Case Study

4 WEEK BOARD & TRAIN  

• Name: Oakley
• Age: 11 months
• Breed: Australian Labradoodle (Spaniel x Labradoodle) 

Household Information 

• Family Composition: Major Family - 2 Adults, 2 Teenagers • Property Type : House 

• Living Arrangements: Oakley is crated at night in the bedroom and free roams the house during the day. He is allowed on furniture and has a set feeding schedule, with free access to toys. The household does not have a doggie door, and Oakley is walked on a harness. 

• Behavioral Notes: Oakley shows no signs of reactivity or aggressive behavior. 

Current Challenges 

The family has identified several areas they would like to improve in Oakley’s behavior: 

1. Excitement and Mouthing: Oakley becomes overly excited when the children come home, resulting in nipping and biting. This excessive mouthing is a concern, especially around the teenagers. 

2. Invasion of Personal Space: Oakley is overly friendly with guests, often getting on furniture and invading personal space. He tends to jump on guests, which can be overwhelming. 

3. Pulling on Walks and Distractions: Oakley pulls on his harness during walks and is easily distracted. While he shows interest in bunnies, he does not chase or dart at other animals. 

4. Inconsistent Obedience: Oakley is less responsive to commands from the youngest teenager, who gives him the most affection, possibly signaling playfulness rather than authority. 

Training Approach and Goals
Given the family’s busy schedule, they are unable to establish the foundation themselves but are committed to reinforcing established protocols. They are fully on board with the 90 protocols, which provide a structured approach to improving Oakley’s behavior. 

1. Setting the Foundation: While the family can’t set the foundation, Oakley will initially be trained using the 90 protocols by a professional. This involves establishing clear boundaries, teaching impulse control, and instilling respect for personal space, all within a structured framework. 

2. Managing Excitement and Mouthing: Oakley will learn a structured greeting routine to minimize excitement and mouthing. This includes teaching him to stay calm during homecomings and rewarding appropriate behavior. 

3. Respecting Personal Space: Through consistent reinforcement, Oakley will be taught to respect personal space, especially around guests. The “place” command and polite greeting practices will be a focus, ensuring Oakley remains calm around visitors. 

4. Improving Walk Etiquette: Training will focus on loose-leash walking techniques to reduce pulling and improve focus. Reinforcing these behaviors will help Oakley remain attentive and reduce distraction from bunnies and other outdoor stimuli. 

5. Strengthening Obedience: Professional training will establish Oakley’s responsiveness to all family members, focusing on building authority with the youngest teenager. Consistent reinforcement by the family will maintain Oakley’s improved responsiveness. 

4 WEEK BOARD & TRAIN

Case Study: Ernie 

Dog Profile 

• Name: Ernie
• Age: 4 years
• Breed: Dachshund 

Household Information 

CASE STUDY 

Ernie 

• Family Composition: Palomino Family 1 Adult Owner, 1 Adult Roommate
• Property Type: Condo
• Living Arrangements: Ernie is taken outside for potty breaks and is walked on a harness. Owner works from home. 

He has free roam of the condo during the day and is crated at night in the bedroom. Ernie is fed on a set schedule, though he often waits to eat until his owner is home. 

Current Challenges
The family has identified several behavioral challenges they would like to address to improve Ernie’s quality of life: 

1. Separation Anxiety: Ernie becomes distressed when left alone, particularly in new settings. He barks and cries when separated from his owner, indicating he struggles to cope with being alone. 

2. Leash Pulling and Reactivity: Ernie pulls on the leash during walks, making him difficult to manage. He is easily distracted and reactive, particularly in response to outside stimuli. 

3. Car Reactivity: Ernie barks excessively in the car, reacting to nearly everything he sees. He has difficulty relaxing during rides and becomes overstimulated by the sights and sounds. 

4. Inability to Relax in Public Spaces: Ernie has not yet been able to enjoy dog-friendly environments, like patios, due to his anxiety and reactivity. He struggles to stay calm and focus on his owner when in public settings. 

Training Goal 

To help Ernie become a more relaxed and confident companion, the goals for his training include: 

• Improve Separation Independence: Foster Ernie’s ability to remain calm when alone, especially in unfamiliar environments, to reduce his distress and excessive vocalization. 

• Enhance Leash Manners: Teach Ernie to walk on a loose leash, minimizing his pulling and reactivity, which will make outings more enjoyable and manageable. 

