Relief for NYC dog parents living with dogs who don’t like other dogs
Moving through big city life with a dog who is uncomfortable around or even threatening toward other dogs is stressful, frustrating, and often embarrassing.
Let us help make life easier for both you and your dog by teaching them to have fun around fellow canines.
Let’s Get Started: 2 Steps to Make Change
Step 1: Your Initial Behavior Assessment Consult
We’d love to bring you relief. When you’re ready, the first step is your initial consult.
Depending on your case and preference, you’ll meet with one of our behavior vets for a Behavior Vet Consult or one of our behavior consultants for a Head Start Appointment. You can come to our office, or we’ll come to your home for maximum convenience. (Not sure which team member you should meet with? Don’t worry; we’ll make sure you’re in the right hands for your needs!)
We’ll take a history, meet your pet, and listen to your behavior training goals. If you meet with a behavior vet, your visit will also include a physical exam (if safe), medical diagnosis, and the prescription of medication if needed. Then we’ll formulate a personalized behavior modification plan and schedule your training. We’ll also begin some foundation exercises, answer your pressing questions, and put a management plan in place for immediate relief.
Step 2: Your Customized Behavior Modification Program
Your personalized training program will be just that: personalized. We’ll create a plan specific to your goals and your busy lifestyle. For more serious cases, much like a psychiatrist supporting talk therapy, a consult with our behavior vets can support the behavior modification process with medications when warranted.
You’ll also have the choice of whether to Take the Leash (we’ll coach you to carry out your behavior modification training) or Hand Over the Leash (your dedicated behavior consultant will train your pet for you).
Why hand over the leash?
Many of our clients choose to Hand Over The Leash and have their dedicated behavior consultant carry out their training plan for them. It’s no wonder: New Yorkers have unique work demands and commute challenges. We’re busy people. Adding daily dog training practice sessions to an already over-burdened schedule often just isn’t feasible.
And when you’re struggling with leash reactivity, you want the quickest results possible—no more jumping behind cars and trash cans to avoid other dogs, and judgmental stares or angry confrontations when you just can’t get out of the way in time.
Ready for a new leash on your pet’s behavior? Ready for change?
The first step is simple—just reach out to schedule your initial consult. We’re here.
Why don’t all dogs like other dogs?
Most socialized puppies are friendly with other dogs. We humans want them to stay that way as adult dogs, too, but the reality is that’s just not species-typical. Like many social creatures, adult dogs have what scientists refer to as “preferred associates,” or what we might call friends. This is completely normal. Think of this this way: Do you like every person you meet? Probably not.
For many of our canine patients, though, not liking other dogs has transformed into full on “freaking out” in the presence of other dogs. That’s not healthy for these dogs, and causes a great deal of stress for their people, too.
These over-intense reactions can be caused by a number of factors, including frightening experiences with other dogs, lack of appropriate and timely socialization, punishment-based training, sensitive genetics, and medical problems.
The good news: Dogs who can’t tolerate the presence of other dogs can be helped in a number of ways, and our team is designed to do just that—for your dog’s well being and for yours.