Building Stability for Nova: From Overstimulation to Calm Control

This is Nova, a young Cane Corso mix who was recently adopted after a difficult journey through several homes. She has a history of instability, having been through about seven different households in just over a year, which has contributed to her overstimulated behavior. While her current family wants to provide a stable and happy environment, they’re facing challenges, particularly with leash reactivity and managing her energy levels.
Key Issues Identified:
• Leash Reactivity: Nova isn’t aggressive, but she is highly reactive on leash, especially in stimulating environments, showing excitability and overstimulation when near other dogs and people.
• Overstimulation and Lack of Control: Nova’s high energy and excitement, paired with her lack of boundaries, often make her appear out of control in public spaces. This was particularly noticeable during interactions at dog parks and around children, where she would fixate and become overwhelmed.
• Prey Drive and Arousal: Nova has a strong prey drive, which can be seen during flirt pole exercises and her excitement around fast-moving objects. While her focus is intense, she struggles to maintain control without guidance.
Goals Moving Forward:
1. Reduce Overstimulation: The priority is to expose Nova to various stimuli in a controlled manner to help her learn that the environment is not something to be overwhelmed by. We’ll gradually increase exposure to more stimulating situations, always focusing on keeping her calm and controlled.
2. Leash Training: Teach Nova to manage her leash reactivity through structured walks, rewarding calm behavior, and practicing engagement games (like sniffing and searching for treats) to redirect her focus away from triggers. This will also involve gradually introducing more challenging environments at her pace.
3. Ritualizing Calm Behavior: Implement greeting rituals where Nova learns to sit and remain calm before engaging with people or receiving affection. Reinforcing these moments with rewards will help her develop the consistency needed to control her impulses.
4. Impulse Control with Toys and Prey Drive: Structured games, such as flirt pole exercises, will be used to teach Nova that control is key before engaging in high-energy play. She’ll be rewarded for controlling her impulses and waiting for cues before going after toys.
Next Steps:
• Continue controlled exposure to various stimuli, focusing on managing Nova’s leash reactivity and reducing overstimulation in public.
• Implement structured obedience training sessions to teach impulse control, especially around high-energy activities.
• Monitor and manage her interactions with other dogs to ensure she develops positive, healthy social behaviors.
Conclusion:
Nova is in a good place to make progress, given her youth and her family’s commitment to her. Her issues stem largely from overstimulation, which we can address with consistent training, structured exposure, and teaching her to manage her energy in controlled ways. With these strategies, Nova will be on the path to becoming a well-balanced, confident dog.

[@Helpindogsndpplnetwork]

The best dog trainer!

[@wendyrussell4191]

Please can you tell me what obsessive licking to the mouth is? I have adult dogs that do it. I feel like they are using this technique to turn the dog? Great video, thank you

[@amandalarizza2223]

What was your flirt pole manufacturer you liked. Aldo, for good jute tugs? Thanks in advance.