Keep Calm and Make New Friends

Loooking at this picture, you'd never know how significant it is for both dogs.

At the time Robyn (white) and Admiral had both been suffering from reactivity issues that made them unable to socialize with other dogs, or go to places like Petco, which is where this picture was taken.

Robyn was a VPBR adoptable, and having come from the shelter, we didn't know if this was just a quirk of hers, or if there was some underlying cause.

For Admiral, this was not normal behavior. He was a seasoned volunteer who came to events with his mom and loved meeting people and their dogs. His social decline was gradual, until he couldn't even look at another dog (even if it wasn't looking at him) without having a meltdown.

Admiral's mom did a lot of research, and decided to have him evaluated by a veterinary behaviorist. She made an appointment with Dr. Amy L. Pike, Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist. Dr. Pike discovered that he was in a significant amount of pain related to his leg amputation, and created a treatment plan around pain relief. Within days, he was back to his old self!

The rescue decided to have Robyn evaluated by Dr. Pike, and it was determined that she had noise phobias that triggered her fight or flight instincts, and made it impossible for her to be calm outside of her "safe" places. Dr. Pike created a treatment plan that includes medications to help manage her fear, and also within days, she was a whole new dog.

The day this picture was taken was the first time the dogs were exposed to a public area and to another dog since their treatments started. And to everyone's delight, it went smoothly from the very first moment. Admiral and Robyn spent hours hanging out together in front of a Petco store during an adoption event.

This moment is what made us, as an organization, change the way we approach behavior issues. Neither Robyn's, nor Admiral's, behaviors were the result of training needs. Neither of their problems could be solved with desensitization and counter conditioning techniques, which is what most trainers would try. They both needed medical care, and once they got it, they were able to be the dogs they're supposed to be.

If your dog has tendencies towards reactivity, and you feel like you've tried everything to resolve it, or if you're in the process of trying to find a professional who can help, reach out to us. You can email us at solutions@vindicatedrescue.org or join our Facebook group: Behavior Support by VCS.