Training Magic

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| Print | By | November 8, 2007 1:18 PM

One of my favorite parts of the dog training process is watching the magic happen during the first lesson. There are two very distinct moments that make my heart sing … the first is when the canine student realizes that he’s the center of attention in a good way, and the second is when the people discover that their dog is really, really clever.

I love watching the dog figure out that training is so, so much fun. And that he has everyone’s undivided attention for a full hour. And that he gets treats for doing easy stuff. In many households the family dog is chronically under-stimulated, and training provides the creative outlet that he so desperately needs. These dogs literally blossom during training … I try not to play Dr. Doolittle too much, but these dogs have a twinkle in their eye and they seem to be saying, “I can do this!”

I’ve never met a dumb dog, but I’m amazed by how many owners assume that because they’re having dog-related challenges, their dog is “special needs.” Most of the time it’s because the two parties lack a common language – saying “Do you want to sit for me Fido? C’mon, sit your butt down. Sit down.” might be clear to you, but to Fido? Not so much. The simple training exercises that we do during the first lesson are enough to illustrate how easy it is to open the lines of communication between dog and human, and more importantly, how much fun it is! I love it when the owner turns to me with an incredulous look and says “Wow! My dog totally gets it!”

The magic I see during that first lesson isn’t a flashy, obvious Vegas-type of magic. It’s subtle. I see it in a grin, a wag, an ear scratch.

It’s the quiet but unmistakable beginnings of a new, stronger bond between dog and person, and sometimes it’s powerful enough to bring tears to my eyes.

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