Behind the Muzzle Carolyn Martin

Meet Zola, a sweet 4-year-old mixed breed who was adopted from Romania, just to be surrendered again for being “too much to handle”. Lucky for Zola, his whole life was about to change…
Zola had a tough, lonely, scary start to life but that all turned around when Georgia and Will showed up at the shelter. They were informed Zola was scared of strangers and would never be a “normal” dog, but there was no turning back. They had already fallen in love with that sweet face - how could you not?
Fast forward: After a few months Zola is starting to feel at home but his new confidence actually meant he’s showing even more reactivity – totally flipping out whenever he sees a dog on walks and barking up a storm when humans get too close. He’s acting this way because he’s afraid of them and if they do get too close, he’s a dog, and he could bite.
But, Georgia and Will would NOT give up. They hired an incredible behaviorist to help with training and absolutely dedicated themselves to helping Zola. Starting at a distance, they worked on desensitization and positive reinforcement to change the way Zola feels about his triggers. Today, Zola has other doggie friends, can go to public events, and even have house guests! 
Tune in to this episode to hear the amazing story of Georgia, Will, and Zola. 

Life with a reactive dog can be an educational journey – learning more about their triggers, how to strengthen communication, and training techniques. But, more often than not, it’s also a long, bumpy emotional rollercoaster skirting around the path to acceptance.
Many reactive dog parents thought they were welcoming a confident, gentle, friendly sidekick into their family. A dog who could join them on hikes and at breweries, loving every other dog and human they meet. For us, however, all of that was a dream that would never come true.
Instead, we met with a different path of life. One of stress, sacrifice, and a sense of judgement from the world around us. Accepting life with a reactive dog isn’t always easy. For myself and my partner Zach, accepting Willie, our Australian Shepherd, for what he is took months. The journey to acceptance wasn’t easy, but it was an important first step to taking back control over our lives.

All dogs are good dogs, even the reactive ones. But ‘good’ doesn’t mean ‘perfect’ – reactive dogs require a lot more work, patience, and most of all, sacrifice. For reactive dog parents, it’s all worth it, but at times, it can be the loneliest journey. In this podcast, we’re bringing these special stories to light and exploring what life looks like with a reactive dog. And if you're a reactive dog parent, to remind you, you’re not alone.