[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by matese

I agree 100% with you on training builds confidence in dogs. I worked with Cody at home in basic commands and a few tricks, he is very food motivated, so he learns learns fast lol. I took Cody for obedience training after he learned all the basic, plus, commands at home. This was a privately owned school, I took 2 courses of 6 visits per course, one session a week, a total of 12 sessions. He came away being an aggressive dog, he was not that way when he started.

This OP's dog needs a one on one personal behaviorist to reprogram the pup if that can even happen. With a dog such as Mickey I would not waste my time or money on a training school, I would go straight to a behaviorist that will concentrate on his one issue, no dogs or ppl to distract the pup, a one on one personal sessions. That is my opinion and what I would do if I had a Mickey.

Not every trainer is good so I can't speak for all just most. The majority of trainers know dog behaviors very well and are very good at helping with timid, scared and shy dogs. What happened to you is very rare and being a rescue you don't know that it might not have stirred up something in Cody's past. Luckily my classes with Ollie have mostly been Ollie only but you can definitely get private classes from trainers depending on the trainer they may even come to your house. I am speaking from owning a timid dog and my experience with training and my timid dog. Until you really have a timid dog and see the changes that can be done by a training I'm not sure it's fully understood. There is actually very little difference between a trainer and behaviorist and before shelling out twice as much if not more for a behaviorist I would consult with a reputable trainer first. It take a long time and a massive amount of work with a timid dog and nothing will suddenly make that better even a behaviorist. Sure you might be able to medicate for anxiety but is that really the best and a great long term solution? That's one of the only other things a behaviorists can do that a trainer can't.