Student Highlight: Marcel

Ever wonder what you get when you cross a weimaraner and a poodle? If you're lucky - you get ✨Marcel✨ - the bungalow-sized-wolfhound 🐺 with the heart of a dog and soul of a french mime. What could be this chill boys Achilles heel?

In fact, it was his lack of heel. Like many dogs, Marcel had become accustomed to being the frontman when walking. This meant he was making a majority of the decisions during the walk which leads to all sorts of problems and safety concerns.

I worked with his owner to establish a more balanced walking relationship that relies on mutual respect, using pressure to communicate. Through classical conditioning (repeated repetition of behavior) we showed Marcel that it pays to pay attention to his owner and that by doing so he was able to go on more walks, have more treats and of course, get that important sniff time in.

What we were able to eliminate was his pulling, anxious behaviors, and reactivity to other dogs.

If you have a dog like Marcel who is an angel inside but could use some help to stop that unwanted pulling and finally start your journey to a relaxing loose leash walk with your dog, reach out and let’s get started!