Johnny & Sid

When Melissa contacted Building Better Dogs, Johnny and Sid were two friendly, energetic, two-year-old Boston Terriers with no previous formal training. They enjoyed meeting new people, but their excitement made it difficult for them to remain calm and frequently resulted in jumping. Melissa wanted both dogs to develop better obedience and self-control without taking away the happy, social personalities that made them special. Her goals were straightforward: calmer behavior, reliable obedience, and polite greetings without jumping on new people. Working with two dogs required recognizing that Johnny and Sid each had an individual personality and might not always learn in exactly the same way. Their training was adjusted accordingly while maintaining clear, consistent expectations for both boys. Through patient instruction, positive reinforcement, gentle guidance, and consistent practice, Johnny and Sid learned how to make calmer and more appropriate choices. Their work focused on foundational obedience, impulse control, polite greetings, and helping them understand what was expected when excitement began to build. Melissa was also given practical tools and guidance so she could confidently continue their training at home. This helped create consistency beyond the individual training sessions and allowed the family to keep building on the progress the boys had made. By the completion of their program, Melissa saw an incredible transformation. Johnny and Sid were calmer, better behaved, and more obedient. The two highly excitable Boston Terriers had become what she affectionately described as “obedient little gentlemen.” Their success demonstrates what can happen when individualized professional training is combined with a committed owner who continues practicing and reinforcing the lessons at home.