A local dog warden discovered one year old Mastiff Bounce as a stray with no microchip.
When she first arrived, Bounce was quite overwhelmed. She struggled to settle and would bark and pant in her kennel. She had lots of energy and enthusiasm, especially around other dogs, who she would pull on the lead to say hello to. Bounce only wanted to make friends. But, due to her size, she could prove too much for some dogs and too strong for some people.
By getting to know Bounce's character and quirks, our behaviourists were able to design a training plan to bring out the best in her. Her plan focused on managing her stress and calming her enthusiasm around other dogs.
To manage her stress in kennels, our team gave Bounce lots to do, including training sessions, scent games and food puzzles. To encourage calm behaviours around other dogs, our behaviourists worked on commands like ‘this way’ and ‘watch me’. These cues are useful to get a dog's attention around distractions like other dogs. Once she got the hang of focusing on her trainer, Bounce could start to practise walking calmly around other friendly dogs.
Luckily, Bounce had a zest for learning and made fast progress. She learned to relax on her bed, excelled at harness training, and most importantly – she began thriving in the company of other dogs.
Bounce was an active dog who needed lots of things to keep her brain busy to prevent boredom. We knew she would need a special new home, with committed owners who would continue her training. After almost two months with us, the ideal family came along who had the experience to do just that. Bounce is going from strength to strength with the help of her new family’s training and has even befriended the two resident cats.
Bounce is one of many big dogs who come to Battersea. We know that each dog is different, so we make sure to get to know them as individuals.
