Doggie Do Right Program

   

The Doggie Do Right Program offers customized behavioral management to rescues and owners with dogs who may be experiencing issues and/or behavioral concerns affecting their partnership with humans and other animals. This service is available on a sliding scale to rescues, sanctuaries, shelters and adopters as our ultimate goal is to help homeless dogs find permanent, “well matched” placement.

 
       

Dog Aggressive dog being "good"

This dog was initially classified as extremely dog aggressive (DA) and proved too difficult for most volunteers to handle when in the presence of other dogs.  Within 20 minutes of work, he was recognizable as dog-selective rather than dog-aggressive and was able to practice his basic training in the setting you see above without responding to the other dogs.

 
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is involved in a session?

After discussing what issues you feel your dog has over the phone or through email, we will schedule a time to come visit you and your dog in your home.   Once there, we work with you and your dog to determine the issue and implement practical solutions which make sense to both of you.  The sessions can last anywhere from 1.5 to more than 3 hours.  The duration of the session is dependent on the stamina and enthusiasm of both dog and owner, as well as the severity of the issues.

Sounds complicated...does this mean I'll have to keep having you back?

Actually, no.  More than 80% of our clients see us a single time, as we focus on instinct-driven, evolutionary solutions which make sense to dogs, allowing them to have a “light bulb moment” and consequently, understand which behaviors are desirable and which are not.  After that, most of our owners are able to continue successfully on their own, referring to our written report for clarification as needed. 

 

For those owners who may have questions or need a little support, we will provide follow up email and phone consultations at no charge.   As many of our clients have spent a great deal of time and money on failed training solutions prior to contacting us, we are especially sensitive to working within an individual owner's budget.

What kinds of dogs do you work with?

We work with all breeds of dogs with all issues, including those with dog and human aggression concerns.  As pit bull owners, we specialize in bully-breed dog aggression issues and have a variety of aggression-remediation dogs available to help with training as well.  We are especially interested in working with dogs who have had previous training which has failed to resolve the issue.  We have also worked with “special” dogs, such as those rescued from dog-fighting, puppy-mill and cruelty cases.

 

Teaching 'good' play behavior

 

 

 

 

 

 

When appropriate,one or more of the canine members of the Doggie Do Right program are also available to help as well for use in socialization training and aggression issues.

 

Can you tell me more about dog aggression?

Actually, there are many types of animal aggression including Assertive Aggression, Fear-driven Aggression, Pain-based Aggression, Stress-induced Aggression and more. The different types of aggression require different protocols for remediation. As bully-breed owners and advocates, we specialize in bully-breed dog aggression issues. While genetics do play a role in DA issues in bullies regardless of upbringing, the overwhelming majority of bully breeds can learn to moderate their behavior around other dogs when under a responsible handler’s supervision.

What makes Doggie Do Right Different from a trainer?

Even with formal obedience training, many dogs still do not have proper "house manners." They may have troubled relationships with people or animals in their existing household. Despite their training, they may jump, nip, bark excessively, display inappropriate guarding or aggressive behaviors or have conflicts with other animals in the home.

Doggie Do Right is a behaviorally- based custom management program designed to help you and your dog resolve any issues that have impacted the quality of your relationship. We prefer to work with dog and owner in their home and/or other familiar environment to prevent the disconnect many dogs experience when learning in a classroom setting.

What method do you use?

Though it is in vogue to claim one method over another, we do not restrict ourselves to any single method or theory outside of those established by the evolutionary development of predator/prey species.  That means we evaluate, handle and treat each dog as an individual and tailor our suggested protocol to the immediate needs of both dog and owner. 

Do you have references?

We can provide you with contact information for previous clients, or you can contact Animal Mansion Veterinary Hospital and Freedon Animal Hospital, who recommend us to their clients.  

Teaching a dog-aggressive dog to pay attention to the handler

 

This dog was initially classified as extremely Dog Aggressive and had the same cautions applied for handlers.  Shortly after meeting him, it was evident that his dog-aggressive behavior was motivated by fear of the other dogs, rather than a desire to tangle with them.  In response, his handlers were instructed to monitor his body language for fear or avoidance signals and allow him to position himself behind them if concerned.  By teaching the dog that his handler was a reliable shield against other dogs, we were able to lessen his anxiety and focus his energy into more positive outlets, such as obedience training and proper kennel manners.

Do you evaluate dogs for potential adopters??

Yes, we are more than happy to evaluate a specific dog for a potential adopter. Choosing a dog well-suited to your household and expectations can be difficult , especially when the majority of your search may be conducted online. At the adopter’s request, we can either evaluate the animal at a public location (such as a shelter or adoption site), in the adopter’s home, or both. We are also available to facilitate and assess the initial introductions between adopted dogs and the animal members of their new household.

   
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Contact Us:

email: info@margoforanimals.org

voice: 908-621-1102