November 2, 2008
We adopted MollyJune from the SPCA in Langley, BC in 2003. She had been in an abusive household, was hit
by a car as a puppy and lost one of her front legs. We found out that she had been seized by the SPCA in Peace River and was moved from shelter to shelter for the next one and a half years until we found her. We took her home the day we met her and she's 7 now.
She was great with my husband and I right from the start, but her doggie
baggage began to show itself shortly after we brought her home. She’s really not great with strangers (both people
and other dogs). She would bark and wag her tail, but the moment someone (especially men) would reach to pat
her, she would snap. She never actually bit anyone, but I wouldn’t have put it past her.
We enrolled in a basic
obedience class with a local Kelowna trainer, who later told me Molly would never learn to heel, among other
things. This really broke my heart; I felt totally in over my head. For someone who works with and handles dogs as
a career everyday why couldn’t I control my own dog? We weren’t about to find a new home for Molly, afraid of
what her fate might be, but I really felt helpless.
We first met Wayne about 3 years ago. He was just finishing his studies to become a Master Dog Trainer. I
cannot begin to explain what a difference he has made in all of our lives. Wayne really taught us how to better
communicate with Molly, and establish consistent and loving rules for our household. I think Molly will always
have issues, but now we know how to manage those issues, and not let them run our lives. She loves going to Day
School at Dogzies, where she’s met a lot of new friends (both human and canine). As soon as we say, “Do you want
to go see Wayne?” her tail is going a mile a minute and she can’t wait to get out to the car. It’s really adorable.
Two months ago we had our son, Lukas. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Molly when we brought him home,
but Wayne gave us some advice on how to establish boundaries and introduce them properly, and it went great.
Molly has really impressed me since this new addition, and I think one day they’ll be best buds.
Kelly Dust, RAHT
Head Technician, Okanagan Veterinary Hospital
Kelowna, BC
