Brian was our saving grace.
- 1974
Tony’s daughter asked if we would take her dog into our home for a year while she settled into a new job. I have owned several dogs and felt confident that I could easily handle her 8 year old Australian shepherd mix. Little did I know! Tucker was an enigma to me: when we were in the house alone he was sweet, well-behaved, and playful. But when company came over or especially when we saw other dogs in the street he would suddenly become a barking, unmanageable mess. Nothing I said or did seemed to make a difference, and I came to dread Tucker’s explosive outbursts.
Brian was our saving grace. He is equal parts animal behaviorist and human psychologist (the latter became especially important as Brian had to manage the very different responses and skill levels of me, Tony and his daughter who was nervously monitoring our experience from the West coast).
Brian has both the patience of a saint and a zero tolerance policy for sloppy or inconsistent efforts on our part. He is 100% dedicated to creating a human/dog relationship that is a joy for all concerned.
Under Brian’s tutelage I went from being over reactive, angry, and dominating (all of which made Tucker worse) to being a relaxed, confident, this-is-what-I-expect leader that Tucker listens and responds to. Both Tucker and I are happier and more relaxed, and it’s a joy to feel that we are now working together instead of working against each other.
Brian, you told me it would be easy someday, and you were right! Thank you.
