Meet Stanley, a lively and lovable five-month-old Springer Spaniel puppy. While his boundless energy brought joy to his family, it also created a big challenge—walking him on the lead. Stanley would pull so hard, often ending up walking on his back legs, that his family felt unable to walk him at all. Visitors were another trigger for his excitement, often resulting in over-enthusiastic greetings and little puddles on the floor.
Stanley’s family reached out to Zen Animals because they wanted to enjoy their time with him without the struggles and stress. Together, we worked to show Stanley a calmer way to interact with the world, starting with the simple but powerful act of slowing down.
We noticed the sight of his harness sent Stanley’s excitement levels soaring, so we changed the way it was introduced and paired it with calming activities like sniffing and licking.
On lead in the garden, we used a harness with two points of contact to gently guide Stanley, helping him find balance with all 4 paws on the ground. Walking over different surfaces and obstacles, we slowed the pace and helped Stanley feel more grounded, enabling him to respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
The transformation was incredible. Starting in the garden, Stanley began walking calmly on the lead, bringing smiles to his family’s faces as they saw the change. Before long, we progressed to going on walks together, using the new calming techniques and equipment to guide him. Confidence in Stanley had grown and allowed off-lead adventures in the surrounding woods and countryside. Back at home, we worked with Stanley on greeting guests in a calmer manner, and those excited accidents quickly disappeared. Now, Stanley is the happy, calmer puppy his family always knew he could be.
“Angie is an amazing lady. We cannot sing her praises high enough. We went from thinking about rehoming him to falling in love with him all over again”. Lynn, Penn
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Does your dog’s exuberance feel overwhelming at times? At Zen Animals, I help pets and their people find calm, one step at a time. Let’s create a calmer, happier life for you and your furry friend – get in touch today!
