I am lucky....in so may ways. I work at a training center that allows me to stretch my wings and fly. Pam encourages me to step off the cliff of safety and she is right there next to me to take the fall. Good or bad, she is willing to take the leap. Continuing education, thinking outside the box, trying new things, these are the things that feed us, that fuel our creative juices and what keeps us in search of how to better meet the need of dogs and people.
Tonight we taught the final night of our relationship class. The progress has been amazing in our students and tonight you could really see it! The students reported the difference for them and each one could see the difference and feel good about it. We took a walk with the dogs in a big field. Just the people and their dogs, no instructions, no guidance, just a walk. Something so simple, no fancy handling skills required and it was beauty, poetry and a graceful dance that I will always be honored to have witnessed. They got what we tried to teach, they really got it! They honored their dogs and their dog honored them right back. Little Troy was confident leading his mom through the field, Cynder was having fun, sniffing and being with her mom and Gibbs was in his full Lab glory, nose in the air and not even caring a bit that the other dogs were all around him.
Reactive class had me crying tears of joy. I got to work with a Border Collie that was reported to be very people aggressive. I love this dog and it takes all of my self control to not be able to touch him. He and I are becoming friends, and tonight his Dad asked me if I would like to walk him. Of course I said yes and it was amazing! Watching his Dad go from being concerned to being so proud. I actually had goose bumps when I handed the leash back to his Dad, actual goose bumps! And my little Arrow, a puppy mill dog that was so scared the first week of class that he had to be carried in and out of the building. He is being so brave and tonight he let me pet him. Mom reports that he has only ever let her pet him. Tears were flowing! The Dane girls mom who finally saw her dog and was open to making the necessary changes needed to help her.
It was also the first night of Basic Manners Class. The night where I get to meet the people without their dogs, and hopefully impart wisdom about the journey they are embarking on. Since Pam and I are currently working on our own paradigm shift in training, it is bound to be reflected in our classes. We have always been clicker and for the first time ever, this class will be without one, although I am totally open to the use by any of my students and may even suggest it if I think it will help the dog. We introduced Suzanne Clothier's elemental questions and they were excited about the concept of training this way. We had always assumed that "pet people" wouldn't be able to get he concept but you could watch them physically relax at the thought of building a mutual respectful relationship.
There is no training center around us that trains this way, that would be willing to throw out the tried and true to embrace a radical shift. One that honors the dog and the person. That strives for balance for the person and the dog and gives them permission to not be perfect, but instead to be themselves. It's an exciting time! I am forever grateful to be on this journey, at this time, at Planet Canine, with Pam by my side. Boldly forging ahead and trusting that the path we are on is the right one, the one that leads to happy dogs and people.
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