Ep 3. Great Dane Devotion

In "Great Dane Devotion," the third episode of season 2 of It's Me or the Dog, professional dog trainer Victoria Stilwell takes on the challenge of helping a family with their giant, rambunctious Great Dane named Rufus.

At nearly 150 pounds, Rufus has grown up to be a bit of a handful for his owners. Despite their best intentions, they struggle to keep him under control and properly trained. Rufus has a tendency to jump up on people, get overexcited, and pull on his leash during walks. He also has a habit of stealing food off the counter and chewing on household items.

Victoria observes their interactions with Rufus and quickly identifies some of the root causes of his bad behavior. The family members have inconsistent rules and boundaries for Rufus, and often unwittingly reward him for his undesirable behaviors, such as giving him attention when he jumps up on them.

Victoria starts by showing the family how to establish clear, consistent expectations for Rufus and how to reward him for good behavior rather than unintentionally reinforcing the bad. She leads them through some training exercises to teach Rufus to sit, stay, and come when called. While Rufus is eager to learn, he still struggles with impulse control and needs some more intensive training to overcome his bad habits.

To help Rufus burn off some of his energy, Victoria recommends that he get more exercise, both physically and mentally. She suggests taking him on longer walks, playing more structured games with him, and giving him puzzle toys that challenge his intellect.

One of the challenges of working with such a large breed is finding ways to physically handle them and keep them under control. Victoria shows the family how to properly use a head halter to help prevent Rufus from pulling on his leash during walks. She also offers tips for safely lifting and handling him, as well as managing his energetic bursts of enthusiasm.

As the family starts to implement the new training techniques, Rufus begins to respond positively and show signs of improvement. They start seeing a calmer, more obedient dog in place of the formerly chaotic and misbehaved one. Victoria stresses the importance of persistence and consistency in training, especially when dealing with a stubborn and energetic breed like a Great Dane.

Overall, "Great Dane Devotion" is an entertaining and informative episode of It's Me or the Dog that showcases both the challenges and rewards of training a large dog. Viewers will come away with a greater understanding of how to work with a dog's natural behaviors and establish strong, positive communication and trust with their furry friend.