How LUCKY am I???

Okay so this blog was inspired by a post on Facebook recently by Shannen Jacoby, a poster that read:
Most people NEVER

see the hard work and effort you have put in

all they see is the END RESULT

and think its EASY

Well, I just loved this as it reminded me of things people say to me, regarding my dogs... I mean silly things that I think are supposed to be compliments or something... but in actual fact arent!

I went out of town to a weekend of Agility events last year, with a brand new dog that my out of town buddies had not met yet. I arrived on the grounds and set up camp, and although everyone greeted me and waved, chatted etc, I was left to my own devices. My dog went by very unnoticed as she is a private-type dog, not very social. In addition she was not looking very pretty at all as she had lost her entire coat and looked a bit like a brak. So to all intents and purposes, she wasn't even there! 

We went on about our merry way and everyone was busy doing their own things until there was a lull in the events and some handlers moved across to the other side for some special events. There was a break in the agility, and the morning's courses were left up in the rings. I took the opportunity to have a little run and to proof some things. So off we chugged into the deserted arena, and I decided on a short little route that would end in the dogwalk so that I could try a few things. Little did I know.. I was being watched by one of the top grade handlers.... Well, I played around and had some lovely successful contacts on the dogwalk, then moved to the frame on my way off the course. This too, was done very nicely and we played on the "course" with her favourite frisbee, and she really enjoyed it.

Well, when we were done, the handler came across and asked me the most bizarre question: "How do you get such good contacts?" Um.... I  t-r-a-i-n  them...??!! "Ja, but HOW? My dogs don't do such nice contacts!"  You are so LUCKY...........
ok................. So what do I say..? It will take me 45 minutes to give the OUTLINE!

Later someone else came up to me and said "you are so LUCKY! Your dog works beautifully!"

Also:
You are so LUCKY: your dog plays tug
You are so LUCKY: your dog brings the ball back
You are so LUCKY: your dog doesn't bite your hand when you feed treats
You are so LUCKY that your dog runs ahead of you
You are so LUCKY that your dog lets you back cross
You are so LUCKY that your dog listens (?)
You are so LUCKY that your dog waits at the start............

Lucky, lucky, lucky (well maybe I should go buy a lotto ticket!)

PFffffff lucky my ASS

When I got this specific dog, she came out of the box all sweet and cuddly and beautiful..... BUT...
balls - tugs - toys - food......... NOTHING aahhhhh I wanted to CRY! In fact I think I DID cry!
What did I do then?? I had to THINK...!

It took months, but I had to clicker train her to WANT a toy! Ever tried that with a dog that doesn't like treats? Not even the BEST treats! What a mission! Hardest I have ever worked with a dog! Train train train with the dog!! PHEW. It's NOT LUCK! Then I had to train her HOW to play... all before I could TRAIN... sigh (saddest thing is a dog with natural drive that is suppressed - so doesn't know what to do with it for reasons beyond your control).

But we got there!

I am LUCKY to have such beautiful and clever dogs that love me.
I am LUCKY to have my health that allows me to run and train my dogs.
I am LUCKY to have people who will share their knowledge with me so that I can train new methods.....

I am not lucky to have dogs that are trained - because that was HARD work, and not luck.

If my dog can do something that yours can't, I probably trained it and you didnt... simple as that :)