Dog training.
Fun?
Frustrating?
Exciting?
Maddening?
Joyous?
Exhausting?
All of the above?
Yes, and then some.
I’ll be honest. After Monday night’s Reactive Rover class with Jade I was ready to give up, ready to admit I suck at dog training, ready to shout to the world that I’ll never have another dog training success.
Jade didn’t do anything awful. The trainer treated Jade and me with kindness and patience. But Monday night I realized just how badly I misread Jade the past two and a half years that we’ve had her. I had no idea how afraid of new situations she is. None.
How did I fail her this badly? Will she be able to overcome the ways I’ve mishandled her and her situation?
But then came Tuesday evening.
After work Daniel and I took her to a large grassy area in a shopping center near our house. Just to get her out. To get her to a new place. To start trying to help her regain some confidence.
Yeah, she was afraid, but she explored. Slowly her tail came up. She didn’t want to stay long, but she did it.
She’s doing great with her mat work, too. Will she come out of her shell in class when we resume September 1? I don’t know.
But what I do know is that I will do everything I can to help her. And if she never enjoys new places that’s okay. The couch is always hers for as long as she lives.
Colletts on the Move 