Beckham • Miniture Schnauzer 7 months

Beckham is a delightful 7 month miniature Schnauzer. I had him for a week of board and train. At first he had issues with socialization and quite a few areas he was afraid to walk. We started by bonding while working on foundation obedience. Luckily he has great food drive which helped to distract him in worrisome situations. When dogs look at me and take food I find they are in a calm state and can absorb stimulation without wanting to avoid or go to flight. Initially he had issues with heaters, shadows, fans, almost anything new. The more we worked the more easily he was able to keep moving. By practicing the things that were new became old and I watched him go from being shy to quite the opposite. It is easier to calm him down now that he is moving forward. Some people think when their dog does not come that they are being disobedient but if you look at the bigger picture you might be standing next to something they are afraid to be near. I've seen where dogs will not come in after going potty if the dominant dog is inside first. Or the opposite when a dog will not potty outside because the dominant dog owns the yard. I do not see being submissive or shy as happy and it is our job to help a dog get over issues allowing for a happy and less fearful life. I think there are more bites by shy dogs that feel cornered than by aggressive dogs. By helping to socialize we can keep problems from occurring. I'm happy to say Beckham's owner plans to continue in the group classes.