A lot has happened over the last few weeks; for one thing, I ended up hiring a dog trainer for Oddie. I needed him to learn how to walk properly with me—since he had actually caused me to fall and get injured during one of our walks—but I also needed help with his behavior, as he was showing signs of aggression. He had already bitten me twice before the fall, so I decided to seek professional help. Well, the first step was looking at various options. One was a dog training school where just two sessions cost $70, while the full program—meaning taking him to the facility—cost $400, without even specifying the duration. That didn't appeal to me because Oddie is extremely nervous; being in a new place for an extended period would have caused him immense stress, not to mention the hassle of the commute.

There was another trainer, but I didn't really like her. Then I found a man who lived near my home—well, not *that* close, but relatively so—and offered more affordable rates for in-home lessons. I preferred this arrangement because I could observe the dog's interactions with the whole family and the issues arising with each member. During the first session—an assessment—he explained that the dog wasn't aggressive but rather believed he was superior to me; he also noted that the dog was extremely high-strung. He recommended that I cut back on displays of affection, offering them only when the dog obeyed my commands. We couldn't take him for a walk that day due to heavy rain, so we postponed it until the following week, while I reinforced the exercises at home twice a day.

The following week, he arrived, and Oddie was still nervous—though less intensely so. We managed to take both him and my baby, Angela, out for a walk; we put a choke collar on him—since we had one—because the gentleman prefers leashes to harnesses for training, especially given the dog's strength. He was the one handling him; at first, it took a lot of effort, but he managed to control him much better—helped, of course, by the fact that he is much stronger than I am. He gave me tips and explained everything I needed to do, particularly regarding how to hold him firmly.

Since Oddie was more focused on the black female dog, we dropped the female off first and took him out alone; I handled the leash myself—it was a bit of a struggle at first, but I eventually got the hang of it. However, when we tried to head back home, he refused to listen at all; it turned out he was terrified because it had started to rain. Once we got inside, the trainer reached for his collar to unclip the leash, and Oddie bit him. I managed to calm the dog down and bring him fully into the house—we had been on the porch—while the trainer explained that Oddie dislikes having his neck touched because he associates it with being dominated, adding that the incident was partly his own fault. He kept emphasizing that the dog isn't aggressive—Oddie went right back to normal and never growled again, nor did he sink his fangs in to maul the trainer's hand; it was more of a warning nip to push him away.

Anyway, after those initial days, I had to take him out on my own and practice what I’d been taught—not long walks, just a few meters at a time while he adjusted. The next two days weren't quite as stressful, and he listened to me reasonably well; however, on the third day, he tried to bite me—it happened because I let go of the leash, though he didn't actually catch my hand. I told the trainer I didn't understand why he was suddenly acting that way and admitted I was afraid to take him out again; at home, there was a sense of trust, but he behaved differently on the street. The trainer told me not to be afraid and made a few other somewhat cruel comments—even though he knew I was trying my best and that feeling afraid wasn't my fault. I was doing everything humanly possible to overcome that fear, but it’s hard when the memory of the bites stays with you—the thought that if he bit my hand, it could be rendered useless, and I needed my hands for work.

In the end, I told him I wouldn't actually take the dog out for a walk; instead, I’d just spend some time with him on the porch and open the gate while he was leashed—all to help him overcome his fear of the street and build confidence. He agreed with the plan, noting that it would also help me shed my own fear. Last week, we took him out again for a bit, but without the slip collar—since I realized he gets worse with it and does better with a regular collar. He noticed the dog is terrified of a specific area near my house, so he suggested I go somewhere else for training and bring someone along, having observed that my nervousness decreases when I’m not alone.

Oddie hasn't been an easy dog ​​to handle—perhaps I spoiled him too much, though I’m learning as I go. He’s never had issues with other dogs before, but I’m still figuring things out. I feel it’s normal to be afraid, especially given recent events; still, I’m not giving up. I plan to use a mantra to calm my nerves and project more firmness so this boy learns to respect boundaries. Even so, what advice would you give me? What can I do to lower my anxiety and feel more confident with Oddie?