A Good and Working Relationship

Yesterday when Borgos' owner arrived he of course kicked up a fuss and barked etc.  But that is to be expected. I'm afraid I started in right away discussing my opinion on what he now needs. Both owner and her Mother were most impressed with the results of the pinch collar.  As a matter of fact I lent it to them in hopes his training will continue.  He may be returning soon as they are going to the states and hope to pick up one of the collars and two for me as well. It seems to me I lent out a pinch collar some time ago and never did get it back.  I had thought not to do that again but guess I always "keep the faith" in my fellow man regardless of the results.  And it is all for a good cause anyway and both collars were given to me so...what goes around comes around?  Still. that leaves me with no pinch collars at all! Guess I will manage.  Bella is so good and sensitive that she only needs a tug on the training collar and that is good enough. think her owners just have not pushed it much nor insisted she heel nicely.  Although Bella probably came with a gentle nature, she shows that her owners are gentle as well.  She is an easy dog to have around and must be shy about "doing her business" as I have yet to see her do anything!  she seems to be able to hold her business for some time but then I have two dogs that need to go out a lot more than usual.  Bella loves her food and somehow knows exactly when I have filled her bowl and am bringing it out to her and meets me part way. She is eating well again and only refused to eat the first night so she has adjusted quickly and well.  She knows to go in the second back seat and all is well around here.
   I had a nice surprise when a friend phoned to tell me my business cards were in.  I had wanted ones with a certain photo on and she could not get that done so improvised and they look lovely!  They have young Max on them and its even a photo I took myself!Along with a whole box of cards she also ordered address labels AND a mousepad.  All with Max on them! One of the best parts was the comment on the bottom of the card that says " I am now Jack Russell tolerant."  I have never been intolerant of these energetic little dogs but disliked how the owners never bothered training them.  It makes all the difference to know they can be trained and can learn to listen and they really are very loveable.  I hope none of my clients ever cause me to pick up their dog (as an Animal Control Officer) as I would feel terrible about it.  Still as I have maintained from the time I started my job as ACO, if the owners do their job and keep their dogs  under control, I won't have to do mine.
  When I was at the Post Office I could not help myself but to speak to a fellow about how his training would go a lot better if he used a training collar.  Next thing I knew I was demonstrating and once gain lent out another collar!  I do expect these people to purchase their own and return mine and we shall see what happens.  If the weather ever clears up I think it is time for another dog class to happen. maybe Max's owner will let me use him as a demo dog although he has much to learn yet.  Its something to think about anyway. It would be great to do agility with him but I wonder if I could keep up at all?  Just about the time I have given up on agility ever taking off in Kaslo there seems to be some interest.  But you just never know how its gonna go.  I have been fortunate in that I have not had to put a lot of money out for the agility obstacles etc. Both my tunnels were given to me and the rest was built by Ed or scrounged from the dump.   I always hope to have a series of dogs that will do agility for May Days and think that would be a lot of fun but don't even have a suitable candidate myself right now.  One of the first dogs I used to "show" agility was Timmy, guess what? A Jack Russell!  Timmy was so fast and his owner so worried I would lose him I had to tie two leashes on him in order to catch him after I sent him through the tunnel.  But it worked and he quite loved doing the stuff.  You just have to figure out different ways sometimes.  A border collie named Russell loved doing agility as well but I think we have never had more than three dogs to "show".  Maybe that can change in the future?  Now I use the term "show" very loosely here as there had never been an actual competition, we just brought our dogs up and did a demo.
   The thought has occurred to me that owners not doing any training at all deprive their dogs of a lot of joy.  They are robbed of the confidence they might gain and the whole praise thing for a job well done.  Most dogs enjoy pleasing their owners and the owners should enjoy that too.  Its nice to be proud of your dog and the work you have done with him.  As with horses, every rider needs to be a trainer.  And so it is with dog owners they too need to be trainers.  It really is wonderful to have a dog know what you want before you are even aware of it and they are all clever and as stated "Love to Please You"!  And guess what else? In later years of your dogs life it will matter a lot!  That's why Keeper and I can still communicate as her faculties start to leave her.  A good relationship(training) with your dog is a wonderful thing--the rewards and results are certainly worth the time involved.