Can someone have more problems with their dog than you?

You think you have problems with your dog!

What if you had two St Bernards? Litter brothers as well who are 4 years old and can't be walked together because of their behaviour towards other dogs?

Can you imagine trying to control two dogs that size and strength?

I never underestimate the stress that badly behaved dogs can cause and the emotional upset that goes with it so I have to admit I was expecting two very assertive and competitive dogs that would be a real handful in the house.

Completely to the contrary. Yes there were elements of conception for attention, but very brief and quite mild and this gave me instant hope of rapid progress. There is rarely anything too off with the dogs and in this case they have a very anxious owner who worries that she might not be able to hold them.

I asked her what her worst fear is regarding her dogs. Her answer was a powerful one. She is worried they will kill another dog!

This concerned me that I was in for a huge change in stress and behaviour levels once I took one of the dogs out because the owner told me their behaviour is the same if one is walked or both are walked together.

Off we went with me walking one of the dogs and he walked perfectly on a loose lead. On our way back we had to walk past a house where two Border Collies lived and would bark at other dogs from behind the bay window of their house and as we approached this house, I saw the dogs owner stiffen up and begin to stress, even though I was walking her dog.

Sure enough there was a reaction but a bit of a bark and a bit of circling was about the extent of it and he soon relaxed enough to ignore their barking and to have a sniff and explore the foot path upon which we were stood.

I like owners to see what their dog can do as opposed to what they think their dog is going to do as this helps them see there is a different way that works, their dog can behave differently and it is not too much hard work.

I honestly never know how much I can help a person because it depends on how willing a person is to change and how able they are to change.

If there is no change in the owners behaviour, the dogs will not have a reason to change which is why it is so important to help the owner become as relaxed as possible and to have as many coping strategies as possible so they feel more in control then they currently do, even with a huge St Bernard or two to contend with.