Gemma the Border Collie

The arrival of Gemma, the six year old border collie, took us by surprise. She was an unsolicited gift from an old friend who was having difficulty managing her. In a household already ruled by Lucy, a Jack Russell and Max, a docile, elderly collie, Gemma had to live for a month or two in the yard, away from people (whom she would approach snarling and barking), cars (which she would lunge at), and other dogs (towards which she was aggressive).

We tried a 'softly, softly' approach with a dog trainer for two months which ended in tragedy when one morning Gemma escaped from the yard and killed the Jack Russell. Having rung the vet to make an appointment for him to come and put Gemma to sleep the following day, we had a few hours to think things over. The following morning the vet rang to ask if we had thought of contacting Sally, whom he said was experienced in handling dogs with extreme behaviour. And that's how we came to know Sally, and her extraordinary skills.

From Sally's very first visit, Gemma showed signs of improvement, and has done so ever since. Little by little, Sally has peeled away the layers of Gemma's disturbed behaviour, revealing a dog who was so afraid that she saw every gesture, movement or word as a threat. It has taken patience to teach the dog that she can accept love and kindness, that toys are for playing with, and that walks on the lead can be enjoyable.

Like most collies, Gemma is very bright, and she has learned the basic commands (sit, down, stay, leave it) quickly and thoroughly. Sally's experience means that she has answers and ideas for tackling every scenario so that her tuition is tailor made to our particular needs. And of course we realise that it's we who are being trained, not just the dog.

Our training is far from over, as we still need to work on Gemma's re-call, and continue to boost her confidence in the company of strangers and other dogs. Best of all we are very happy that Sally has re-awakened the spirit of a warm hearted dog who now lives in harmony with us and Max.

...We also want to say "Thanks, Bruno, for all the help you gave to Gemma; for showing her how to walk bravely in the company of another dog, and for teaching her that play and obedience can combine to make life great fun." We remember him as a handsome, gentle creature and he'll be missed very much.

Ilona Sekacz