BEAUTIFUL BOY COVER STAR!

A highlight of our Sundays is working with Alf and his family. We've been working with them since he was in his mid teens and we've come through a few lumps and bumps together! His teenage bounce hid quite a lot of uncertainty when he was younger. He found the world overwhelming and he used excitement to deal with most things. Jumping-up and lunging turned into barking at anything that made him feel uncomfortable, especially when he was on his lead. He often found it hard to settle and was the main focus of our work together.

His mum and dad have worked really hard with him and it wasn't long before he graduated from Sensitive Classes to our Advanced Social classes. He has a little group of regular buddies who he feels comfortable with and he's learned that he doesn't need to try and control overwhelming things by barking. He can work happily with the other dogs in the group (inside and out - in all weathers, even though he's not a fan of rain!). He even copes well with new dogs and people joining us.

The first time he was able to go on holiday was a real high spot. He loves to holiday by the sea and is a favourite with hotel staff. On his last adventure there were several comments about how well he behaved! 😊

Like a lot of sensitive boys, he thrives in familiar environments, and he needs things around him to be as calm and stable as possible. When that happens, he can even deal with shouty dogs near him in the hotel bar!

We're very fond of him and have loved working with Alf and his family. It's been lovely watching the progress that he's made. In his dad's words:

"Alf is a very happy boy, who can struggle to hold his emotions in! He is quite reactive to other dogs when he is on his lead, but he is working very hard to remain calm in all settings!

He loves going to school and is improving all the time!"