Cassis - My German Shepherd

I thought I would write and tell you about my German Shepherd - Cassis. For as long as I can remember I have always loved German Shepherd Dogs, so as the children has grown up and I had to give up work due to illness and being home all day on my own, I decided that now was the time to get one. People kept saying to me a German Shepherd wasn't the right breed of dog for a novice like me, but I took no notice of them and just thought it couldn't be that hard and that I enjoyed a challenge. How wrong could I have been.

I got Cassis when she was just seven weeks old. Form day one she proved to be a handful and really hard work, but being my first dog, I just thought this was normal behaviour for a puppy. Cassis was demanding, very excitable at the slightest of things and into everything. She never sat still or lay down and slept, she was on the go the whole time. You could not hold and cuddle her like I thought you could with a puppy, when would mouth, scratch and wriggle to get out of my grasp, but would follow me everywhere I went.

At three months of age, I decided to take her to dog training classes. I started with one where they offered treats as rewards, which was no good as Cassis suffered from car sickness and as we had to travel a few miles to get to the lessons, she was sick the whole time. We persevered an tried a class which was nearer to home, didn't offer treats and used the old fashioned methods of training, but again, we were the worst in the class. Cassis was just so excitable and distracted by every dog and person around that she would not pay attention to me. We were given tasks every week to learn for the following week's class and every day, twice a day, I would take Cassis out and practise the lessons, but she would just not listen to my commands. I would go back the next week and the instructor would not believe that I had been trying. I would be asked to put her into a stay and walk away. I would turn round and she would be behind me. She just would not listen to mean at all. The other members of the class were all progressing and we were getting worse. What should have been enjoyment was a nightmare. I dreaded going to classes every week and making a fool of myself in front of the others. I was starting to think that perhaps my friends has been right and I had made a terrible mistake in getting a German Shepherd as I just could not control her. I was too soft with her and she was walking all over me.

I was getting to my wits end not knowing what to do with Cassis. By now we had all got attached to her and she was apart of the family, but we could not control her. I was dragged down the road every day as she pulled on the lead. I didn't know how on earth I was going to manage when she got bigger and stronger. She jumped up at us and everyone else that came to the house. She would mouth us and I couldn't stop her, we were all covered in bruises and scratches. She was manic, racing around the house like a dog possessed. I was on the verge of giving up when I read about Royvon's residential training in a dog magazine. I was desperate and needed help with her if we were to keep her. I looked up Royvon on the Internet an they sounded just what I needed to help me with Cassis. I called and booked Cassis in as soon as she was six months, which was considered the best age to train. The driver came to collect her and as he drove off with her in the back on the van, I had my doubts as to whether this would work. My friends, who all had dogs themselves, thought I was mad wasting so much time and energy worrying about a dog whom in their opinion was not "normal" and could never be trained and thought I should give up now and get rid of her, but I have never been someone to just give up.

As it turned out, sending her to Royvon has been the bet thing I could ever have done for Cassis. She was at Royvon for three weeks with Terry training her, whom she loved. They cared for her really well and keep us informed of all her training an how she was getting on. I arrived at Royvon to collect her and was given a lesson along with instructions - she was like a different dog, so well behaved and obedient. I was instructed on how to use voice control and praise. I was also given a sheet to show me how to carry on the training with her at home.

A year on and I am still practising obedience with her every single day. Whilst we are out on walks, I will call her back to me frequently to practise her recall. She does it straight away even if there is a distraction ahead. She walks much better on the lead, although if allowed, she will go back to pulling, but we have been taught how to correct her immediately when she does this She will walk off lead to heel and again whilst out on walks, I call her to heel several times and make her walk along side me for as long as I want her to, which she does with no problems. I put her into sit and down stays in different locations an she does this easily now and for as long as I ask - something which I thought she would never be able to do. Everything I do is now on may terms and not hers. I am in control of her and not the other way around. People are now always commenting on what lovely and well behaved dog she is.

She is still a very excitable dog and easily distracted, but I am learning to cope with her. It hasn't been easy by any means; in fact, it has been really hard work and at times very trying. She has been back to Royvon a couple of times since her first three weeks training session, this under Linzie's instructions; it keeps me on top of her training.

I feel without the help of Royvon, I would not have been able to cope with Cassis at home, but thehey are always at the end of the phone if a new problem arises and I need help. She is very protective towards our family and we love her to bits and now couldn't imagine life without her. She is my daughter's running partner and I feel confident knowing Cassis is there to protect her on one of her long remote runs in the forest. I love finding new places to take her out on walks and we have met so many different people with their dogs whom we would never have got to know if it hadn't been for Cassis. One of my son's said the other day, "Just think if Cassis has been an easy dog how boring our life would be." She has been a real challenge to me, but I feel that it has been worth it to see her improving by the day and it is a real joy to have her in our lives now.

So thank you for all your help Royvon and keep up the good work.