Most Expensive Dog in the North East

Patches, an Australian Cattle Dog, had more than the normal behavioural problems and has left everyone guessing about what may have happened to him previously.  What is known is that when Beverly and her son Owen saw him at their local cat and dog shelter two years ago their hearts melted and they knew they had to give the little fella a second chance at happiness. But as soon as they took him home the trouble began.

Patches would bark and cry during the night and whenever he was left home alone.  The problems weren’t confined to the barking either. ‘Whenever we went out and left him, he would wee all over the kitchen floor and we are talking lakes, not puddles’ says Beverley.  Patches also destroyed anything he could sink his teeth into. Even leaving him with Diddy, the family's other pet, a Chihuahua, didn't help.

His behaviour outside the home wasn’t much better either.  He took to both pulling on the lead and lunging aggressively at other dogs.  On the one occasion that he was let off the lead, Eric had to run several miles and was only re-united with Patches when someone else managed to grab hold of him.

‘Patches went ballistic when he saw another dog and there is no doubt that he was quite out of control’ says Eric.  Over the years the couple have attended puppy and socialisation classes with Patches, tried an anti-bark collar and even built an outdoor kennel with a run, but Patches behaviour remained as bad as ever.  ‘We also took advice from two animal behaviourists, one of whom suggested a herbal tranquilliser which initially helped, but then Patches reverted back to his old anti-social behaviour. The relationship with our neighbour got so bad that moving seemed like the only solution’ says Beverley.

After moving house the couple were terrified that the barking would start again and that the problems would then begin with their new neighbours.  Family life was disrupted as Beverley and her husband swapped their shifts around or worked weekends so that someone was always in the house to keep Patches company. To help the situation the couple resorted to putting Patches in a canine crèche whenever they were both at work during the day, or on the odd occasion that they wanted to go out as a family.  This was costing up to £80 a week and even the crèche staff were concerned about the soaring costs for the family.
 
‘It was awful’ says Beverley.’ I was prepared to work extra night shifts to pay for the dog to be in a crèche during the day when we were both out.  There is no way that I could have got rid of Patches, but my husband admits that if it hadn’t been for myself and  Owen, who absolutely adores Patches, that he would have returned him to the rescue centre’.

It was Beverley’s mum who saw an advert for Bark Busters in the Evening Chronicle and thought it might be worth giving them a call.  Even though they had already spent over a thousand pounds on the dog, Beverley decided to give Bark Busters a try.  ‘I didn’t really believe it would work, but I was absolutely desperate.  I was determined not to give up on Patches both because of Owen and because I knew we would just be passing the problems on to another family and then who knows what would have happened to him’.

Liz Johnson, the Bark Buster therapist in the Newcastle area came out to visit the couple and soon had Patches back under control. ‘Even by the end of the first session we could see a big difference in Patches behaviour, he really was tons better almost immediately and we have continued to make brilliant progress’ says Beverley.

Liz explained that Patches was not barking and toileting because he was a naughty dog, but because he was extremely stressed and upset. She explained the reasons for this and worked with the family to make Patches feel more secure and confident.  She showed them how to behave so that Patches understood his position in the family and understood that he was safe in the home and didn’t need to bark or howl every time he was left on his own.
After gradually building up the time that he was left alone, Patches can now be left alone without any unwanted barking.  Patches also now walks on the lead without pulling and is improving with other dogs.

‘People just can’t believe the difference in Patches’ says Beverley. ‘My Mum, sister and friends have all commented how much calmer he is.  He used to race you to the front door and you couldn’t  get the door open for him jumping up.  It is such a relief to know that he doesn’t have to go to the dog crèche every time we are at work or go out together’ says Beverley.

The family love their new home and delighted with their new well-behaved dog. Beverley and her family are now able to enjoy their life together, to get a good night’s sleep and no longer have to pay a small fortune in kennel fees.

For more information about Bark Busters take a look at www.barkbusters.co.uk

To contact a Bark Buster Therapist call Freephone 0808 100 4071

Bark Busters, the world’s largest, most trusted dog training company, started in Australia in 1989 and came to the United Kingdom in 1999. Since inception, over 400,000 dogs have been trained worldwide. With more than 230 offices in eight countries, Bark Busters is continuing its mission to build a global network of dog behavioural therapists to enhance responsible dog ownership and reduce the possibility of maltreatment, abandonment, and euthanasia of companion dogs. Bark Busters is the only international dog training company that offers a lifetime guarantee. Therapists will provide future sessions free of charge if problem behaviours recur, or if any new problems develop. For more information, call 0808 100 4071 or visit www.barkbusters.co.uk, where dog owners can complete a Dog Behavioural Quiz to rate their dogs’ behaviour.