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DOG OF THE MONTH

JANUARY 2007

Riley Mataconis

We found our Lhasa Apso, Riley, in a newspaper advertisement through a Lhasa Apso breeder in Maryland, March 2005. We had just gotten married the month before, and we really wanted a dog in our lives. Riley was the only male puppy of the litter. His energetic personality, adorable facial expressions and expressive eyes stole our hearts.

Riley’s hair grows fast, and although he doesn’t shed, he needs to visit a groomer every eight weeks or so. We aren’t sure why Riley lost trust in the last groomer, but something happened between the two that caused Riley to snap. During the grooming appointment, he expressed a negative attitude along with a deep growl that showed he didn’t want to be handled by the groomer any more. The groomer didn’t say it, but you could tell she was frustrated with Riley’s actions.

We asked our vet for guidance about this situation. After he evaluated Riley, he recommended we call CES Dog Training for canine-behavior training. Riley’s aggressive-dominate behavior had escalated into an issue that needed attention.

CES recommended private lessons after considering other options because we had the time to work with Riley on a daily basis. We completed weekly homework assignments between sessions, which we continue to practice today. Riley still enjoys his doggie push ups! After six-weeks of canine-behavior training, Riley had become a calmer, much more well-behaved dog.

  1. We walk out the door first instead of Riley pushing his way out to be first.
  2. We enjoy phone conversations without Riley barking at us for attention.
  3. We invite Riley to set in our laps instead of Riley randomly jumping on the furniture.
  4. We initiate and stop play time. No more tug-of-war with Riley!

Riley’s recent grooming appointment went very well. After the appointment the groomer told me, “I welcome Riley back for future visits!” YES!!

Thank you CES for giving us the tools we needed to make Riley a happier dog!

Kellie and Doug Mataconis, Woodbridge, Virginia

Referred by Crossroads Animal Hospital (Thank you!)

Also see Previous Dogs of the month