We Need Professional Help

When you adopt a dog, obedience training is essential. You can read books. You can surf the Internet for tips and tricks. You can watch TV shows. You can take classes. Please plan to do some sort of basic training with your pet in the manner that works for your schedule and budget. Training helps establish structure and routine for your dog, who wants you to be the leader.

I took the late Dino to an obedience class offered by a local group several years ago, so I knew the basics before Gracie came into our lives. About a month after she came to live with us, I decided that a refresher would be nice but did not want to attend a six-week course. My vet recommended a training facility where he took his dog. They offered private, weekend instruction for as many visits as our schedule (and budget) allowed. We got several great tips. We really liked the instructor.

Lately, we have been considering the addition of a canine companion for Gracie. She just seems to need a buddy. We hesitate, though, because we still have one challenge with Gracie. When she is in an unfamiliar situation, she is frantic and does not respond to training. She has other fear-based behaviors too. Before we add another dog to this environment, we decided to seek professional help.

We reviewed the list of professionals provided by the vet last year. We decided to go to a training facility that specialized in dogs with anxiety issues. The trainer gave us lots of great tips, which we will share in this week’s posts.

We discussed whether or not another dog would help in the situation. The trainer was uncertain. She said the right dog could ease Gracie’s tension – or the new dog could feed off of Gracie’s anxiety and then leave us with two frantic dogs. She recommended that we look for a mellow dog who was not in the working/herding group or a terrier (thereby nixing the cute JRT we spotted at a local rescue group).

In the end, we decided to devote more time to easing Gracie’s anxiety. When the time is right for Gracie, we will look for a companion. Sadly, plenty of dogs are always in need of homes, so we can be patient.

Rescue Mommy & Daddy