It was great working with you and Dixon today! He’s such a thoughtful, sensitive pup, and it’s clear how much you’re committed to helping him feel more comfortable in his world. Here’s a quick recap of what we covered, along with some next steps to keep practicing between sessions:

Session Focus:

• Supporting Dixon when passing people on leash (especially men, hats, or unexpected situations)

• Helping him feel safer around other dogs when out walking

• Making visitors in the home less stressful for him

Key Training Skills:

• Treat Scatters – Drop a steady stream of treats on the ground, keeping it “everlasting” so Dixon can focus and settle in one spot during tough moments.

• Ready, Get It – A playful way to toss a treat so Dixon can disengage and move with you.

• Look at That (“What’s That”) – Mark and reward Dixon for noticing a distraction. For now, practice with easy/benign things (like your husband or familiar friends) so he builds a positive association.

Think of these as your “ladder of difficulty”:

• Look at That → easier situations, with familiar or low-stress distractions

• Ready, Get It → moderate challenges, when he’s not stuck and can move away

• Treat Scatters → hardest moments, when he needs to pause and cope

Homework & Next Steps:

• Use treat scatters generously on walks. Try to keep Dixon’s leash short but loose (not tight) so he doesn’t feel restricted.

• Practice “What’s That” with familiar distractions, focusing on rewarding him for looking without requiring him to look back at you yet.

• For visitors at home, prepare frozen chews, stuffed Toppls, and consider using white noise. This helps make crate time less stressful when guests come over.

• Once a week, replace a walk full of triggers with a Sniffspot outing to give him a lower-stress enrichment opportunity.

You’re doing an amazing job supporting Dixon—thank you for your patience and consistency. We’ll keep building on these foundations in our future sessions, especially around visitor protocols.