When I got Jack the Dog he came from a home with a young girl with MR. She had little tolerance for the dogs and would take a rolled up newspaper and smack them with it when they annoyed her or were barking. It was disheartening to see, and her parents tried their best to redirect her, but it has resulted in a dog with little trust. When I first brought him home, and he thought he was in trouble, he would immediately run and hide under the bed, or he would coward into a little ball. It was sad to watch. Over the last couple of years, and as he got older, he has become better, and trusts people better as he gets to know them. You can imagine my frustration when a guy came over to our house a couple of months ago who obviously did NOT like dogs, and kicked at Jack to get him out of the way. I was livid, but we won't go into my thoughts on that. Since then, Jack has started nipping at the feet of people who come into the house, and if someone stands up unexpectedly, he goes into attack mode. He even does it with my roommate, who he has always known. It is incredibly frustrating. It was then escalated by two weeks of having a constant flow of people coming in and out of the house to visit my roommate, who had broken her leg. The perfect storm!I've done all sorts of research on how to change his behavior, and have even talked to my boss about it, who is a dog trainer, but it basically comes down to him trusting people - again. Grrr!! Lots of positive reinforcement, patience, and working one-on-one with him. I figured we needed something different, so starting Monday, I'm taking Jack to a 6 week agility training course! Hooray! I'm excited about it and can't want to see how he responds to it. It will get both of us outside and playing together, and it will teach him discipline and routines. A win-win situation. Here's to hoping for a better Jack....
I'm a 30 something year old living in Vegas and wondering when I'll get used to the summers. I love to travel, be with friends, and be outside with my dog, Jack. Life is good. No complaints here.
"Don't ever be afraid to let yourself go. Dream high. Shoot for the moon. If you miss it, reach out and grab a star."
"Be the change you want to see in the world" - Ghandi
"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
"Perhaps all the questions we ask of love, to measure, test, probe, and save it, have the additional effect of cutting it short. Perhaps the reason we are unable to love is that we yearn to be loved, that is, we demand something (love) from our partner instead of delivering ourselves to them demand-free and asking for nothing but their company." -Milan Kundera 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being'.....I'd also like to give a shout out to Brooke Hart for introducing me to this quote.
"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."
1. The gospel doesn't make our lives perfect, but it gives us a perfect perspective
2. We don't necessarily have to change friends when we realize and accept that our friends are going to change
3. Things are usually better in the morning, but sometimes they're better the very same day with the right people in your life
4. There are certain things that I shouldn't have to, and won't put up with
5. There are a thousand reasons to be happy every day
6. Your trials may not appear as significant as someone else's, but they're still yours, so don't feel like you have to make them insignificant
7. I can get through anything with the support of family and friends that love me and want nothing but good things for me
8. The world is full of endless possibilities for adventures and joy
9. God knows me - and loves me - and is my greatest advocate in this world
10. You should never take advantage of a meaningful friendship, of a good dessert, of the little things that make you smile, of the positive effects of others around you, of simple comforts, and of the blessings in your life on a daily basis
When I got Jack the Dog he came from a home with a young girl with MR. She had little tolerance for the dogs and would take a rolled up newspaper and smack them with it when they annoyed her or were barking. It was disheartening to see, and her parents tried their best to redirect her, but it has resulted in a dog with little trust. When I first brought him home, and he thought he was in trouble, he would immediately run and hide under the bed, or he would coward into a little ball. It was sad to watch. Over the last couple of years, and as he got older, he has become better, and trusts people better as he gets to know them. 
You can imagine my frustration when a guy came over to our house a couple of months ago who obviously did NOT like dogs, and kicked at Jack to get him out of the way. I was livid, but we won't go into my thoughts on that. Since then, Jack has started nipping at the feet of people who come into the house, and if someone stands up unexpectedly, he goes into attack mode. He even does it with my roommate, who he has always known. It is incredibly frustrating. It was then escalated by two weeks of having a constant flow of people coming in and out of the house to visit my roommate, who had broken her leg. The perfect storm!
I've done all sorts of research on how to change his behavior, and have even talked to my boss about it, who is a dog trainer, but it basically comes down to him trusting people - again. Grrr!! Lots of positive reinforcement, patience, and working one-on-one with him. I figured we needed something different, so starting Monday, I'm taking Jack to a 6 week agility training course! Hooray! I'm excited about it and can't want to see how he responds to it. It will get both of us outside and playing together, and it will teach him discipline and routines. A win-win situation. Here's to hoping for a better Jack....
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I have no words...
That's a first!!!!
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