| Cesar's Co-Stars: Profiles of Pack Members – Beauty
Before German Shepherd Beauty arrived at the Dog Psychology Center, her owner was so afraid of her human and dog aggression that she kept the dog isolated in one room of her home for nearly two years. Her owner, a wonderful lady with a big heart, had rescued her from an abusive situation. Though she thought she was protecting Beauty by isolating her, the owner's fears fed Beauty's unbalanced state of mind and resulted in psychological damage.
Luckily, Beauty's owner would not give up on her and brought her to Cesar for help. Cesar evaluated Beauty and discovered a severe case of fear aggression. He attributed the degree of her unbalanced state to the confinement and her lack of experience with the outside world.
Beauty's rehabilitation began when she was brought into The Pack. The dogs in The Pack would introduce her to her own identity.
Early on, Beauty displayed a coping mechanism for her anxiety and fears: jumping. She easily cleared the eight-foot chain-link fence that surrounded the Center. Once she made it to the other side, she was free, but she never ran away. Beauty would simply sit and wait to be called back to The Pack. In dogs, fear drives the brain to run and stay away, but her submissive nature kept her bound to the physical presence of The Pack.
Two years later, Beauty has come a long way and is now a core member of The Pack. She gets along well with other pack members and makes new friends easily because of her playful nature. Her favorite playmate is Sid, the French bull dog!
It takes an experienced Pack Leader with an understanding of large active breed dogs to have a healthy, balanced relationship with a dog like Beauty. These dogs are fulfilled in family environments where they have chores and jobs to challenge their bodies and calm their minds. |