Midnight's Behavioral Rehab Program

Midnight, a 3 year old German Shepherd/Cattle dog mix, came in for a 3 week behavioral rehabilitation program. He had rushed out the front door and bit a realtor, resulting in a report filed with the city. The local dog warden required that Midnight receive training or be humanely euthanized. Since his owners had trained with me in the past when he was a puppy, they reached out in hopes that I could help.

Midnight was brought in a week prior to his training program to evaluate the level of aggression he displayed toward me (someone he hadn't seen for almost a year). Initially he barked, lunged, and snarled at me while we walked around the neighborhood - this showed me that this was not just a territorial behavior but a fear-based aggressive response to strangers. With this incident being a recorded bite, it was imperative that we do what was best for him.

During his program, he was muzzled for the first day and a half to ensure my safety. His owners took the time to muzzle condition him when he was a bit younger so this was not a new experience for him. He was also walked regularly with a muzzle on as well. Over the 3 weeks he spent with me, we created a trusting bond that allowed me to show him that strangers are not as scary as he once thought. Teaching him to relax rather than window watch, and allowing him the power of choice when greeting new people helped him gain a lot of confidence in me as his handler.

At pickup, I spent a lot of time showing his owners how to manage his in-home behavior to eliminate his territorial aggression as well as how to handle him outside the house and around strangers. It's been 2 years now since his program and his owners report that he is still doing very well and making great choices following their leadership!

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