How PupPod Made an Anxious Dog Dance
How PupPod Made an Anxious Dog Dance
Lauren and Louis’ dog Oliver is a 9-year-old Biewer Yorkshire Terrier. Never heard of that? You’re not alone. Biewer Terriers (pronounced “beaver”) are a rare breed that, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC), are “extremely intelligent” and have a “larger than life personality.”
Oliver certainly fits the breed profile, but his need for mental and physical stimulation also means that he easily becomes bored. Like so many dog parents, Lauren and Louis work and lead busy lives. As devoted as they are to their adorable pooch, it can be difficult to meet all of his needs. And over the years, Oliver has developed generalized anxiety, separation anxiety and behavior challenges such as barking, marking, and obedience issues.
To compound the situation, Oliver has also had two knee surgeries for a luxating patella. For a successful recovery, his activity had to be restricted, but this led to even more anxiety and agitation.
As a behavioral neuroscientist, Lauren understood that one of the keys to decreasing Oliver’s stress was to engage his brain. So she purchased the original PupPod game as a training tool for behavior modification and to reduce separation anxiety.
“It definitely had an impact on his anxiety levels and behavior,” Lauren recalls. She says that playing the game soon became a ritual Oliver looked forward to every day. “He would let us know when it was time to play. It was really good for his therapy and when he was on restricted movement.”
By giving Oliver an outlet for his energy and helping him focus his brain, PupPod has made life more enjoyable and less stressful for the entire family. Lauren reports that leaving the house has been easier and walks have been more fun because he is less reactive.
He’s even calmer in the face of every dog’s nemesis - the mailman. “In the past, Oliver would go crazy and run to the door barking and freaking out. It didn’t matter what I said,” Lauren recalls. “But now, he’ll sit on his bed. He may growl a bit but he’ll listen and he recovers much more quickly and is much less excitable in general.”
Today, Oliver has transitioned to the newest version of the game - the PupPod Rocker - and he still loves to play. So much so that every time this formerly anxious dog hears the word “PupPod,” he dances.
Oliver is such a star, he's featured in this PupPod video ad.
