# Signs of confidence!!!



## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

So this Bragg may only make sense if you have ever had a dog lacking in confidence.
Some of you have read or seen my videos of Apollo. Quick recap. I got him at about 12-14 weeks old. His original owner got him at 8 weeks old. Realized that gsd pups are a lot of work and stuck him in a small crate covered with a blanket for 18 hours a day. When he was out of crate they wouldn't do anything with him except physically beat him for messing in the house. So when I acquired him he was kind of a wreck. Me having other dogs helped to ease him a little and he soon bonded with my family. Environmentally Apollo was/is fine. With other animals he was/is fine. With people he was not fine he had zero trust of strangers.
Apollo even though he has people issues still loves to work. When I take the other dogs out to train he is right there waiting his turn. Obedience wise he is right along with the other dogs. Difference being they will work in a club setting Apollo would be too occupied with the people to do any work. But, regardless I still take him to club and work him last when the field is empty and we just keep everything fun. 
Since I started doing helper work Apollo has kind of been my at home practice dog. He loves doing bite work. Just not with anyone but myself. Until today.
Apollo is 22 months old now. And the past 5-6 months I have noticed a consistent increase in his drives. He's getting more pushy and yep, even a bit more bold and confident. This morning I loaded all the dogs up and headed off to a club I go to where I have been working on my helper skills. The helper was working Athena and I kept hearing this dog going crazy. I thought it was one of the other dogs there when I happened to see one of the guys look in the back of my truck and ask one of the girls there what dog was going off in there. That is when I realized Apollo was the one going crazy. As I was putting Athena in her crate they said that Apollo was trying to bust out of his crate to get out there. So I figured what the heck. I got him out posted him up and he engaged the helper like he had zero issues with trust or confidence. I am sure a lot of it is him maturing and his drives increasing. But, to see a year and a half of work paying off and Apollo actually showing potential and confidence is 100% worth all the time I have put into him. This pic is an older pic from me and him working at home. I'll get video next time we work him.


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Wow, what a success story! Congratulations to you both!


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## Shane'sDad (Jul 22, 2010)

Wow sounds like a happy ending....or maybe beginning :smile2: Thanks for sharing !


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## dogma13 (Mar 8, 2014)

That's great to hear!Good on you for not giving up.


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

Nice work to you both!


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## cdwoodcox (Jul 4, 2015)

Thanks. Hopefully it is the start of new adventures for Apollo.


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## konathegsd (Dec 3, 2016)

That’s awesome! I’ve seen your videos and kona has always been very similar with strangers. Today we went to Lowe’s and she was not fearful of any strangers and was not anxious at all! seeing improvement is great!
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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Apollo sure looks like he is brimming with happy confidence in that pic. Reading how he came from getting beaten by his original owner to this pic and his wanting to work gave me the good goose bumps. Not kidding.

Big kiddos to you both. And thank for sharing.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Sounds like new adventures they will let you know when they are mature and ready! 


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Great work!


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