Behaviour Problems

The vast majority of behaviour problems are conditioned responses. They are NOT genetic but learned patterns of behaviour and what can be ‘learned’ can be unlearned.

Most rescue dogs have issues unwittingly taught by previous owners. Running away, fighting, aggression, jumping up, possessiveness can all surface a few weeks after adopting a rescue dog. The good news is these dogs can be rehabilitated at any age.

Dogs are sociable animals (they must be to function as a pack) and will always move towards balance once they are shown the way. It’s not natural for a dog to run off or be aggressive to others. Pack animals can’t survive by fighting among themselves or wandering off to do their own thing. It isn’t natural.

It’s that ‘natural’ pack behaviour you must harness to rehabilitate an unbalanced dog. How long it takes depends more on the owner than the dog. In our experience unbalanced dogs are ready to change at any time but owners take longer.

If you have a dog with issues PLEASE do not send it to a shelter. No one is more capable of helping your dog than YOU. Apart from saving a human life there is no better feeling than rehabilitating a troubled dog and if your dog has issues you can be sure he/she is troubled.

Most aggression cases we treat have fear as the root cause usually caused by lack of leadership. You cannot rehabilitate an unbalanced dog with affection.

To truly help a troubled dog you must show strong leadership. It’s your confidence and your determination he/she will rely on to overcome his/her fears.

All dogs are capable of change, some are more difficult than others but we’ve yet to meet a dog that couldn’t be rehabilitated (genetic deficiencies excepted).

You can call us for a Home Assessment

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH AGGRESSION ISSUES WITHOUT PROFESSIONAL HELP.