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When we moved to Yorkshire, we decided that what we would like was a dog
around the house. Something to keep me company and act as a deterrent to any
unwanted visitors whilst Dean was away working – which was most of the time.
What we could offer was a loving home for the dog. We decided that a rescue dog
was the best way to go about things. All of these dogs were in need of a good
home but as we walked around the rescue centre there was one in particular that
Dean really liked. This dog was gorgeous. Beautiful big brown eyes, although he
did have a bit of an attitude. Maybe that’s why I was a bit wary of him but
Dean fell in love with him straight away – and we thought we could handle him.
He didn’t have much history behind him. He was a 4 yr. old German Shepherd
cross whose previous owner (male) beat him senseless when the owner was drunk
– and that was all they could provide us with.
After all checks had come through okay we took him home. We quickly
discovered that we couldn’t let him off the lead, as he would make a break for
freedom. But we still loved him, infact thinking back, and knowing what we know
now from Debbie, we loved him too much. He was completely molly coddled. I
suppose we thought that having had such a poor start to life he needed more love
and attention than ever – and so that’s what he got.
I have grown up with dogs, 2 being German Shepherds, but Ollie was starting
to become a handful. We took him to obedience classes to rectify this – but
the class organizer didn’t seem to know how to handle him and even told us
that he would never be a "good" dog. But we took what we could from
the class and kept on going.
Ollie had never posed a threat with children. My two nieces (aged 1 and 2 at
the time) played with him as toddlers do and he never once raised any concerns.
One day I took him out for his usual walk, and on the way back could see a
family with 2 young boys walking up the hill. As we passed Ollie just went for
the 8 yr old boy. There was no provocation from the young lad, in fact he seemed
to hide behind his mum as we went passed. I was mortified. What was I going to
do? The parents were very good about it. We lived on the same street and I told
them that if they wanted to press any charges then they were entitled to do so,
but stressed that he had never done anything like that before with me.
Thankfully they didn’t – but why did he do it? I ran home crying. I phoned
the rescue centre straight away to ask what I should do. They gave me some
numbers for dog behavior specialists who told me to muzzle the dog and keep him
indoors until I felt "safe" to go out with him. Not happy with this I
contacted the rescue centre again who gave me some better advice – but I still
felt I couldn’t trust him.
Things calmed down a bit after that. He didn’t show any signs of aggression
again and we bought a few books from experts to try and work things out. We
still couldn’t let him off his lead, he still only did what he was told when
he wanted to but every now and again he did a really "cute" thing that
made us love him even more.
We moved a year later to the Northwest with our jobs. Ollie seemed a bit more
settled here. He had more room to run around in the garden, more places to take
him for a walk on his lead. Now we had more time with him we looked more closely
at his behavior problems. We thought that he needed help with his lead and so
looked around for help – and that’s where we found Debbie. On the site there
was the 2-week course and that sounded like what we needed. I sent an email
explaining the history of the dog, his behavior problems on the lead and asked
what she recommended.
The following day I took Ollie round to my dads. Whilst we were in the house
a friend of the family popped round. Ollie had never met him before so we
checked with the friend first that he was okay with dogs. He was fine, very
confident around dogs infact. As he came through the door and we all said hello,
Ollie attacked him. No reason, no provocation from what we could see. Second
time in a year with no reason. I phoned the rescue centre again and all they
could suggest was to put him down. I was devastated and confused. I didn’t
understand why he had done this a second time. I knew that there must be another
way, but at the same time I knew they were probably right. On the off chance –
and as a last hope - I phoned Debbie again and explained everything to her. I
thought she was going to suggest the same as the rescue centre, but she asked if
we could bring him over to have a look.
On the drive down there I was so nervous. What if she couldn’t help?? We
loved this dog to pieces, but if we couldn’t trust him with anyone? When we
got there, she showed us into the office with Ollie. He was his usual self –
not listening all the time to us, sniffing around and going berserk when the
lead was picked up. Debbie had a little bottle full of pebbles and every time
she lifted the lead and Ollie would jump up, she shook it. After the third time,
Ollie didn’t jump up when she lifted the lead. I was gob smacked to say the
least. A little bottle of pebbles had stopped him doing what we couldn’t for
over a year. We realised then that Debbie knew about dogs. We discussed what
problems we had at home, the 2 attacks within a year and asked if she could
help. Debbie was very truthful with her comments. We had a very rude and
ill-mannered dog that had got away with things for too long. He was domineering,
disobedient and lazy, and we hadn’t helped with the molly coddling and the
"he’s just being playful" attitude………..But with a bit of work
she could help. The relief must have shown immediately on our faces, as we
realised that we wouldn’t have to have our baby put down. Debbie recommended
the full 6 weeks training, in which time she would teach him the right way to
act. It did mean that we couldn’t see him for the whole 6 weeks, but we could
phone whenever to make sure he was okay.
6 weeks later we went to pick him up. We stood in the paddock and waited for
Debbie to bring him out. She had explained the methods she had used, that the
food we were giving him made him hyper active and so she had changed it, and
that he was very noise sensitive – which is why the bottle with pebbles had
worked. When he came out on his lead the first thing we noticed was that he wasn’t
pulling to get away. He stood right by her side. He hadn’t noticed us, but
then he had been taught not to. I was dying to shout over to him to come and
give me a big sloppy kiss but was told to wait.
Once we had had a cuddle with him it was time for our training lesson.
Debbie went over with us the methods she had used so we could carry it on once
home. It was amazing. He followed Dean and me where ever we went. He didn’t
run for freedom, go mad when he saw a cat and sat first time. We took him for a
walk with Debbie and he was just a changed dog. It’s hard to put down in words
what we felt. Debbie had seen the potential in Ollie and had basically saved him
from being put down – and all it needed was someone who knew what they were
doing!!!!!
For 8 weeks after coming home we still couldn’t let him off the lead. Ollie
had to learn that in fact we were the leaders of the pack and he came after us in
the pack status. We were given "homework" to which we still carry out
today to let Ollie know that we are in charge. After about 10 weeks of being
home, we decided to try him off the lead. We took him up to his familiar field
but this time he wouldn’t be on his 30ft lead – we were going to let him
off. Hesitantly we let him off………and he did nothing. He didn’t run,
in fact he didn’t move but neither had we. Apart from my wedding day that was
the best day of my life. Finally we could take our dog for walks – proper
walks – where he could be let off the lead, enjoy himself and would come back
whenever we called him.
 That was about a year ago. We still do the domineering exercises (although
not so frequently now), and we still have bottles of pebbles all over the house
to get his attention when it starts to wander. He went back for a little 2-week
refresher course a couple of weeks ago – but this time he made us even more
proud. This time he became a trainer for the volunteers whilst he was there.
Ollie is the type of dog that you have always got to be one step ahead of. He
will always try and dominate you if you drop your guard – but we only know
this because of Debbie and her help. We have even got her looking for another
dog for us, through her rescue program so Ollie can have a girlfriend. Debbie
knows dogs, knows what Ollie is like and is the best person from her experience
to match him with a dog that is right for him, and us.
So to Debbie and all her volunteer trainers, we would like to thank you. As
without your help, we wouldn’t have Ollie anymore – and I am not quite sure
what that would be like.
Tracie and Dean Buckley
April 2002
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