Loretta
The Adventure Begins: 03/03/25
What is the Humane Hierarchy?
Addressing behavior from a professional lens means approaching change from a systematic and humane process. While you can read a little about my training philosophy on my Frequently Asked Questions and in this blog post, generally speaking when looking at behavior change I will recommend you review the Human Hierarchy of needs for your dog.
This structure emphasizes physical and mental welfare, and changing behavior by setting up successful interactions with positive reinforcement driving preferred behaviors. I am always cautious before including any behavior in a training plan that may exacerbate frustration or distress for your dog, and will work to avoid creating fallout and mistrust in your training program.
Coaching Resources
Start Here
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Start Here 〰️
The Handbook is a lengthy read, but has just about everything you might need to know when starting a program. This is the absolute best place to start with your training package.
Start Here
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Start Here 〰️
Guild Hall is a client portal within my website - you’ll find classes and events available only to past and present clients there, as well as discounts on certain future services. You’ll also find recommended outlets for your dog, including sports, events, and sniffspot information.
Your google drive is available to you to reference your contract and contact and care form, make updates to your dog’s care information, upload vaccination records, as well as share videos and photos with questions or for feedback!
Character Sheet
Loretta
Session Zero: 03/03/2025
Recommended Training Package: In her current home, I would recommend setting up some time for me to come out and meet with Loretta.
For her future adoptive family, I’d like to offer complementary access to my online fear and reactivity class followed by a preferred training package at 10% discount.
Loretta is a young, large dog currently at least 6 months old with a largely unknown history. While she appeared relaxed at the adoption event from which she was brought home, Loretta has demonstrated significant fear and reactivity in her brief time in her current home. She appears uncertain about the men in her home, though acclimates to them over time. She is fearful and reactive to visitors in the home, and reactive to people and dogs out and about.
Loretta’s reactions seem to be primarily defensive and she is not interested in pursuing aggressive behavior, but her substantial anxiety in the face of her triggers means that she needs dedication to building her confidence and providing safe, quiet places for her to recover.
After discussion, her current home is not a good fit for her or their emotional well-being and quality of life. For that reason, I’m not recommending a specific program or future services. Below you’ll find behaviors and protocol to make life more manageable while a more appropriate home is found for Loretta, as well as building her skills to cope with scary things.
Look for opportunities for Loretta to meet energy needs (even if she seems lowkey!) with mental and physical exercise. Leash walks won’t do as much as higher energy games - see if you can get her interested in a flirt pole or a long flirt tug.
If you would like to try social dog-dog interactions, start with a bombproof adult dog of one of your friends and meet either in someone’s yard or at a Sniffspot. Let the dog’s arc towards and away from one another first and only if they seem both pleasantly interested, drop the leash and let them interact. Please don’t feel pressed to try this one, but if you are still interested in giving her social time, this is a less overwhelming way to go about it than dog parks or day cares.
Let her decompress on long walks away from people and dogs - either on more remote trails or at a Sniffspot. I have reviews of a couple Sniffspots in Guild Hall at this link here if you’d like a place to start!
Mental exercise can be found in sniffing activities like her training scatters, working on behaviors at the park with distractions, and any training at home. In addition to the behaviors we discussed, look for fun tricks she can work on - a lot of youtube channels as well as some Instagram accounts (my friend @hungrydogtraining runs a Tricksmas with tutorials every December that will have some ideas) have instructions on a variety of tricks. Not only are these cute and can increase interest in adoptability, but exercising her mind and using her body can absolutely help build her confidence as well.
You’re doing an amazing thing by your investment in improving Loretta’s skills for the brief time you will have her. That said, don’t feel bound to work on any of these behaviors in moments where you yourself are feeling burnt out or need a break. Appropriate management isn’t cheating - it’s a necessary part of a behavior plan.
Limit neighborhood walks wherever possible and walk her on leash in the yard or on bigger trips out to parks where you can keep better distance from others.
In the house, don’t have her out when visitors come if you don’t want to work through her fears in the moment. Set her up in her crate, removed from the main area where people are gathering, and furnish her with white noise (audiobooks and podcasts work great!) and a tasty treat or chew to work on - I personally love Toppl by WestPaw but Kongs work great too, as well as bully sticks or other consumables.
Skill Tree
