will be able to remain calm and relaxed even when there isn't a barrier in place.
Susan is an incredible trainer and really knows what she is doing. She continues to keep in touch even after the board and train has finished and continues to give her advice. I would highly recommend Animal Minds Behavior and Training to anyone who is looking to train their dog.”