CASE STUDY
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In this captivating case study, Donna D. Savoie presents Dickens, a five-month-old miniature dachshund with a very persistent bark
D
ickens’ family purchased him from a breeder when he was five months old. The breeder did not allow the family to see the entire litter nor the dam and sire before they took him, but brought him up a flight of stairs and simply told the family, “I pick this pup for you.” The family was slightly upset by the interaction and the inability to view the entire litter or meet the dam and sire, but Dickens ran right over to them and snuggled and won them over immediately. He seemed happy and playful, so they took him home. Over the next several days, the family had visitors to the home to see their new pup. To their dismay, Dickens would charge toward their visitors, back up and bark hysterically without stopping. Dickens was not the cute, sweet and friendly puppy they thought he had been when they saw him at the breeder’s house. So they called the breeder to ask if Dickens had ever met other people, to which she replied that she had been sick, so the pups had really not met anyone other than herself for five months. The most tender and most important socialization period for any pup of any breed is the first 16 weeks of its life, and this puppy only knew his littermates and the one female breeder. This family had had a miniature dachshund for 14 years but who had passed away in 2011. Apparently this dachshund had been aggressive towards other people and other dogs for its entire life. They had tried training but disagreed with the techniques recommended. The trainers they hired had all used corrective methods, which only made the dog worse. They stopped all training and put the dog in a separate area when company came over. The family were adamant that they did not want to endure another 14 years of a dog who could not be part of their family when guests were in the home, because they liked to invite people over as well as socialize regularly outside and take their dog with them. They were heartbroken and unsure as to how to
Dickens soon learned to be calm when visitors arrived at the house
proceed with Dickens. When the family contacted me for assistance, I told them there were no guarantees but that the pup was young and, if they were committed, the prognosis was probably good. I assured them that all training would be positive, force-free and fun. The family was initially skeptical but set up an appointment with me.
Lesson #1 When I arrived at the home, the family had put Dickens in the bathroom with the door closed so I could enter safely. After talking for a few minutes, Dickens was released from the bathroom and came rushing out, barking hysterically. He would charge forward, back up, move forward toward me and then back up. He repeated the behavior but never came close enough to bite me
BARKS from the Guild/April 2014
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