Dear Ben…
Seven months ago, you came into our home scared, mistrustful, unpredictable, and dangerously food aggressive. You wolfed your food at what seemed like close to light-speed, and you had such severe kennel anxiety that even a few minutes of being in it made you potty in it. Walking you was often very difficult; you were in a new environment and you were so anxious and nervous that you couldn’t relax. Playing with you – especially with a toy – was out of the question; you didn’t know what play was. To you, it was all about doing whatever you had to do to get the prize – including biting.
But, in the seven months that you have been with us, you have changed… and so have I. I’ve helped you learn that not all humans are bad, and you have helped me remember to trust my instincts. I’ve taught you how to play, and in return, you’ve taught me how to enjoy life. I’ve taught you how to give and accept affection, and you’ve taught me that affection feels good. I’ve worked to help you become calm around food, and you’ve helped me become more patient. I’ve worked to help you learn to restrain yourself around the cat, and you’ve helped me learn to be calm. I’ve worked to help you become more trusting, and you have helped me learn how to face and deal with my fears. Between the two of us, my beautiful boy, we’ve helped each other become more balanced and happy. Yes, we both still have a ways to go, but that’s what life is about.
Today is our last day together, Ben. It has been quite an extraordinary journey for you, and for us. You stole my heart the first time I saw you, over a year ago, and I will never forget you. I will cry for awhile for missing you, but I know that your new forever family will give you an amazing life filled with love, laughter, play, and so much more. They already love you so, so much – and it’s clear that you love them so much, too. Your eyes light up and your whole body shakes with joy and excitement every time you see them. You and they are going to make a wonderful life together.
Thank you for choosing me to share your journey with, my beautiful boy. Thank you for teaching me, for loving me, for trusting me, for being patient with me, and for all the life lessons you’ve worked so hard to help me learn and remember. I love you more than you will ever know…
Introducing… Gizmo
Meet Gizmo, a 15-month-old pit-bull/pug cross. Gizmo is a rescue with a variety of problems that range from a lack of basic manners, to food obsession and food aggression. He also has a severe-bite history: If you look closely at the picture, you see his right eye is turned in towards his nose. He attacked and severely bit the human who did that to him.
I met Gizmo and his owner this past Monday. During the consultation, I watched both him and his owner very closely. I saw no signs of aggressive or reactive behavior in Gizmo, but his body language clearly showed that he was nervous, tense, insecure, and very anxious. When I asked his owner about their state of being, they admitted they were feeling those very same things. So, I took the leash and started working to help them switch their focus onto something more relaxing and pleasant.
I spent about two hours with Gizmo, working to earn his trust and respect. Then, when I saw that his owner was calm, I turned over the leash and had them do the same exercises with him that I had just finished. Because the owner’s anxiety had been quite high up to that point, the results were much better than I expected: Gizmo did a great job of checking in every few steps, and his owner was walking much more confidently, using less tension on the leash, and relaxing more. By the time the consultation was finished, both Gizmo and his owner were both happy and tired.
Last night was the first official training session. The weather was cold and wet, so we had no choice but to work indoors. Space was severely limited, so the session focused on the very basic tasks of focus, sit, and come. Gizmo’s ability to give eye contact is hampered by his damaged right eye, so he adjusted for that by sitting a bit sideways and looking at us from that position so we could see he was doing what was being asked of him. He and his owner did an awesome job with the lessons – which was actually quite amazing, as there are other animals in the home and their excitement levels were off the charts during the entire session.
Gizmo definitely has some serious issues that have to be addressed. But once the weather clears and we are able to work outside, helping him face and overcome those issues will be much easier. It’s hard to address big problems in a confined space that is shared with other animals, especially when those other animals are overly excited. But, I’m looking forward to the challenge; Gizmo is an incredibly smart dog who loves to learn, and I appreciate the opportunity to help him help himself and his owner, too.
Happy Dawgs Obedience Training 