In the past I was the owner of a very reactive dog - my Storm.

She was a privately rehomed German Shepherd, and she very helpfully gave me a crash course introduction to the world of dog training and behavioural modification by being aggressive to all strangers anywhere in sight (including biting my mum in the face), barking, lunging, reacting to all dogs at any distance even on the horizon, resource guarding of items, and resource guarding of me as a person including towards my husband, and a dollop of separation issues to boot.

I originally found the “forcefree” or R+ part of the dog world during 2020. I was completely enamoured by learning everything I could about counterconditioning, setting my dog up for sucess, trying to keep her below threshold and not reacting, and helping her to change her feelings towards “stuff”. I was told, as so many people are, that the key to making any ethical and lasting progress with her reactivity was to avoid her having reactions, reward her good choices, and ignore any bad choices. I was taught that any correction of any sort would set her back, and ruin our relationship. I fully believed this and followed this advice diligently for 3.5 years, and even became an admin for a forcefree facebook group, handing out that advice to others who were also needing help with their dogs.

I got progress, up to a point.

But our world was still so small, and the amount of management we had to live in was so high.

3.5 years in, and we still couldn’t have guests to visit - Storm would try to attack them as soon as they stood up, moved an arm, or hugged us. We still couldn’t let her offlead anywhere - her recall was perfect unless a dog appeared, and then she’d sprint over barking and with hackles up. We couldn’t trust her unmuzzled anywhere other than inside our house with only me, my husband, and her at home. It was so isolating and stressful for us as people.

For Storm, my dog, the heart of my decision making, she was still living her day-to-day life in a stressed state. It didn’t matter that I walked at odd times of day, in remote locations, scoped out walks in advance etc, she still thought there could be a stranger around every corner. When any unexpected letter or delivery arrived (even to the outdoor postbox at the bottom of the driveway), she had what looked like a panic attack, and stayed in an incredibly stressed, heightened state for days. All of the management and counter conditioning that I was doing, and my dog was still stressed.

I then found Jessica Probst (CFBA) of Dundee Dog Training. Her approach was totally unique. Shen uses a huge amount of positive reinforcement (rewards), but also sees a place for giving dogs active feedback for some truly dangerous behaviours - such as biting humans. She also has a really unique openmindedness to all training styles, and to looking a the whole picture of the dog’s world, not just the surface issues.

I had as much progress in the 2 weeks following a zoom call with Jess Probst as I had got in months/years of hard graft of force free work. Jess Probst collected a full history of my dog, and gave me customised Reset Rules to rejig my relationship with her.

More of my story with Storm is over on instagram, but her current role is as my work partner and stooge dog - she is now a dog who can help other reactive dogs just mooching around offlead together on a walk, that is how far she has come.

Professionally, I am constantly continuing my professional development. I shadow/assist Jessica Probst (CFBA) with some of her severe cases, including dogs with chronic stress, aggression, and severe reactivity.

I am also a student member of the CFBA, studying to add an official qualification to add to my extensive real life experience.