Joined
·
897 Posts
Living with the Beast is really exhausting. Many days I wonder why we do it. Every time you correct a behavior and finally eliminate it he develops some other way to be beastie. I often grouse about the work he requires and lament that he will be the last GSD who will share our home.
Last weekend we went to the NE regional Schutzhund competition. As we watched the protection phase the boy turned to me and said "this is like our house on a regular basis". We watched a dog guarding a helper in the blind, bouncing like a jumping bean. The boy said "hey, just like Beast- look how he never touches that helper the same as Beast". We watched the handler walk the dog away from the blind and push into him and then watched the helper move him sideways in a well choreographed dance. Again, the boy said "Hey Beast does that sideways dance...and I have to push into him a lot!" We watched the dog and helper race at each other and meet midfield. The boy said "I know how that feels...you hear the thunder of the paws and then he is on you...all the way across the yard Beast picks up a lot of speed". We watched the helper stare down a dog. I asked the boy how that would work with the Beast. His answer: "well, I would never stare at him like that- I think he would nip my nose- he isn't trained like these guys".
I realized then that it is all in perspective. If Beast was one of the competitors I would probably be thrilled at all his natural proclivities. If he were involved in that sport I would be training him to use those talents instead of trying to train him to constrain those behaviors. I am working against his nature. I have a new appreciation for my Beast. While I still think he is a lot of work I recognize he simply missed his calling and is trying in his own Beastie way to balance his natural instincts with what I want. I will celebrate his ingenuity in finding a new way to Beast instead of feeling exasperated- after all others like him get to train what they already are inclined for- he has to be someone completely different-and that is a lot of work for us both.
Last weekend we went to the NE regional Schutzhund competition. As we watched the protection phase the boy turned to me and said "this is like our house on a regular basis". We watched a dog guarding a helper in the blind, bouncing like a jumping bean. The boy said "hey, just like Beast- look how he never touches that helper the same as Beast". We watched the handler walk the dog away from the blind and push into him and then watched the helper move him sideways in a well choreographed dance. Again, the boy said "Hey Beast does that sideways dance...and I have to push into him a lot!" We watched the dog and helper race at each other and meet midfield. The boy said "I know how that feels...you hear the thunder of the paws and then he is on you...all the way across the yard Beast picks up a lot of speed". We watched the helper stare down a dog. I asked the boy how that would work with the Beast. His answer: "well, I would never stare at him like that- I think he would nip my nose- he isn't trained like these guys".
I realized then that it is all in perspective. If Beast was one of the competitors I would probably be thrilled at all his natural proclivities. If he were involved in that sport I would be training him to use those talents instead of trying to train him to constrain those behaviors. I am working against his nature. I have a new appreciation for my Beast. While I still think he is a lot of work I recognize he simply missed his calling and is trying in his own Beastie way to balance his natural instincts with what I want. I will celebrate his ingenuity in finding a new way to Beast instead of feeling exasperated- after all others like him get to train what they already are inclined for- he has to be someone completely different-and that is a lot of work for us both.