DBR in the News

Gilroy Dispatch Saturday, August 5, 2006

Pups on Parade

Dog Trainer Sherry Boyer helps canines become well behaved and obedient

By Mike Meyer, Special to the Dispatch

trained dog Gilroy—Two women walking their dogs on a spring evening in Gilroy have the look of model pet owners with well-behaved canines. The dogs are on their leashes, stay at the women's sides, stop when they stop and walk when they walk.

Charlene Williams and Sandy Gillis are wondering how this happened. The two hadn't been able to walk the dogs in more than a year because, as Williams put it, "they barked constantly and were scared to death of everything. It was so much trouble all the fun had gone out of it." But this night's success had the pair smiling.

It's because you're here, Williams said to Sherry Boyer, of Dog Behavior Rehab of the Bay Area, who was accompanying them. But Boyer disagreed. It's because we didn't leave the house until they were calm," she said.

Helping hyper and aggressive dogs understand who is in charge is one of the main elements of Boyer's message.

Above: Sherry Boyer works with Biscuit on a game called "leave it" Tuesday. Boyer walks past five plates, each with a treat on it, and tells the dog whether to "leave it" or "take it." This game can be translated into leaving or taking things in the house or when they are outside.

Dogs have a certain energy level and they're all different," Boyer explained while on a house call to Williams' and Gillis' home. "With some dogs, the energy overflows- and in different ways. They become neurotic, destructive, fearful, or aggressive. They tear their toys or bark constantly. They can let it out in lots of ways."

Dog bites are the most obvious example of aggressive behavior in dogs. It's a phenomenon the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says in epidemic. CDC estimates that 4.5 million dog bites occur in the United States each year, most of them to children.

Williams contacted Dog Behavior Rehab because her dogs were hard to handle at home. In fact, the situation was so bad that when she saw the sign on Boyer's car door, she shouted across traffic to get Boyer's attention.

"I was so desperate," she said. "No one was enjoying the dogs anymore. Williams' dogs charge the door when someone is there, bark incessantly and jump on visitors, exhibit jealousy over an infant in the house, and can't calm down," she said. Boyer said she's typically called when dog owners are even considering putting their pets to sleep as a last option.

One of Williams' dogs also fits the neurotic mold. "Maddy" sniffs certain spots as she descends the stairs- the same spots every time- and bobs her head maniacally, with glazed, "really weird eyes." "She's a different dog when she's like that," Gillis said.

sherry training a dog Dog Behavior Rehab teaches people how to have a more open line of communication with their dog. Boyer said that it is not difficult to see what a dog intends to do once you are aware of what the dog's body language is telling you.

Boyer worked for two years at the Animal Fitness Center in Aromas, where water therapy is used to treat physical problems in pets. She's a professional member of the International Association of Canine Professionals, and has been down to observe Cesar Millan at his Dog Psychology Center in Los Angeles, who stars in National Geographic's "Dog Whisperer" television program.

She said she has spent years observing the nuances of body language in dogs and humans. She reminds clients that dogs and people are two distinct species.

"Dogs establish territory when you fail to establish it," she said. "When you make room for them by stepping aside, for example, they can take this as you yielding your territory. They will assume leadership when it is not clearly defined for them. They take on that role themselves. Dogs need a stable leader. They want and need order, almost as much as they need food and a safe place to be." Affection, she says, is not something a dog necessarily needs, although companionship definitely is.

During a rehab session, Boyer emphasized a dog's need to follow. She typically interviews and talks with the pet owners while observing the interactions between them and the dog. "Dogs are bred to do a job, and to follow their leader," she said. "They want to work, and they want to follow clear directions. When you can show that you are the leader, they learn very quickly to follow."

At Williams' home, Boyer explains that teaching the dogs different behavior also means altering Williams' and other family members' behavior. The particular modification depends on the problem, she says.

Williams found it difficult to believe that the dogs' behavior had changed so quickly. Later, she admitted that she still believed the change had something to do with Boyer's presence. But the next day the changes were just as apparent.

"When I opened the door the next morning, both dogs stayed behind the line. I took Maddy for a walk, and she was fine. I just want a dog who behaves and doesn't annoy guests or runs off. We'll keep the Dog Behavior Rehab system up until we're sure they've learned," Williams said.

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