A completely different dog
Calm inside the house and around our son
Since having you come to us here at home, we have a completely different dog. I know that sounds so cliche, and maybe you hear it every day, but we can not express how amazing the transformation has been.
Sifa and I are both social and community workers who for the last 5 to 10 years have been working to help people learn how to communicate with other people. From youth offenders, behavioural teenagers, parents, children, teen mums and dads even to teaching government groups and community how to work with each other. Heck, I’ve even been involved in writing a book about it! So when it came to a dog, we seriously thought that we would have the skills to communicate with it and be fine. But we weren’t.
For 6 months, we struggled trying to control Nala and spent most of the time yelling at her. We had decided that we would have to change the situation – either let Nala go to another home, or seek help. So we called you. Well. Let me tell you. Calling you was the best decision of the year! Within hours, Nala was the calmest we have ever experienced her since she has arrived in our lives. After learning your rules and putting them into practice, we have learnt how to show her in a way that she understands quickly what we expect from her. It’s not rocket science, it’s just dog science! We realise now that it wasn’t about the amount of effort we were putting in (because let me tell you we were really trying!) it was the amount of knowledge we had!
Before you came, Nala was left outside for most of the day, She was taken from her box to the front garden. She would get fed and then we left her to it. Milan (our 2 year old) and I would not venture into the garden because Nala would take over our space and we would get too upset. Nala would then get fed in the afternoon and taken for a walk by Sifa. She would then be put back into the garden until we went to bed then taken back to her box. We didn’t have a pet and she didn’t have a life.
Now, Nala is inside with us and is calm enough to really be a part of our family! Milan can dance and play and run and jump all around her without even a flinch from Nala. Just last night, Milan was lying beside Nala playing with his trains. This would have been impossible 2 weeks ago with Nala jumping all over Milan and ending up with the trains all chewed up. We also have our outside space again and I can venture back into my vege garden – which I have been avoiding since getting Nala because I would have had to fight with her to get away for most of the time.
We sing your praises every day, and have been doing so to everyone that we know – whether they have a dog or not! Thank you Dan, It was a pleasure having you come to us and the skills you have taught us have been invaluable. We’ll keep in touch if we have any problems, but the knowledge you gave us when you visited has been fantastic for now.