A 5 month old Airdale pup crossed our path on Oct 31st. I had met his owner, Gary Reissner, at the Tractor Supply Company in Prescott when we were set up out there in July. Several weeks later, Gary saw our photo in a ribbon cutting that Michelle and I had attended as Ambassador's for the Prescott Area Chamber of Commerce, and it jogged his memory to have us come out for a "Start 'em out right - Puppy Training" Session.
We met Gary's lovely wife and his rambunctous puppy and we were off to the races. Stormy needed boundaries, and loved to mouth, so almost before the session began Michelle and I were giving him one correction after another and showing the Reissners how to do a dominance ritual to settle this high energy pup down and establish their leadership over him. we showed them a few scenes from an excellent wolf documentary by Jim Dutcher called "Wolves at our Door" to help them understand the Pack Leadership concept, its vital importance, how firm the corrections sometimes need to be and why.
The weather was brisk but kind, so our walk was invigorating. I suggested a prong collar for Stormy to give the owners more control. He was very verbal about getting used to it, but did settle down as we all took turns walking him. He was used to running with Cindy which I always like to see. The faster a dog moves, the more energy he drains. We will be going back to the Reissner's soon to try the Gentle Leader harness on Stormy. I have a half and half success rate with those and would like to see how he fares in it. I didn't have one with me that day.
We finished with some obedience training in the back yard. Stormy showed good potential in this area. Obedience commands are not behavioral solutions, but they will give the owner a better handle on the dog. It can help tremendously when behavior modification is being carried out, and make life in general more pleasant.
When we left the Reissner's, they had a fairly full plate to munch on. If they are willing to delve in and follow through, I see no reason why they can't have, in time, a happy amicable relationship with their growing dog. All the best to you Gary and Cindy!
~Candiss DelCastillo
Walks & Wags Pet Service
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