Gilgamesh is really bonding with other family members showing excitement when they come home from work and comes up to the gate with a toy in his mouth requesting pets. We’ve had three vet visits since the last email and Gilgamesh has improved dramatically. Dr. Keppel and his staff congratulated us on how much progress Gil has made since we started seeing you guys at FVBS and how much we’ve turned him around.  There was a dog in the waiting room who started barking from his owner’s lap when he saw Gil going to the exit and Gil totally ignored him. Gil is also much better with the other family dogs now that he can walk in between them when we go on walks and everyone gets along fine. Thank you for everything again. Gil gets easier to manage every day it seems.

“Regan was surrendered by a family in Georgia and spent 2 months in a shelter before Atlanta Lab Rescue pulled him from the shelter.  He was vetted, neutered, and placed with a foster home for a few weeks when we met him and immediately decided to adopt him.

He was a calm and gentle Labrador Retriever, except when we took him out to walk and he saw other dogs.  Not every dog, but most dogs elicited a negative reaction from Regan. He would jump straight up in the air, spin, snarl, and growl.  Quite frightening to me and the other owners and dogs.    

I contacted a trainer who told me you cannot train that out of a dog and to just realize that Regan would not have any “doggy” friends.  When I told my veterinarian about this, he referred me to Dr. Lisa Radosta, a veterinary behaviorist.  She came to our house and spent several hours with us and with Regan and taught us how to deal with his reactiveness.  We worked with him and did what she suggested and in a very short time, Regan turned around and became calm and friendly around other dogs.  He also reacted to golf carts and we were able to correct that behavior as well. 

Recently, I took Regan to an orientation for Share-A-Pet, a pet therapy organization.  The room was full of people with their DOGS!  He was fine with all of them.  He was so well-behaved that they suggested he take the test to be a therapy dog and see how he did and HE PASSED on the first try!  Regan is now a therapy dog at Broward Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He visits the residents at least once a week and brings joy to a lot of people. I am grateful to Dr. Radosta because Regan now has the confidence to go anywhere and it is a pleasure to be able to take him with us and know that he is well behaved!”

“We have “special needs” dogs:  Bella is a five-year-old Boston Terrier who is afraid of feathers, balloons, fireworks, thunderstorms, is a resource guarder, has a history of fighting, and not so keen on her newest housemate,  Basha, who is our two-year-old pit mix rescue with reactive dog issues (she had to be sedated for her first vet appointment) and separation anxiety (over $300 worth of damage to items in our house).   The primary catalyst for contacting Dr. Radosta however was due to sibling fights:  Bella (our Boston) would initiate fights over toys and treats with Basha (our pit mix).   Even after a number of fights, and Bella losing all of them (not to mention the $500+ vet bills per each fight, and me getting injured in trying to break up the fights) we were left with three options: 1) Re-home one of the dogs; 2) euthanize the pit, or 3) get professional help/recommendation.  The first two options were out of the question, especially after having just lost our Yorkie the month prior.

Dr. Radosta provided us with a diagnosis and treatment plan with really clear instructions for training the dogs in a positive manner. I felt overwhelmed at first with all the re-training but determined to make positive changes. It took time, consistency, and commitment.  For a while, I had a vocabulary of six words: Sit, stay, down, watch, and leave it. My husband and I had to implement new house rules for the benefit of our dogs. Basha was enrolled in Dr. Radosta’s Reactive Dog class. She did fabulously, and I am much more confident walking her in our community and keeping her aggressive side at bay. [Recently while walking Basha we were charged by two other pit bulls. I was able to remain calm, and we averted a dangerous situation.]

Although not thrilled with the idea of medicating my dogs to help them with their individual anxiety issues, after trying an array of natural products, conceded to the medication; WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  Neither dog has lost her personality, both have a much more calm disposition, and a better quality of life.  And, the best part:  the dogs have gotten along!  We are at 6 months (and counting) of amicable housemates!!

Dr. Radosta came highly recommended by our vet, the Pet Emergency vets, and other qualified animal trainers.  I am sure I cried during our first appointment because of the serious nature of our doggy dilemma: dog fights.  [As I type our pit mix rescue is growling at a passerby; in a calm voice I said, “leave it,” and our pit walked over to me, left the passerby alone, and was rewarded. YEA!]  Dr. Radosta was professional, calm (I was a basket case), and direct.  From the first visit, we saw signs of hope.  What was most helpful to me, was feeling like I had an advocate, a coach, and a cheerleader!  I emailed Dr. Radosta on a daily if not weekly basis updating her on observations of our dogs, and asking a million questions to help be a better handler to my pups.  Dr. Radosta was not only prompt with her replies, but she affirmed me for all my hard work, giving me the encouragement and advice I needed to continue to help my four-legged kids. We have worked with Dr. Radosta for a year now – the result:  a much more confident me, and two content and well-managed dogs.”