Our client Genie presented a unique case in that she was deeply attracted to dogs but also afraid of them. She wanted to share her life with a dog but had trouble handling her young pup Oli, due to her fear of dogs, germophobia, and chronic pain. But despite all of this, she knew in her heart that she deserved her very own canine companion.
Being a first-time dog owner, she googled and unknowingly landed on a puppy mill. She decided on a doodle puppy, thinking a young dog would assuage her fears but her fears persisted. In his formative months, Oli struggled with health issues, no doubt the result of the poor care he received as a mill puppy, and was handled mostly by inexperienced family members. His behavior deteriorated rapidly. Oli was anxious, hyper, and never listened. He showed disdain for people, nipped when being handled, and could never quite settle.
When Genie’s dog-savvy friends came to visit, she could tell they didn’t think too highly of her dog’s behavior. She could sense their judgment, seeing her accommodate Oli’s every wish. She realized she needed to get professional help but the traditional training focused on behavior modification only took them so far, as Oli was in no frame of mind to learn. She also needed help learning how to handle her dog when in pain and how to work through the obstacles created by her fears.
We were thrilled to help this struggling team. Our coaching relationship wasn’t easy at the beginning given Genie’s worries and resistance towards our advice. Luckily for us all, she understood that if Oli was to change, the way of life had to change and that included her mindset.
Little by little, Genie brought her life in line with the tenets of the Method. She worked hard on her psychology, talked herself out of worries, celebrated wins of any size, and bravely reached out whenever uncertain.
Oli and Genie have come a long way since those early days of frustration and fear. They enjoy their walks, games in their yard, and group classes. Oli is now an accomplished swimmer and advancing in scent detection. He enjoys playdates and visits with their extended family. He and Genie have taken road trips together, which he handles well, realizing now that Genie is a worthy leader and guide – a human he can genuinely rely on. Their journey continues and Genie is now considering adding a second dog – which to us, speaks to how far she has come as a person and as a dog handler. We look forward to continuing our coaching relationship, as they grow their family.
