Case Study: Stella
From Fence-Line Barking to Everyday Calm
Client: Skye
Dog: Stella (German Shepherd)
Programs: Puppy School, Dream Dog, Bark Busters
The Challenge
Before training, Skye and Stella faced some common hurdles:
Persistent barking at the fence line
Fear of getting into the car
General small behavioural issues that made daily life more stressful
Stella being innocent
Why Disaster to Delight?
Stella’s family first attended Puppy School, where they saw an immediate positive response. Recognising the importance of setting up the right foundations, they decided to continue with further training to ensure Stella grew into a well-mannered, manageable adult dog.
The Training Experience
The process was all about understanding Stella’s reactions and learning why certain training methods work. Skye shared:
“Understanding how the dog reacts and why to training made the process much easier to continue at home. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about training and being able to implement our own rules at home.”
Training was tailored to their lifestyle, with a strong emphasis on consistency and making training part of daily routines. The ability to revisit and reinforce commands as needed made managing Stella’s behaviour less stressful and more enjoyable for the whole family.
Stella waiting for permission to get her breakfast, using her instincts.
The Transformation
Stella now responds eagerly to all training and has become more manageable and attentive at home.
Training has become a natural part of daily life, making it easy to address any new challenges as they arise.
When Stella gets up to mischief, Skye and family feel empowered to revisit the basics and get back on track.
Stella holding Place in the front yard
Breakthrough Moment
One standout moment was learning to give Stella a “place” that wasn’t her bed—a strategy that made a noticeable difference in her behaviour and the household’s routine. Skye also appreciated the hands-on correction and guidance:
“If we weren’t corrected when not showing or doing things the correct way, we wouldn’t know where we were going wrong.”
Stella at the river with the family on her Place bed.
Client Reflection
“Having her instantly respond and knowing how the reward system works couldn’t have been shown better than in person by Disaster to Delight. It’s also being shown how to correct our training methods when teaching them to our dogs.”
Would They Recommend Dee?
Absolutely!
“100% Yes. We have learnt so much about why dogs react in those ways. Seeing first hand how much training has helped—I recommend all to contact Disaster to Delight, even if it’s just for the basics! I love how they are thoroughly excited to get to work and there is no issue they don’t want to help out with or can offer advice for.”
Stella eager to learn what’s next
Stella exhausted after training.