Woody is a 19-month-old Cavachon and member of My Dog’s Club. We interviewed his owner to find out more about their training journey.
My dog in one sentence
Woody has the biggest personality and heart of a dog I have known. He is totally devoted and whilst may be a little slow to trust people he charms all those he meets.
What I wish I'd known
When I started this journey, I had no idea the extent to which ‘behaviours’ could be influenced by pain or that frustration plays such a huge role in the way a dog can react and handle a situation. There is no such thing as a naughty dog and we as owners, with the help of our trainers and behaviourists, owe it to our dogs to help find the cause.
Once upon a time: My dog's story so far
Woody came into my life when he was 8 weeks old, he was the cutest bundle of fluff, and his character was evident from the day he came home. He was such a happy, playful, and sociable puppy and we had a great start to our life together. Within a short space of time Woody was housetrained, he was great at being left on his own, brimming with confidence and loved to play with my nephews. He was the ‘perfect’ puppy.
I noticed that Woody began to hump when he was just a few months old, and this caused him massive frustration. He was castrated when he was six months old. In hindsight, I would have delayed this and asked more questions. At about 10 months old Woody’s character started to change, he became less confident and nervous and very reactive to any sudden noise. After a vet check found no issues, I contacted My Dogs Club. At our first meeting, Roxy was very honest and advised that Woody’s behaviour could be caused by pain. I was so grateful for this honesty as it has enabled me to hopefully make all the correct decisions for Woody moving forward.
We are now nearly a year down the line from our initial meeting with Roxy and Elin and what a journey it’s been. Whilst Woody still needs daily medication to manage his pain and behaviours, he is my little soul mate and most importantly he is happy. If I said we didn’t have difficult days, I would be lying and to have a dog that has a medical condition is incredibly demanding and exhausting. However, the love, enjoyment, and laughter he brings to my life are priceless and I wouldn’t change Mr Woody for anything.
My three top tips
Ask questions
You know your dog best
Distraction
Being a clubber
Being a clubber has... enriched our lives and enabled me to be the best owner I can be for Woody. It has filled me with newfound confidence as a dog owner and allowed us to meet fellow dog owners who are in similar positions.
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