I could write a blog too…

Recently Jaxon has had a big problem with standard poodles (only black or grey), and German Sheppards.

Every time he sees one or other of this kind of dog, he barks crazily. Jaxon is normally very friendly and social, so it’s been a major change in him to be so reactive to other dogs.

So I started changing things up.

I hadn’t realised how much I let Jaxon shape us, rather than the other way round. For example, Jaxon often got up in the window to look at the world, and was barking at dogs crossing the road. I’ve stopped him jumping on the furniture at all. Our lovely Instructor, Kay, also suggested that Jaxon should ask if he wants to sit up with us (he is a lap dog after all).  This means he needs to make eye contact before being asked up to the couch.

This has worked really well for us so far, and Jaxon has been using his crate instead -well, whenever the cat isn’t in it….!

Today we went to the dog park and a black standard poodle arrived about 2 minutes before a German Sheppard. I braced myself, and thought the worst, but we kept moving with Jaxon. Unbelievably Jaxon didn’t bat an eyelid at either of them, and even let the poodle check him out!

I don’t want to call it too soon, but it was a great step forward today. Maybe one day he’ll be OK with Poodles and Sheppards, and in the meantime we’ll keep up the changes and see how far we can get.