The path to RWC was a convoluted one, starting more than 20 years ago. Jodie kept adopting dogs with "issues" even though she wasn't aware of it at the time. She has had dogs who had food (Prancer, then Dasher), human (Sapphi), and dog aggression (Sapphi), hyperactivity with a heart condition (Cupid), leash reactivity (Blitzen), and destructive separation anxiety (Sapphi). She certainly knew how to pick ‘em! Friends and family wondered why she kept doing this. The answer is so she could save a dog who has been failed by a human being somewhere along the line. Real World Canine is the culmination of that journey.

The seed of this journey was sown 24 years ago with Sapphi (RIP). She was a terrier mix who had been severely abused. She had been hit so hard that her retina was detached and she eventually underwent an enucleation surgery. Perhaps not surprisingly, she was extremely aggressive toward men as well as other dogs. Jodie was not told this when she and her-then spouse adopted her. After bonding with them, Sapphi developed extreme separation anxiety. At the time, Jodie was completely out of her depth with Sapphi, but taking her back to the shelter was not an option, as they were her last placement. Her next stop would have been a needle. The first couple of years with Sapphi were challenging to say the least. Jodie couldn’t have friends over, walks could only happen late at night when no one was around, and she couldn’t leave Sapphi alone at home for long because she was very destructive. She learned the hard way that every evening out required all furniture to be waste-proved, and anything within reach to be put away. Trash cans had to be on the kitchen counter. Jodie's life became very isolated. She consulted every dog trainer in the area, some of whom said Sapphi was “too broken.” Stubbornly, Jodie disagreed. She read and tried every “training” method she could find. Slowly, she started to see some positive changes e.g., Sapphi stopped trying to eat the relatives!

The real turning point, however, came when Jodie adopted a friend’s 6-month-old puppy, a Cavalier King Charles spaniel (Prancer, her soul dog). She agonized over how Sapphi would react, since her instinct was always to “attack.” To Jodie's amazement, it was the best behavior modification secret she could have tried. At the time she didn’t understand why it worked, she was just grateful that Sapphi was a happier, better-behaved dog. She now knows that dogs are pre-wired to learn from other dogs better than from a human. The new puppy didn’t have fear or anxiety of the world, which seemed to help Sapphi put hers aside. She also had strong maternal instincts towards the puppy and wanted to show him the way to be. It was as if Jodie had a new dog overnight. All of Sapphi's destructive and aggressive behaviors abated quickly. This experience underpins the philosophy at RWC where fear-aggressive dogs spend a lot of time observing balanced, well-adjusted dogs, and model their behavior. Through RWC, Jodie has been able to help dogs like Sapphi live the best life possible!