Welcome to Dot’s Doggie Dojo: people and dog friendly training. Serving all of greater Boston with fun and effective methods for any type of dog or behavior issue: just remember that there is no such thing as a bad dog, only a communication failure. Services include group classes and private lessons for you and your family pet. Using positive techniques to enhance your dog to human bond.
“Helping caring owners understand their not so typical dogs.”
A Dedication
All the behavioral work I do is dedicated to my dog Rowan, a beloved companion for many years who suffered from a panic disorder and aggression issues. While he was often a very challenging animal to live with, I cherished the time we spent together and now realize that this has provided me with solid background with which to help other dogs. All of the mistakes that I made early on in his life are something that I can ensure my clients do not repeat and the corrections I had to implement later on are also easily communicated to owners who find themselves in a similar situation.
Sometimes the greatest learning experiences come from those challenges we never expected to impact us at the outset. When I was still in high school I somehow convinced my father to allow me to get a dog. I later learned that I did everything wrong. We went to the shelter and adopted the first puppy we saw. With little resources but love and a capacity to bond we brought home this tiny bundle of joy at 9 and a half weeks old. Early on he proved be very fearful and by 3 years of age he was medically and behaviorally a complete mess. His health problems, conditions called peri-anal fistulas and IBD, were a direct cause of his fear-aggression. Prior to diagnosis of this he was placed on psychotropic medications to decrease his panic attacks and aggressive outbursts. Over the years he bit most members of our family including myself and attempted to hurt all the veterinary staff he met. He had panic attacks daily and presented an aggressive response to a multitude of different stimuli. Despite all of this he was my best friend and was a complete love when not faced by a perceived threat.
Over a great deal of time and with the help of many people we were able to figure out how to help him. Although he was never “normal”, the last few years of his life were filled with happiness and a vast improvement in his aggression and anxiety. The best thing this dog did for me, besides being a loving companion for over 12 years, was to teach me patience, learning theory and how to communicate with even the most difficult of animals. This could not have been accomplished without the help and support of my family, many animal professionals, and great friends, all of who were willing to handle and deal with an animal most people would of given up on. I dedicate all my work with dogs to the loving memory of Rowan so that others do not have to endure what he did. From these trials I have gained a great deal of knowledge, which I look foward to continue sharing with other owners and companion dogs.