• Reduce Car Reactivity: Help Ernie stay calm and relaxed during car rides, reducing his barking and overstimulation for a more peaceful experience. 

• Increase Comfort in Public Spaces: Enable Ernie to enjoy visits to dog-friendly places like patios and other public settings, where he can remain calm and relaxed amidst new sights and sounds. 

3 WEEK BOARD & TRAIN  

Case Study: Remedy

Dog Profile:

• Dog Name: Remedy

• Breed: Cockapoo

• Age: 1 year

• Family: Slack Family - 1 adult and 3 children

• Property Type: Condo

Behavioral Overview:

Remedy is a lively, free-spirited Cockapoo with a high energy level. Following the Slack family’s recent move to a condo, both Remedy and her family are adjusting to a more confined space. Previously, Remedy enjoyed the freedom of a dog door and unrestricted access to the yard and furniture. In the new space, without these options, she exhibits behaviors that disrupt daily life and adapting to the condo lifestyle.

Challenges:

• Leash Pulling: Remedy pulls strongly on the leash, especially in high-distraction settings, making walks challenging and less enjoyable.

• Overexcitement in Public: She becomes overly stimulated in public spaces, making her difficult to manage.

• Bolting: Remedy has a tendency to bolt out doors, posing safety concerns in the condo environment.

• Wild Behavior Indoors: She has not yet adjusted to condo boundaries and often becomes overstimulated indoors.

• Crate Use: Although the family purchased a crate, Remedy has yet to be introduced to it, and it remains unused.

Training Goals:

1. Leash Manners: Develop structured leash manners to help Remedy walk calmly and responsively beside her handler, even in stimulating environments.

2. Public Etiquette: Work on Remedy’s impulse control to reduce her overexcitement in public and improve her focus on her handler.

3. Door Etiquette: Establish a reliable stay command at doorways to prevent bolting, ensuring safety in her new environment.

4. Indoor Boundaries: Set clear indoor boundaries to help Remedy understand no-go zones, reduce furniture access, and encourage calmer indoor behavior.

5. Crate Training: Introduce the crate as a safe and comfortable space, making it part of her routine to include structured downtime.

Outcome Goals:

With consistent training, the Slack family can expect Remedy to gain control over her leash behavior, exhibit calmness in public spaces, and respect boundaries both indoors and at doorways. Crate training will provide Remedy with a structured downtime space, crucial for her transition to condo living. This training will help Remedy settle into a lifestyle that aligns with the family’s needs, creating a peaceful and safe home environment.

Case Study: Milo

Dog Profile

• Name: Milo

• Breed: Cockapoo

• Age: 1 year old

• Program : 2 Week Board & Train 

• Family: McCain 1 adult - 1 adult roommate

Behavioral Overview

Milo is a well-mannered and intelligent dog with underlying anxiety issues that noticeably affect his behavior. His anxiety seems to be exacerbated by overstimulation during daycare, where he spends up to 8 hours a day while his owner is at work. At home, Milo is allowed to sleep in his owner’s bed but is not permitted on furniture. He is also a free eater, with food available to him at all times. While Milo shows no reactivity toward other dogs, he tends to exhibit bossy behavior during group play sessions.

Structured training and a consistent schedule are essential for helping Milo manage his energy and anxiety levels effectively.

Challenges Before Training

1. Overstimulation and Anxiety:

Spending extended periods at daycare exposed Milo to high-energy environments that he struggled to process. This overstimulation contributed to excessive shaking, difficulty settling, and heightened anxiety.

2. Jumping on Guests and Over-Jumping During Meal Times:

Milo often jumped on guests upon arrival and displayed over-exuberant jumping at his owners, particularly during meal times, showing a lack of impulse control.

3. Threshold Manners:

Milo frequently bolted through doors, lacking the ability to pause and wait, which demonstrated poor boundary awareness.

4. Basic Commands:

While Milo understood some basic commands, his execution was inconsistent, especially in distracting or high-stress environments.

5. Car Anxiety:

Milo exhibited significant stress during car rides, often becoming restless and displaying nervous behaviors. Additionally, he needed to be let out overnight to relieve himself, disrupting his ability to self-soothe and sleep through the night.

6. Unstructured Routine:

Free feeding and irregular boundaries at home (e.g., sleeping in bed) reinforced Milo’s dependency on his owner and limited his ability to develop independent coping skills.

