I'm going to be honest about the timeline because I think the companies that promise overnight results are part of the problem.
First three days? Not much. He sniffed the collar. He was still reactive to the doorbell. Still paced when I got my keys. I almost texted my friend like "I don't think this is doing anything."
But Bearse had told me to give it 7 to 14 days. So I left it.
Around day 8, something shifted. The pacing slowed down. When I grabbed my keys, he still watched me, but he didn't follow me to the door. He stayed on his bed. I thought maybe it was a coincidence.
Then I checked the camera at work. He was on the couch. Not barking. Not pacing. Not destroying anything. Just... lying there.
Day 16 was the real test. Thunderstorm. A bad one.
Cooper went to his usual spot under the desk. But he didn't tremble. Didn't pant. He was tense – I could see that – but he wasn't falling apart. He just lay there and waited it out. That was the moment I thought, "Okay, this thing is actually real.”
By month two, I stopped thinking about it. That's the best way I can describe it.
The collar just sat there doing its thing, and Cooper was... happier. In a way that felt permanent, not temporary.
He geted a guest without barking. Rode in the car without panting. One night, I walked into the living room, and he was sleeping belly-up on the couch. He'd never done that. Not once in two years.
I stood there staring at him like an idiot.
