Sorry, just need to brag...

...about how amazing Maddie is!!!

Since I got her she's always been a little funny with people and dogs (just avoiding them and lowering her head). Last week she began growling at people walking past and going for dogs, just for looking at her. She also started chasing cars (since a walk in the rain), she was nervy of cars when i got her but got over that although the wet walk she she seemed to take a u turn.
So.. Thursday i began taking treats (AG kibble sample) on our walks and when a she saw a dog, i fed/ let her nibble a treat until the dogs had passed each other.
With people, if a person was on the same pavement as us, i let her nibble a treat as the person is walking passed us.
As we walk passed A LOT of cars, i just told her to leave it and called her a good girl if she left it, which made her focus on me instead (she does get a treat with big lorries/tractors).

I just got back from our usual walk;
She didn't go for one car and barely watched any drive passed (this is a 30mph high street where most cars break the speed limit).
The one dog we saw, she put her hackles up and lowered her head, i called her name and she came straight to me redirecting her attention. Her hackles went straight down and she just watched the dog continue walking down the street.
We walked passed about ten people, three of which she went to greet (although they didn't stop), the only time she even avoided a person was when we were walking passed a shop and she got caught off guard, she still didn't hide from them or dip her head, just slightly raised her hackles.


I honestly couldn't stop smiling, so much improvement in only 5 days!!. Her tail didn't go under once today, even on a stretch of road where she got scared by a group of cyclists shortly after i got her.
She definitely seems a lot more happy and confident outside.
She's even walks really nicely on the lead too!!! I don't see how she can get any better haha.

As a thanks for reading, i've attached some recent pictures...

Smiles!!


Still cute at 8 months (now 10 months)


Eating sand at Prestatyn! (Said sand, ended up in dad's car...)


Innocent


I had her tennis ball...


Funniest picture i have ever taken!! Honestly can't look at it without laughing (you can see her last remaining puppy teeth in the middle bottom)


Thanks again, just really needed to brag!

Sorry if this is the wrong section, wasn't too sure between this and behaviour and training, but as i wasn't asking for advice....

Good girl Maddie - and so very beautiful too! xx

She's lovely and I am glad you have done well with training her.

Good girl and a gorgeous girl she is too
I too smiled at the last pic, cheered me that did

Well done to both of you

She's a beautiful dog love the pics

Congratz on the good work with her, and she is a great looking girl.

You brag away,have every right to be proud of her
Gorgeous smiley girl

Clever girl Maddie!

Yep, carry in bragging!
That kind if progress makes you feel like celebrating.
She's gorgeous, long may the harmony continue.

Awwwwww such a good Maddie, tell her I kissed her picture It's quite alright to be proud when our "problem kids" make such fantastic progress!

Callie was way confrontational with people when we first adopted him. It took months and we're still building on that for him to learn that every approaching human isn't a threat.

Something that helped was narrowing it down to the kind of people that set him off. Women, children and other dogs were fine. Men of any age especially on bikes or even carrying a skateboard

He's not food motivated but I learned to get his full attention and a long tushie rub after he ignored any passing male stranger. He's still very protective but for him he's gotten MUCH better.

That's something to celebrate! YaayyyMaddie YaayyyCallie