Vinny, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier

I recently had the pleasure of working with Vinny, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross based near Quedgeley in Gloucestershire.

His behavioural problems presented as Nervous territorial behaviour within the home that had resulted in him nipping. Resource guarding the sofa and cushions for which he would challenge his owners. He also barks at the TV and has some reactivity outside towards other dogs, traffic, joggers, and bikes.

From the outset, Vinny did not have the best start. He only has one eye, and a double cleft pallet. He was also hand raised which means in all likelihood, he missed out on the development of vital social skills as well as understanding how to conduct himself when engaging with other dogs, people and his environment.

Poor breeding can also lead the way for further problems as he gets older, both physically and mentally, although this is something that will only become more apparent with time.

Taking Vinny out on a walk was the first port of call to assess if he was reactive, or aggressive. Very quickly it became apparent that he was reactive through fear rather than outright aggressive. This means his social skills can be worked on over time to help him learn how to interact with dogs on an entirely more acceptable level. With regards the other triggers outside, these are reactions from a dog that has simply not had the opportunity to experience them the way he should have from the start. Gentle exposure over time has already seen improvement from his owners.

In the home, I have given Vinny’s owners clear guidelines of changes to implement consistently each day to help Vinny understand his environment in a positive way. After catching up with his owners just a short time following the session, I was thrilled to hear that they are already seeing improvements both inside and outside of the house.