𝗜𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲? 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘆’s 𝗢𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!

We recently met Kingsley, a Shih Tzu-Pomeranian cross from North Shields. Kingsley is a very nervous dog who not only reacts to other dogs by barking and lunging but also struggles with something called departure castration. This means that as soon as he sees his owners leaving without him, he starts barking, nipping at their ankles, and chasing them to the door .

Before our first session, we sent the owners some pre-session homework to teach a marker cue. We've now introduced this cue, and when Kingsley sees a dog, it's really helping inside the house. We also have a management plan in place where he isn’t around his owners while they’re getting ready. He’s either put in the garden or in another room, and when he’s left elsewhere, the barking and lunging stop immediately.

The next steps are to work on gradually desensitising him from the barking and lunging so that his owners can leave the house without having to lock him away an hour before they go . Kingsley warmed up to me quickly, and when he did, he showed his loving side. However, he is very nervous at the start.

We plan to boost his confidence and help him become a happier, more confident dog.

If this case sounds like your dog and you are having a similar issue, or a different issue entirely, book a FREE assessment call with us by clicking HERE