Tails of the Team: Meet Orzo

Welcome back to the Unleashed Blog! In this edition of our Tails of the Team series, we’re excited to introduce you to Louisa’s dog, Orzo! Full of personality and always up for an adventure, Orzo has played a big role in shaping Louisa’s approach to pet care. From training challenges to enrichment activities, his journey highlights the power of patience, positivity, and Fear Free methods. Keep reading to learn more about their story!

What are your pets’ names, species, breeds, and ages? How did they come into your life?

My dog’s name is Orzo, after the Italian pasta - he has two little eyebrows that look just like Orzo! He is half Australian Cattle Dog and the rest is mostly Pomeranian. He is about two years old. We adopted him from a rescue when he was 8 months old and it has been a crazy wonderful ride since then.

What are your pets’ personalities like? Any quirks or unique traits?

He is just full of quirks. Orzo was a stray before we rescued him, so he had lots of habits and quirks ever since we got him. He would happily gobble up anything he found on walks, including bugs! He also has a very high prey drive and is obsessed with squirrels and any small moving critters. We think that he probably had to hunt for a lot of his own food before coming into our lives.

He is also quite wary of new people in our home and loves to ‘herd” them around the house by hitting their ankles/knees with his nose and barking at them. This is a super common trait in herding dogs and something we’re still working on with him. Speaking of herding, he loves to herd other dogs at the dog park when chasing them, and has a giant herding ball that he adores.

He is the smartest dog I’ve ever had and knows so many tricks now that I have to look up new ones to teach him. My favorite tricks that he knows are “sit pretty” and “high-five.”

Every morning he comes into our bedrooms and ‘woo-woo-woos” at us because he is very excited to start the day. 

How have your pets influenced your approach to pet care?

It has influenced my approach in so many ways! Orzo is my first dog as an adult, therefore I’ve had to learn a lot as we’ve had him. When we got him, he had basically no training. He had no leash manners, wasn’t potty trained, and was wary of people. With lots of research on training methods, he has overcome almost all of these. I always show him compassion and know that he is trying his best in every situation. I do the same with any of our pet clients who are shy or have some behavioral issues as well. Patience, love, and consistency are some of my core values with pet care.

Are there specific challenges you’ve faced with your pets that have made you a better pet care professional?

Yes! As I’ve mentioned above, Orzo had almost no training when we got him and had a few kinks that we had to smooth out. He is the best boy, but we learned how to train him in an effective, fear free manner while we had him. He is now such a good boy, and one who is always so open to and interested in training. I take this mindset with me for all of my clients!

How do you incorporate Fear Free principles when caring for your pets?

We have only trained Orzo using fear free and positive reinforcement techniques. This means that when he picked up something outside that he wasn’t supposed to, we would reward him for dropping it. If he barks at a squirrel, we figure out his distance threshold to the trigger (the squirrel) and then treat him if he’s calmly looking at them. When we have people in our house, we separate him for times when he is stressed, or have all our guests toss treats at him until he approaches them. He loves training and has responded so well with force free methods.

What’s your favorite way to spend time with your pets?

Oh man, this is a hard question! I love spending time with him whenever I can. That might be a cuddle in the morning together or simply sitting in the same room with him while he chews on a toy. It also means playing fetch with him, taking him for walks, swims, hikes, and canoes. He is my adventure buddy and is always down for anything!

How do you keep your pets mentally and physically enriched?

Orzo has an entire room in our house that we deem “his” because it is filled with all of his enrichment toys. He loves puzzle toys, snuffle mats, and tactile chews. We play lots of fetch and keep away together every day in the house. We also incorporate scent games too, and have him sniff out treats all over the house. Physically, he is super active! He gets at least two walks a day and an hour or so at the dog park. He loves to stretch his legs and run all over –especially after a ball.

Are there any particular games, exercises, or routines you do with your pets that you recommend to clients?

Physical activity is great and a must for a lot of dogs, but mental activity will wear out any dog like no other thing can. I really recommend getting a snuffle toy for your dog, especially as something you can feed them on. Orzo gets all his meals on snuffle mats and not only does it slow down his eating, it also makes his brain and nose work to find all his kibble. It’s a great way to keep your dog mentally entertained. We also play together every day. Even if you don’t have a lot of time, playing with your dog for ten minutes a day is a great way to bond and your dog will thank you for it.