01The starting point
The starting point
Small sounds and movement around the home could set off prolonged barking. Visitors made it considerably harder, and Franklin had made contact with a guest. Having people over had become something the household had to manage rather than enjoy.
02What Dexter saw
What Dexter saw
The barking was the visible problem, but simply stopping the barking was not the whole objective. The pattern around the home showed that small environmental changes could quickly build arousal, with visitors increasing the difficulty further.
Because Franklin had already made contact with a guest, the priority was not to wait for the visitor interaction and then try to control the reaction. Both dogs needed a clearer way to settle, respond to direction and remain in a predictable position before the difficult interaction began. The household also had to be part of that system, because the behaviour was happening in their daily environment when I was not there.
03What we built first
What we built first
We built settling first, then clearer communication and expectations, with a consistent way for the household to reinforce the behaviour they wanted. This gave both dogs something predictable to do before structured visitor work began.
04The result
The result
Both dogs can now remain calmly in their designated place in situations that previously produced reactions.
The work around visitors started before the visitor interaction itself.
Still being built
Structured interaction and socialisation around visitors are still being developed. The progress is meaningful, but the goal is continued reliability as the dogs experience more real visitor situations with their household.