Does anyone else ever have that moment of "I'm good at what I do?" Because I totally had that epiphany last night.
My BIL was stranded at his church and needed some tools, so I loaded up the newest rescue (kelpie x cattle dog) and set off. Once I handed him the tools, and instructed his friend not to pet her when she came up to sniff him, we walked around the grounds to give her a little confidence in her surroundings. As I was sitting under the car with them (lifted truck), keeping a mindful eye on my girl as she was alternately sniffing the gardens then running and sniffing the guys, I said "dang, I'm good at what I do."
She's not my first rescue, or second, or third, she's another dog on a long list of scared/fearful, unconfident, fear biting dogs I have taken and turned around. Not all were this extreme, in fact I've had more extreme cases (despite me warning against my last cattle dog not going to a kids home, she went, bit as I predicted and was put down.) But I never realize how many hours I've put in until I've put in hundreds. This dog couldn't even be basic obidience trained until recently, every training session just ended up with her a puddling mess of whimpering dog (yes, THANKS to all the people who screwed her up before me! Grr.) My mom had to remind me it took me a year and a half to get my border collie dialed in, and she was a terror when we first got her. I always forget because she's so *extremely* alpha, we still have a power struggle daily, and I have to be on top of her 24/7. Did I mention shes the most alpha dog I've ever encountered?
As I was leaving, BILs friend was telling me his land ladies dog pulls on the leash when being walked, and would I help him? I told him that's probably the easiest problem I'll ever fix in a dog.
So, anyone else really good at they do?
My BIL was stranded at his church and needed some tools, so I loaded up the newest rescue (kelpie x cattle dog) and set off. Once I handed him the tools, and instructed his friend not to pet her when she came up to sniff him, we walked around the grounds to give her a little confidence in her surroundings. As I was sitting under the car with them (lifted truck), keeping a mindful eye on my girl as she was alternately sniffing the gardens then running and sniffing the guys, I said "dang, I'm good at what I do."
She's not my first rescue, or second, or third, she's another dog on a long list of scared/fearful, unconfident, fear biting dogs I have taken and turned around. Not all were this extreme, in fact I've had more extreme cases (despite me warning against my last cattle dog not going to a kids home, she went, bit as I predicted and was put down.) But I never realize how many hours I've put in until I've put in hundreds. This dog couldn't even be basic obidience trained until recently, every training session just ended up with her a puddling mess of whimpering dog (yes, THANKS to all the people who screwed her up before me! Grr.) My mom had to remind me it took me a year and a half to get my border collie dialed in, and she was a terror when we first got her. I always forget because she's so *extremely* alpha, we still have a power struggle daily, and I have to be on top of her 24/7. Did I mention shes the most alpha dog I've ever encountered?
As I was leaving, BILs friend was telling me his land ladies dog pulls on the leash when being walked, and would I help him? I told him that's probably the easiest problem I'll ever fix in a dog.
So, anyone else really good at they do?
