Hamish the Scottish Terrier Cross

We called in Sally after our rescue Scottish Terrier cross bit a friend on holiday. We'd seen glimpses of Hamish's fear aggression at home but it wasn't until we went on holiday that we saw how stressed and unsure he was. He didn't pay any attention to us and was very aggressive when challenged. We then realised that he showed these behaviours (albeit in a milder sense) at home but we'd just accepted them as part of his 'stubborn terrier' personality.

Having looked on the web we saw Sally's page and were attracted by her unique approach to dog training. What we realised is that the reason Hamish was acting the way he did was the absence of ourselves as packleader. Without us leading the way he felt the responsiblity fell on his shoulders and he couldn't, and didn't want to, handle the pressure.

What we appreciated about Sally's approach was the clear and simple rules. Boundaries, praise when deserved. When Sally got her dog out and demo'd his training it was so impressive. He doesn't do anything without her say so and is happy that way!

I don't think it will be easy, anything worth doing rarely is, and Hamish has definitely been looking a bit bewildered as we sit on the sofa without him! However we have realised that, actually, cuddles on the sofa are for us not for him. This also rings true for sleeping on the bed. He slept in his crate in the kitchen for the first time ever and we didn't hear a peep out of him.

Sally is on the end of the phone if needed and once we have had a chance to implement her ideas for a longer period, I will update on Hamish's progress!

Kate