What is a Roxy Dog?
By Susie Danzis, Owner, Training Tails Dog Training
A Roxy™ dog naturally possesses certain characteristics. These characteristics are not all trainable or always observable when they are young. They are characteristics they mature into with proper guidance.
A Roxy dog has experienced the joy of being a pup…..the curiosity of adolescence….the exploration of a teenager….the confidence building of young adulthood….and are ready for the responsibility of adulthood.
A Roxy dog adores all people. They are drawn to anyone who desires to connect with them. They desire to be near, touched, and seen by others—familiar and unfamiliar—even when the person they love the most (their handler) is holding their leash next to them, too.
A Roxy dog is predictable even when the environment or people around them become unpredictable. They are solid and clear-headed. They are curious but can be neutral to other dogs, sounds, and visual distractions. They have the emotional maturity to handle frustration and respond to the world around them with a calm demeanor.
A Roxy dog has a reliable skill set learned through consistent training with its handler. In a scheduled test, it performed approximately 15 skills in front of an evaluator and a group of volunteers. With a passing score and other requirements, it became a member of a therapy dog organization.
A Roxy dog has a handler who always advocates for it. The dog is put into environments where it feels safe and will thrive. Mutual communication between the handler and dog is achieved through training and relationship-building. With experience, a Roxy team learns when to greet for social interaction, when to approach for emotional comfort, and when to just be near for a safe connection.
