Canine case studies

Client case study

Dobermann one was an entire male, nine months old, and had been kept in a kennel at the bottom of the garden. As a result he was mistrustful of people and hated close contact. His reaction was a mixture of fear and dominance – his vocal cues were aggressive while his body would shake with fear, often accompanied with urinating.

This dog, and his new owner, were to become a long-term project. While some animals only need short-term help, this pairing have benefited from an intense period of assistance, and still enjoy healing from time to time.

Knowledge of canine psychology was paramount; this dog had his unhappy but known world turned upside down when he was rehomed by a loving owner. However, it was also vitally important to ‘retrain’ the owner.

Her instinct was to shower the dog with love. His response was to feel intimidated and overwhelmed by her behaviour, and to show his feelings in the only way he knew how (aggression).

She had to learn to give the dog some space and to invite him into her personal area, rather than to intrude into his. Short periods of play proved useful. If these were prolonged more than a couple of minutes, the dog would again become stressed.

The dog also responded extremely well to healing. This dog, who feared close contact, would happily lie recumbent while energy was passed through to him. His breathing would become so relaxed that he made a noise similar to a cat purring! I attuned his owner so that she was able to give healing when I was unavailable. The owner also enjoyed the relaxation of a healing treatment.

Personal case study

Dobermann two came to me from an intermediary rescue home. She had been saved from a puppy farm. When her rescuer got her, she had no hair on her body apart from on her neck and a thin ridge along her spine. She had ticks covering her and mange, was incredibly emaciated, and was petrified of her own shadow. She had been mated on her first season and had had a litter at every possible opportunity since. Because of the toll on her body from carrying pups, she is incredibly small. The puppies absorbed much of the nutrients she required to grow.

It soon became obvious that she had discovered her own coping mechanism – she would freeze, her eyes would glaze over, and she would just wait for whatever it was to happen. She has never shown even a hint of aggression.

Kez is now a changed character. She actively seeks out love and attention, and is a constant, loving companion. Kez is an absolute pleasure and I am honoured to have met her, and to share my life with her.