Some Days are Just That Way

There’s a wonderful, wonderful book on human-canine interaction by Patricia McConnell called The Other End of the Leash that really delves into understanding the bond between dog and human.  If you haven’t read it or any of her work, we highly recommend doing so.  Like now.  Why are you still reading this blog?  You can get the book on amazon.com or on iTunes and with an iPad or Kindle, you could be reading it right now.

Still here?  Good.  Thanks.  But you really should read that sometime.

The rest of today’s blog was written by Dad, so please forgive if it doesn’t that same level of juvenile canine humor you’ve come to love and expect.

Last night was pretty rough – Li’l Mr. Barclay got into something, who knows what, and turned into Barfley all night and mostly of today.  We had a great training session yesterday with Mind Your Manners, so somewhere between then and 2:00 a.m., his little tummy went all oopsy.

 You know the Labrador’s motto of life, right?  “Go ahead and eat it, you can always throw it up later.”

This means, of course, there was much chaos – vacuum cleaners and carpet cleaners and running around trying to catch the puke before it hits the carpet.  Everybody was a little stressed and off their game.

Then I started running late and got frantic – couldn’t find the keys, then couldn’t find the dog-treat-carrots, then almost forgot the stuff I was supposed to take.  Meanwhile Tucker has his collar on and is ready to go.  See, today was our second – and last before the big test – training session in preparation for our Pet Partner program registration.

And I’m all cocky, going. “Tucker’s GOT this.”

Nope.  Tucker most certainly did not have it today and Tucker was absolutely not interested in having it today.  See, that leash acts like a tether from dog to human and back.  And everything the human feels, that dog is going to feel (and if you’re really in tune, vice versa).  If you’re stressed, you’d better believe that dog is going to pick it up.

Tucker was definitely stressed . . . he did two things today he’s never done before.  First, on a potty break I let him go wherever he wanted — after he’d done his nasty, sinful business in the correct potty place.  He trotted all over the place, guided me back to the car and plopped his little butt down and look at the door, then at me, looked at the door, then at me.  Dude was ready to go.

I sat down on the curb and we talked a little bit and I asked him if he could push through just a little longer.  He agreed, but once we got back inside and did a couple of role playing scenario, he walked behind me, stood directly behind my legs and would. not. move.  Done, Daddy, D-U-N, done!

This is what I love about Pet Partners – and about Patricia McConnell’s book – if you really know your dog and really listen, they’ll tell you what they need or what they want.  And if your dog isn’t with it, then you don’t go visit people.  And if they’re done, man, then let them be done.   T-man was just off – and some days it’s really ok to be off.

We work with some awesome trainers that have really helped us deepen our relationships and bond with all three of The Boys.  We’re grateful, and so are the dogs.  We’re listening, boys.  And tonight we’re just all going to stay home, stay in and be a little off together.

Yes, those are Other Daddy’s feet Barclay’s sleeping on.

Oliver has no dignity whatsoever. Good for him.

p.s.  Please do keep up with the training we’re doing on the program at Love Dog Las Vegas.