The new year has started, and I have already written a blog about my goals this year. I haven't so much made resolutions as I have set goals that I need to achieve. Especially given the situation we are in. But where I set goals, our Skipper made some good intentions. He whispered in my ear that he had made some resolutions. Would I like to help him with this? He fully intends to make his New Year's resolutions a success this year and to do something about his self-confidence and fears. Of course, I wanted to help him with this with all my love. Today, as the proud owner of a German Shepherd who sometimes shows more fear than self-confidence, I can say with a warm heart that Skipper takes his resolutions seriously. And my partner and I support him just as seriously.
If you have a dog that is overflowing with enthusiasm and self-confidence, a dog that can easily go anywhere. A dog that behaves undisturbed and gets along with all people and animals, then it can be very easy to overlook the small victories. I have a dog like that too. Myla, is such a dog. Very easy to handle. She gets along with everyone, is not disturbed by other animals, and has had many adventures because it has never been a problem with her to go anywhere. But Skipper, that's a different dog. Skipper reacts to everything, he gets scared when he comes into contact with another dog, a person he doesn't know, or a horse in a meadow. You can't imagine that Skipper has a tendency to be startled, and in his startle response, he can even tend towards fear-aggression. That requires a completely different approach, and your world together becomes a lot smaller. Skipper can't just go everywhere. Every step in the right direction, no matter how small, is appreciated all the more.
Since a few weeks, we have had new neighbors in the meadow next to us. More than 20 beautiful horses! You understand that this was an extreme challenge for our Skipper. He is easily startled by nature and is very reactive. Even when he sees animals on TV, he bounces up and down in front of the TV with his loud bark. And now suddenly there were REAL horses, less than 20 meters in front of him. This was a real challenge for him, but also for us. We didn't want him to bounce around like an idiot, we just wanted him to be able to be calm outside, not focused on the horses, he has to learn to accept that the horses are there. And if it ever happens for him, he might even enjoy seeing it. We hope to achieve that later, but initially, it is already super impressive if he can ignore the fact that there are more than 20 horses at such a short distance. We knew we had some work to do on this. The first few times he saw the horses, his reaction was predictable: fixated stare, barking, bouncing, and trying to get closer to the fence. But we knew we couldn't give up.
For every dog, "Repetition" is a learning principle that is necessary. And this repetition is certainly very important for Skipper. But we had to pay close attention, because this repetition also has a reinforcing effect on his bad behavior. So what we did in recent weeks was take Skipper outside on a leash every day. We had treats and balls to distract him. For us, "Timing" was the most important part of this training. He needed to see the horses, and as soon as he saw the horses, and we saw that he put his ears on "Attention Mode", we started to distract him with the treats and balls. Always trying to prevent him from fixing, barking and bouncing. And reward him a lot when he did well. This training takes some time, but once the penny drops with the dog, things can go very quickly.
Repetition is essential in dog training because it helps the dog understand and internalize new skills and commands, build confidence and reinforce positive behavior. By being consistent and patient, you create clarity and consistency for your dog, allowing him to learn faster and more effectively. Repeated exercises promote a strong bond based on trust, respect and love, resulting in a happy and healthy relationship between owner and dog. And today was a day to celebrate.
Today was the first day that we had Skipper loose outside in the yard with the horses close by. And how proud we were when Skipper remained calm and focused on us! No fixated stares, no barking, no jumping to the fence, no bouncing. None of that, just a very brave and determined Skipper who keeps his resolutions. wow. I can't help but beam with pride.
This small victory is not only the result of Skipper's willpower but also of our perseverance and trust in him. This training journey with Skipper has lasted as long as he has lived with us. He was, (and is), a dog with a manual. But today was a victory. A victory for us, but certainly also for Skipper himself! He has overcome himself, managed to put his fears in the background, and kept his attention on us. Where the attention needed to be to make it fun for him. And believe me, we made it fun for him!
Training with dogs like Skipper requires patience, dedication, and an understanding of the needs. It is a process of trial and error, of small victories and continuous growth. And sometimes you have to go a few steps back before you can go forward again. But it is also a journey that builds trust and love between dogs and owners.
I am happy that we have built a good relationship with Skipper. We have encouraged his ability to recover from his initial shock, his confidence in us has grown steadily, and his determination to do well is inspiring. Skipper shows that every dog, regardless of the challenges, has the potential to learn and grow. They just need to end up with the right owners.
So here we are, barely into the new year, and our handsome Skipper is showing that he's ready to take on more adventures and achieve victories over himself. Let the year come, with love, patience, and perseverance our Skipper will have a great year! Our big little hero, with big intentions and an even bigger heart. On to many more wonderful moments together!
