We have a rescue border collie whom we have had for 7 years. We did the Bronze, Silver and Gold Good Citizen Awards and sailed through them but I always thought there was something more…something I was missing, and now you have given me the answers. It all makes sense and we have a much happier, calmer dog. People thought we were insane as they always said Flynn is so well behaved but I knew he was stressed out. He’s so intelligent and we dearly loved him but we unwittingly allowed him to be the pack leader and the longer this went on the worse it got.
From the first moment that we changed our approach to him Flynn knew and the expression on his face was priceless as he tried to work out what was happening. He more than willingly gave up his role as pack leader as it was a position he didn’t want in the first place. It has had its challenges and we have certainly made mistakes along the way but what a journey, a journey for life.
Our friends have a very nervous German Shepherd dog who is stressed by visitors and we never really trusted her when we visited, and neither did her owners. Now we totally ignore her when we visit and she quickly lies down while we wait for ‘the sigh’. Her owners are elderly and have bred dogs for years so they don’t hold with our ideas, but their dog is proof enough to us that it works 100%. Wonderful! Absolutely fascinating! Thanks for sharing your knowledge we will be forever in your debt. Linda & Paul, and of course Flynn