Ep 8. Where's My Treat?

In season 4 of It's Me or the Dog, episode 8 titled "Where's My Treat?", dog trainer Victoria Stilwell is called upon to help a pit bull named Nicky who is struggling with aggression issues. Nicky is highly reactive towards other dogs, causing his owners a lot of stress and frustration. Victoria explains that Nicky's behavior is driven by fear and anxiety, and that he needs to learn to trust his owners and see them as his protectors.

To begin Nicky's training, Victoria first works on building a bond with him. She spends time playing with him and giving him positive reinforcement to help him relax and feel more at ease. She also shows his owners how to be more confident and assertive in their interactions with him so that he can learn to trust them.

Once Nicky is more relaxed and trusting of his owners, Victoria starts working on his leash reactivity. She introduces him to other dogs in a controlled environment, gradually increasing his exposure as he becomes more comfortable with them. She also uses positive reinforcement to reward him for good behavior, such as calmly walking past another dog without reacting aggressively.

In addition to working on leash reactivity, Victoria also helps Nicky overcome his possessiveness over treats and toys. She teaches his owners how to set boundaries and establish rules around treat and toy play, so that Nicky understands that they are in control of these resources. She also introduces a "leave it" command to help Nicky learn to let go of items when asked.

Throughout the episode, Victoria stresses the importance of consistency and persistence in training. She reminds Nicky's owners that it will take time and effort to see results, but that with patience and commitment, they can help him overcome his aggression issues and become a happy, well-adjusted dog. By the end of the episode, Nicky is making progress in his training and his owners are feeling more confident in their ability to manage his behavior.