We called Viki in our deepest despair. By the time we called her, we were over the whole Cesar Millan life work (three times), puppy pre-schools, dog therapist meetings and YouTube dog guru’s advices – but the lil mustached didn’t want to work. However we adopted her pretty young at the age of 4 months old, she collected so many neurosises she would easily apply for the main role of a Woody Allen movie.

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When we tried to leave her alone she started crying, scratching and peeing ont he floor so she needed constant supervision. The simple trick of: reward her when she’s silent failed from the beginning since she didn’t stop crying at all. On the street anytime she saw something new she stopped and stayed here like a rock so a 5-minute walk turnt to be a one hour program. She was terrified from dogs, kids, sounds of the TV, the washing machine, the dishwasher, trolley suitcases, coffee maker, bikes, emergency cars, hair dryer – so from everything. Viki was our last hope (and Nala’s as well) because by this time we started to think maybe we aren’t enough to handle her.

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Nala was 6 months old when started her training focusing on her separation anxiety frist and after 2 weeks we were able to leave her alone at home for half day. Parallel she stopped peeing inside the house, improved in walking int he street, she stopped less and as she gained more confience she started to open up. At this point we started the dog kid’s basic obedience training: stay, come, heel – she learnt them too within a few months. Today she stays where I ask her in 99% of the time, come back 99% of the time even if she’s playing, heel 99% of the time I ask her, but what is the most important is she lives a content (dog) life.

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All the training time we spent with Viki was absolutely worth it, because she didn’t only teach Nala but us as well to be better owners. It wasn’t a sounding dog training technique we got but a toolbar we can form up to this day to Nala’s actual habits- because lets be honest, it still happens. But (!) thanks to Viki, we also learnt that it’s ok and we don’t try to make a dog out of Nala who she isn’t.