Lena, the Lab Mix

Adam and Alyssa Short
Blacksburg, VA

Lena is a 4 year old Lab Mix we rescued when she was 6 months old. She came to us injured, emaciated, and with a lot of anxieties. We worked with her to boost her confidence and she grew to be a well-adjusted dog, with just a few lingering quirks.

All that work was undone when 2 weeks before our family moved from Rhode Island to Virginia, Lena was bit on the head and neck by another dog, which was followed by a traumatic event at the emergency vet's office. The experiences set Lena back to square one. She was snarling at passing dogs while walking on leash, compulsively barking at the slightest sounds in our new home, and she even tried to bite her new vet. 

Thank goodness our vet suggested we call Dr. Maxwell. Dr. Maxwell taught us to use consistent, positive reinforcement to help Lena overcome her anxieties. Dr. Maxwell also taught us to read Lena's body language, so we could better support her. Within weeks, Lena's barking issues were resolved and now we are even able to tell her to "stay" so that we can answer our front door. Dr. Maxwell taught us healthier habits for walking Lena on her leash and she is improving with each outing. With Dr. Maxwell's support, we also made therapeutic visits to the vet and, bit by bit, Lena's behavior improved. We're still working on shots, but now when we visit the vet, Lena leaps from the car, wagging her tail and pulling me through the front door. 

Dr. Maxwell provided us with the tools we needed to give Lena back her lost confidence. Not only has Lena overcome her recent trauma, but she is also overcoming some of her rescue dog quirks that we thought were permanent fixtures in our home. Thank you Dr. Maxwell for letting Lena's true sweet nature shine through!