The German Shepherd his owners couldn't go near

The problem

Hitachi’s owners loved him. They were also frightened of him. At eighteen months old, this German Shepherd had reached the point where they could no longer approach him in his own kennel, and a dog that should have been part of the family had become a daily source of stress in their own home.

By the time David was called in, they had been told their dog was aggressive.

What David saw

David’s first job, as always, was the people. Once they were comfortable, he turned to the dog and read what was actually in front of him, rather than the label that had been put on it.

What looked like aggression was something else. With a calm, patient approach and clear, consistent handling, Hitachi began to settle within minutes.

The turn

The change on camera speaks for itself. A dog his owners couldn’t get near was soon working calmly on the lead. Just as important, David showed the owners how to hold onto that change, so the good behaviour would last long after he left.

Could your dog be like Hitachi?

Most dogs labelled “aggressive” are misunderstood rather than dangerous. If you recognise your own dog here, get in touch and tell me about it.

“Five minutes later he was a different dog. We have our boy back.”

— Hitachi's owners