Case Study: Ranger

9/11/2024

Ranger is a 4 year old Mastiff mix. He was rescued from the Guilford County Animal shelter in February of 2024. His owners reached out because he was showing signs of fear aggression to strangers walking past his home and was leash reactive on walks. It was getting to the point where Ranger would bark, growl and lunge and it was getting worse.

When I first met Ranger, I could tell that he was very afraid. He had no idea what me being there meant for him and I could tell that he was very protective of not only his home but his owners as well. I immediately showed him that I was not going to force him to do anything he wasn’t comfortable with.

I told the owners that when they brought him out to let him do whatever he thought was necessary to communicate how he felt. This gave him the opportunity to feel heard which prevented escalation. Once the initial barking dissipated, I started working with the owners on re-directing him away from me. This gave him (and his brain) a chance to breath. When he came back around, he was in a much better head space and was able to take treats and recieve instruction.

I expressed to the owners how important it is to give dogs that are fearful more of a choice in life. Certainly, in the beginning, allow Ranger to communicate, but after a few moments, re-direct to break hyper focus. To do this, I use a science backed method called Behavior Adjustment Training. This effective protocol helps dogs understand that they have ways of calming themselves, especially in stressful situations.

“BAT helps animals gain confidence and social skills. BAT is a natural method that creates an emotionally safe interaction with minimal intrusion. BAT is especially useful when the “triggers” for frustration, aggression, or fear are living beings, for example when dogs bark at or bite other dogs or people.”-Grisha Stewart

I told the owners that my intention was not to greet Ranger that day if he wasn’t ready. After the initial visit, I met with him 5 more times. Since I gave him a choice, by the fourth or fifth session, he had no care in the world that I was there, he considered me part of his family. Upon greeting me, he barked for treats, but that was easily re-directed and much more desirable.

That day and throughout our training package, we worked outside and when he was ready, we continued inside. Skills such as “Leave it” to prevent resource guarding as well as the Engage/Disengage game to help with leash reactivity were the main focus. Impulse control and frustration tolerance exercises were also discussed. All in all, Ranger learned that he has choices and that the members of his family will respect how he feels in any given moment. If he is comfortable, the environment will stay the same. If not, steps can be taken to reduce his stress. This is done consistently so over time his brain will habituate to uncertain situations.

When you take in a rescue, it’s important to give them time to decompress. They need an opportunity to learn about their new home as well as the members of their pack. If they’ve never been around children or other dogs before, it’s extremely important to introduce them slowly and with management tactics in place. This way, the dog can approach when comfortable and gain the necessary confidence and skills to feel safe.

Need help with your fearful or aggressive dog? Do not hesitate to reach out for a free phone consultation, we would love to help you!