Ouch! A Mini-Menace:
The Thunder From Down Under

By Jon Wedemeyer
December 4, 2015

CASE STUDY

NORTH FLORIDA
K9 BEHAVIOR CENTER
BEHAVIOR BLUEPRINT
DATE: 10/26/16

DOG’S INFORMATION:
Name of the dog(s): MARCY
NO. OF VISITS TO DATE: 5

I had to have some fun with the headline on this article. This little pup was actually a very sweet little girl, but she could turn on you in a second and start ripping at your legs. It’s the herding instinct’s of the mighty Mini-Aussie from down-under. She was however, a very sweet menace.

I didn’t really have a problem with her because I took a leadership role with her in a very calm, firm way. When asking her to do something, I never pushed her to a point of  her feeling like I was dominating her. I also never let her feel I was annoyed, or felt overwhelmed or dominated by her. I was simply the leader, and we were going to do jobs together.

I was the leader; not in a dominant way, but in a “follow me and I will show you things and we will do stuff” way. Works every time. Her natural curiosity and instinct to work a job took over and we usually had a lot of fun.

The mom’s boyfriend however, did feel overwhelmed by her and also very annoyed at her nipping at him. She kept ripping up his legs and would not respect him at all. She knew he did not like her so that was it.

I went for five visits and could not get their attitudes or the relationship to change, and the mom made the decision to re-home. I did everything I could think of to fix this case.

Jon Wedemeyer – Is the founder of, and has operated North Florida K9 Behavior Center in Gainesville, Fl., since 2015. Between his practice and his shelter work has worked over 2,000 canine behavior cases. He received his Diploma in Canine Psychology and Behavior from The International School for Canine Psychology and Behavior ISCP and recently completed a Master Class in Canine Aggression and a Certification Class in Canine Separation Anxiety.