Finding Dr. Amanda Florsheim has been a Godsend. A few years ago I adopted two 7-month-old dogs — Coco, a chocolate lab, and Charley, a beagle/shepherd/and who-knows-what-else mix — who were abandoned at Lake O’ The Pines in East Texas. Though I fell in love with them immediately, the challenges presented themselves early: difficulty in walking them since they had been running free for months, wild barking at the back fence whenever the city trucks or other dogs came by, and lunging and barking at other dogs on walks. Because of the latter, I could not walk them together. Dr. Florsheim’s detailed intake questionnaire and initial visit quickly led to an assessment of each dog’s issues, and she began to unfold a successful plan of training and behavioral modification — all with positive reinforcement. Both dogs took to her immediately, as she had filled her office with treats (even slathering liver paste on the wall!) and got down on the floor to love on them as well. As I began to practice my part in their training, I began to see some immediate, positive changes. Dr. F also recommended a particular harness for my “kids” — since Coco had pulled out of a traditional harness a few times. It works very well. We also tried an Adaptil collar with Charley, since his anxiety is triggered more easily.