Training Goals

1. Build Self-Soot

Case Study

Dog Profile

Name: Raya

Age: 1 year

Breed: German Shepherd Mix

Program : 2 Week Board & Train

Household Information

Family Composition: Barragan Family 2 Adults, 2 Children

Property Type: Single-Family Home

Living Arrangements: Raya sleeps in a kennel at night and is kenneled during the day when the family is out. She has a set feeding schedule at 5-7 AM and 7 PM and has free access to toys. Raya does not attend daycare or dog parks.

Other Pets in the Household: 3 dogs 2 German Shepherds and a Chihuahua.

Current Challenges

Raya is a shy girl with confidence issues, which affects how she responds to new environments. While she understands commands well and is responsive to the e-collar, she requires more time to adjust to busier environments. 

The primary areas of focus for her continued training include. Confidence in Public Settings Raya does well in familiar settings like the home and neighborhood but is noticeably hesitant in new or busier locations like Home Depot and the farmers market.

2) Building Independence She relies on the presence of her owners and other dogs for reassurance, making it important for her to learn confidence when out alone.

3) Gradual Exposure to Distractions She can become overwhelmed in highly stimulating environments, so exposure should be structured and progressive.

Case Study: Nala 

Dog Profile
Name: Nala
Age: 6 months
Breed: Golden Retriever 

Program: 4 Week Board & Train

Household Information
Family Composition: 2 Adults, 1 Child
Property Type: Single-Family Home with a Yard
Living Arrangements: Nala is crated at night and when unsupervised. She is allowed on furniture when invited but is learning boundaries. She is fed on a schedule and has access to appropriate chew toys. 

Behavioral Notes: Nala is a friendly and social puppy with no signs of aggression. However, she exhibits excitable behaviors that need refinement.

Current Challenges 

The family has identified a few key areas where they would like to see improvement in Nala's behavior: 

1. Excessive Jumping on People
Nala becomes overly excited when greeting people, jumping up on family members and guests. 

She struggles with controlling her impulses, especially during homecomings and playtime. 

2. Mouthing and Play Biting 

Like many puppies, Nala explores with her mouth. She tends to nip and bite during play, which can be overwhelming, especially for the child in the home. 

3. Loose Leash Walking & Distractions
Nala pulls on walks, especially when she sees other dogs or exciting distractions. She tends to 

zigzag and struggles to maintain focus on her handler. 

4. Inconsistent Obedience & Focus     

Leash training will focus on heeling, leash pressure techniques, and engagement drills to improve Nala's focus on walks. Distraction-proofing exercises will help her stay attentive in stimulating environments.le maintaining obedience and control. 

Case Study 

Dog Profile
Name : Fonzie 

Breed: Rottweiler 

Age: 7 Months old 

Program : 3 Week Board & Train 

Client Profile
Family: Bearden Family (2 adults, 2 children)
Living Environment: Single-family home on acreage, multi-dog household 

Behavior Challenges & Training Goals
Fonzie is a confident, easygoing young Rottweiler with a solid temperament. As a large, powerful breed, structure and training consistency are essential to ensure he matures into a well-mannered companion. 

The Bearden family's goals for training included: 

Reinforcing obedience and impulse control
Maintaining structure to prevent behavioral issues
Preparing for potential behavioral shifts due to adolescence and hormonal changes 

Integrating well with the family and other household dogs 

While Fonzie does not currently exhibit major behavior issues, his size and breed require proactive training to prevent unwanted behaviors from developing as he matures. 

Dog Profile
Name : Bo Jangles
Breed: Pomeranian/Chihuahua Mix 

Age: 1 year old 

Program : 4 Week Board & Train 

Client Profile
Family: Gorman Family Two adults
Living Environment: Single-family home with access to furniture and toys, free eats. Bell for bathroom access.

Behavior Challenges & Training Goals 

Bo Jangles is a confident and lively small dog with a big personality. His primary behavior challenges included: 

Incessant Barking Vocalizing excessively at noises, movement outside, and even during playtime. 

Resource Guarding Guarding toys, furniture, and sometimes even his owners, showing growling or snapping when approached. 

Basic Obedience Needing structured training to improve engagement and responsiveness. 

The goal for Bo Jangles's training was to establish structure, reinforce boundaries, and provide a foundation for calm and obedient behavior while allowing his fun-loving personality to shine.