If your dog struggles with over-arousal, you’ll be no stranger to emotional outbursts. Overwhelming experiences like these can trigger anxieties that make it difficult for you and your dog to move forward. But life with a reactive dog doesn’t have to be this way. When Andrea Baumann got her standard poodle, Tobias, she dreamed he would become her service dog. Andrea was aware of Tobias’ over-arousal and was prepared to help him overcome this so that one day, he could help her. But over time, Tobias’ reactivity got worse. Andrea turned to the Brilliant Partners Academy and has since been on a journey that’s transformed her life and their relationship. In this episode, Kathy speaks to Andrea about the obstacles they’ve overcome and more! In this episode: The impact one-on-one training had on Tobias’ real-world responses What changed when Andrea shifted her focus from issues to connection How Andrea takes a proactive approach to Tobias’ reactivity Read the blog post on this topic. Quotes: “I wasn't making good choices for us by putting him in situations that were too hard, thinking that we were training or counter-conditioning.” “When I can help my own stress and role model calm, he responds to that.” “I was so focused on his behavior issues that I was missing out on the joy and the connection.” “We're on a journey, but I'm loving where we are.” Want More of Kathy? Brilliant Partners Academy Dancing Hearts Dog Academy Website Facebook Community To read the blog post on this topic and to explore other episodes, click here.