Poppy & Patch

Poppy and Patch are springbats (springers x basset hounds). Poppy is Patch’s mum; she had just the one litter and they decided to keep Patch. Their owners got in contact with me because they were struggling with a few of their dogs’ behaviours. 

Poppy has a very short temper with Patch; she did not like sharing her space with him and was not happy if he was receiving attention from her humans. She also had a skin condition, with small patches of dry skin and lost fur, which the vets were unable to help with. 

Patch’s behaviours were more of a problem outside of the house. He was reactive to other dogs, bringing far too much excitement, which resulted in pulling on the lead, lunging and barking, all of which resulted in walks becoming very stressful. 

Both Patch & Poppy were big barkers at home, barking at their owners but also continually barking at guests and being unable to settle. 

To begin, we spoke about the importance of ignoring unwanted behaviours and giving the dogs something else to do, rather than barking. We looked at how enrichment can be used to promote calmness and reduce stress. Once we’d put these things in place, just a few weeks later, the demand barking was almost non-existent, Poppy had relaxed into Patch’s company and her fur had grown back. 

Next, we began looking at Patch’s over-excitement on walks. We introduced basic command work to teach him that listening to his owners is valuable, with a focus on commands that teach impulse control. We also focused on engagement activities and loose lead walking techniques. Together, we also looked at how Patch’s owners can manage the environment on walks to prevent him from becoming over-stimulated. 

Now, Patch’s owners can enjoy walking their dogs again and are no longer living in a barking-mad household. Both of the dogs are calmer and more confident in themselves. 

Well done to Poppy & Patch!