Why Virtual Training can be a Gamechanger for Romanian Dogs

Often when clients reach out to me for help, they've already tried working with a local trainer or attending a class, & it has NOT gone well.

In fact in some cases it’s been a disaster.

One of the reasons this can be, is because many Romanian and overseas dogs struggle with close proximity to complete strangers, struggle with training class environments and all the pressures they can bring, and some of them struggle simply with the ‘busyness’ of the world outside.

Which is why I ONLY work virtually with ALL of my clients.

Have you ever wondered if working remotely with a professional trainer or via online programs is worth it?

Do people actually see the results they’re hoping for without physically working with someone 121 in person?

Well, I think the proof is in the pudding, as they say, because surely, I would not keep getting referrals and recommendations from current clients, previous clients, numerous groups all over Facebook, other trainers, rescue organisations or have the recognition I have within the dog training industry if it didn’t work, would I?

Whether it’s on a one-to-one basis, via my Adopters Coaching Group or an online course or program, I only work virtually with Adopters, and have been for the last 4 years, (so nothing to do with Covid! I was already lucky enough to have everything in place to work remotely with clients when that struck!)

Did I used to work in person with clients?

Of course, I was a trainer and behaviour consultant for nearly 15 years prior to becoming involved with the Romanian and overseas dogs and I used to run in person classes, workshops, and private sessions. Then, as my business transitioned and I became known for my work with overseas rescue dogs, my entire client base shifted, and for the last 4 years foreign rescue dogs have been the only dogs I work with.

SO WHY DO I ONLY WORK VIRTUALLY?

Partly because my clients are all over the country, but mainly because of the sensitive nature of Romanian and overseas dogs this can actually be the most effective way to work with them in the majority of cases. Many overseas rescue dogs can be easily overwhelmed, are already stressed, many of them are uncomfortable with strangers and many of them, together with their wonderful families require time to work through things.

If I rock up at your house or even meet you in your local area, your dog is already going to be in an elevated stress state before we even start, because there is a stranger present. Whether that’s due to fear or sheer excitement, the result is the same, a dog that is not in a 'think & learn' zone.

When a dog is in an elevated stress state, it means they cannot think clearly, they cannot learn & retain information effectively and above all else, it can create an artificial environment within which your dog doesn't behave 'normally'.

Think about how you would feel trying to learn something new if you were feeling stressed, anxious or both?

The impact of that can look different for each dog - for some dogs, they 'appear' to behave better, in as much as they may not display the behaviours they normally would, but this is can often be because they have inhibited their behaviour because the presence of the 'stranger' has made them uneasy (this is something that can often happen at training classes too)

For other dogs their behaviour can be worse with a stranger present. They can struggle to settle at all and be overtly reactive, with big displays of barking and lunging or you might see behaviours like total disengagement (not listening) jumping up, grabbing, chewing the lead, or reacting to other things in the environment that they may not do usually.

Another important reason why working remotely via Zoom calls and online material is my preferred approach, is because it enables me to teach you and your dog what you both need to know and have in place, to be able to BEGIN working on the challenges you’re experiencing successfully.

When I first meet a client, their dogs do not have the coping skills let alone the mechanical & behavioural skills to successfully navigate the things that are happening to them and around them, and there can be too much pressure for both the human and canine ends of the lead to 'perform' during a training session.

What’s more, one of the fundamental aspects of a successful progress plan is that, in the beginning, you teach your dog (and yourself) what they need FOR the situation that’s a problem, not WITHIN the situation that’s a problem, and all that takes place in the comfort of your home and/or garden or quiet, safe location.

All of that being said, does working virtually with your trainer or behaviour consultant suit everyone?

No of course not, some people can struggle with the technology, some people can struggle to stick to revisiting online materials and working through things progressively (although that happens with ‘in person’ working too) and of course there are some aspects of working with dogs that really do require the trainer to be present, but in my extensive experience of working virtually with 100s of adopters, this comes up less than you might think.

I have successfully worked remotely with clients who have incredibly fearful dogs, dogs that react to dogs on walks (and other triggers like joggers, cyclists & people) dogs that are over reactive to people visiting the home, dogs that are barking at family members, resource guarding, separation distress and the list goes on.

WHY DOES IT WORK SO WELL FOR ME & MY CLIENTS?

When you work remotely with a qualified professional, who is skilled at working in this way, your dog doesn't have to deal with any of the negatives I've mentioned above, but there are other benefits too!

FLEXIBILITY - It's a flexible and effective way of learning for both you and your dog. You can digest information, practise activities, and move along at the best pace for both you and your dog.

When you have the limitations of a one-hour session, there is always the danger of expecting too much, of both yourself, and your dog. It can create the expectation to learn things too quickly and puts pressure on them (another stressor) or asks them to deal with too many things at once.

When we put pressure on Romanian and overseas dogs, they tend to either push back or switch off, either way, once again, it’s not a ‘think and learn’ state and often does not yield successful results.

CONVENIENCE - You can work from the comfort of your home and familiar local environment at times that are convenient to you and your family. There is no travel involved, no weather to deal with and no other people around to worry about what they’re thinking and if you’re being ‘judged’

Working virtually means I am able to share teaching guides, handouts, video demonstration, and provide you with video analysis of your teaching activities, where I can talk you through everything that’s happening with you while you’re watching it happen – this is invaluable because when you work in person with someone, if something happens, you do something or your dog does something, that moment is gone, never to be repeated and there is so much value in being able to SEE things happening in real time and learn from them.

REDUCED PRESSURE - There is less pressure on both you and your dog to 'perform' during the training session and you can BOTH learn & digest information at your own speed.

There is usually a lot to learn & understand in addition to any actual 'training' exercises and it can be so beneficial for you to be able to do this at a pace and in a way that works for you personally.

NATURALLY PROGRESSIVE STRUCTURE - It allows both you and your dog to make progress within a structure of learning that meets your dog’s needs as an individual. If your overreactive dog needs three weeks to master one element of a progress plan, it’s easy for you to allow them that time and it is the most effective way to ensure what they learn sticks!

It enables you to factor in natural breaks in learning & the application of that learning whenever you or your dog need them, because we all have good days and bad days, and this alone is a valuable aspect of successful and lasting behavioural change.

LESS DISTRACTING - You can both learn with fewer distractions and without feeling like there are eyes on you the whole time.

LEARNING ANYTHING NEW TAKES TIME – Especially when it's a new way to 'be' - Learning takes time, for both you and your dog, but because your learning is supported via written and online materials, resources, and video demo's, you can re-watch and re-read instructions and information as many times as you need.

You can also share all the learning material and all the resources with other family members, and you will always have it to hand at any time of the day and night if you need to revisit something and refresh your memory.

No need to wait and ask your trainer a question and then have to wait for them to get back to you.

So, as you can see, that's a pretty long list of benefits!

So, I hope that's been a helpful insight for you into why I only work remotely with clients and if you were on the fence about it, I hope it's provided you with some food for thought about whether working virtually with me and my team via my Adopters Coaching Group or enrolling onto one of the online programs or workshops may actually be a good fit for you and your dog 🥰

Categories: : Fearful Romanian Dogs, Living with Romanian Rescue Dogs, Reactive Romanian Dogs, Romanian Dogs & Reactivity, Understanding Your Romanian Dog