Say hello to Chispa!  Chispa is a DINO dog who was officially adopted by her humans a couple of weeks ago. She is a shy, 18-months-old mixed-breed girl that DINO brought back from Mexico. DINO called on me because Chispa was suffering from acute kennel anxiety. Her humans wanted to keep her, but if they couldn’t help her, they wouldn’t be able to adopt her. So, I met with the family and Chispa, and for the past few weeks, we’ve been working to help this sweet little girl recover from her anxiety… and, to learn basic obedience.

Chispa is a joy to work with. She loves her people, and she’s best friends with the family cat, Napoleon, who is also a rescue. She is also incredibly smart, and she works very, very hard during our sessions. Her humans are clearly in love with her, and Chispa returns that love in spades. She does have some issues – all rescues have “baggage” – but as her confidence and trust continues to build and become stronger, those issues will resolve.

Chispa’s human mom works in a seniors facility. She has expressed a desire to take Chispa to work with her. So, at the end of the basics program, I’ll be testing Chispa to determine whether or not she would be a good candidate for therapy work. She’s nowhere near ready for that right now, but if she continues progressing like she has been, in a few weeks, she could be.

Have a great day, and remember to stay calm and lead on…