For all the disheartened owners training out there ....

I know it's not just me that gets disheartened when trying to train my dogs and they just don't seem to be going forwards at all ....

... I felt like that today with Shiloh, KW used a brilliant word to describe him when he's not with it ... he called him 'fizzy', which is just that. And if you continue to try and push the issue it's like you're shaking up a pop bottle and he gets fizzier and fizzier.

And then I think of how far we have come with him in so many ways, from the time when he would simply ignore everything because he was in Shiloh land and too focussed on something else .... now I can snap him back with a 'watch me' command (Godsend!) and he's back on Earth and ready to listen again.

And then I think about Skye and how I despaired when she was a pup, I was told I would never get her back, she was ruined, would always be a problem dog etc etc, and now she's fantastic (has her odd thing, but what dog doesn't?) .... I know I will get there with Shiloh.

So for all those disheartened people, I have an encouraging message ....


YOU WILL GET THERE!!

Great message Vicki I am sure we are all the same make some progress and are delighted then 2 steps back ! gotta just keep trying tho

It is a great message and you are trying which is more than some folk do. Am sure your dogs love you very much and any progress you all make no matter how small or big will be well rewarded

Just remember that sometimes, to get to where you want to be, you need travel a long way, or go backwards to go round an obstacle before you can constructively go forwards, or try another route, or go sideways to look for another route to your goal.
Well done for persevering

Great thread and well done you for your achievements to date.

I always try to get people to see their biggest "challenges" as their biggest opportunities to learn and grow.

The dogs in my life who where "easy" didn't teach me anywhere near as much as the dogs in my life who where not. I loved them all just as much, but it was the tougher ones who helped me develop myself, in terms of patience, persistence, a fluid approach, deeper questioning, new techniques, more unconditional love and finally greater satisfaction at the end result.

My most difficult dog ever, my beloved Cloud, has taught me more than any other living thing. She is still prone, at 7, to "naughty" stuff and sticking two fingers up at me from time to time and she has had me in tears many many times. But she has been my greatest teacher and for that I thank her more than any other dog. She has been known for instance to jump on the table and steal all the treats, in the middle of large public dog training demonstrations. At first I was humiliated, I was a dog trainer doing a demo for goodness sake, but these days, I allow for her eccentricities and realise that her "imperfections" bring me closer to my audience who cant really relate to the perfect dog, but can relate the the food stealing, obsessively self possessed, monkey that she is. She makes us all all laugh now, which is brilliant . I try to remember now, that making a dog perfect is not the aim, making my appreciation of my dog perfect, is a much more realistic and satisfying one.
Good luck everyone with your training.

Absolutely. Can I also add
1. You get good days and bad days. If it`s a bad day, go home. Tomorrow will be better.
2. There will be setbacks. But recovery is certain because you got over it before.
3. Sometimes stuff happens simply because stuff happens, you know?
4. If all else fails, start again.

Razzle has been with us a year. Every night I sit beside him and scritch his ears and stroke his lovely fur. Last night he came to me for his stroke. Aw!

I agree about the dogs not being easy as the ones who teach you more, Tom is such an intelligent dog and you need to respect that , he is a character who will do his own thing if allowed and that is allowed a little bit , I wouldnt change him for the world and basically he is so eager to please it is up to me to use that , is there a perfect dog , that depends on your expectations, personally I prefer a bit of spirit as long as it can be controlled where required and is safe ! Bella can be a little madam at times too but both as so loyal and loving , that makes up for the little things where you think I really dont want you to behave like that , they know it but still push it some times anyway

A lovely thread. I must say I can relate, Cain has been a huge learning curve! And Im ashamed to say it but honestly some days recently I've stood in the park in floods of tears after a really bad walk wondering if I can really cope with him any more. But I love him to pieces and I don't see how passing him on would solve anything. All it would do would break his trust in people again, set him miles back and leave me unable to forgive myself forever (and with his issues almost every rescue would out him to sleep )..... And then he does something ridiculous which makes me laugh, melts my heart and I know that we're stuck together, for better or for worse. But I thought I'd share how I've felt in our darkest moments in case anyone else has felt it, you're not alone. But I won't give up on him.

He's taught me so much about myself. I always thought I knew a fair bit about animal behaviour and thought I was a patient person. He's taught be that really I knew very little about dig behaviour but now I can read his subtle signs like a book. He's also pushed my further past my patience limit than I ever thought possible! I think if he wasn't so strong then we'd be in a better position. He exhausts me physically then I collapse mentally.

He's been a journey. We've had him almost a year. I had no idea what we were taking on, we just saw a photo. In all honesty looking back, I had thought we'd be a lot further on by now. But I've learned that only Cain can set the pace and he has still made some massive progress, even if it's not what I originally thought it would be.

I have also cried tears of joy and some days ge makes me so proud. He is such hard work but us a lesson in dog behaviour that I could never learn in a book. Through him I've met my wonderful dog trainers (who never lose faith in Cain or me and without who I would never have got this far) who also became wonderful friends. I've met wonderful supportive people through Dogsey. So many good things gave come out of Cain's arrival.....I just need to make an effort to remember them when I want to throttle him!

Well done to everyone out there working on their challenging dogs. Dogsey is such a fabulous support network and has helped me pick myself up countless times.

And one days Ill write a "Marley and Me" style book about all this and make my millions.....maybe I'll start with the day he decided to cr*p on the kitchen table and go from there

Every time a dog, or person, or situation, or fact tests your ability to survive it, you get better.

Those that test it regularly are our greatest gifts. And it it to those that rock the bout, that we should be most greatfull, for it is they who have saved us from being "stuck", in our thinking!

Having soMEthing, perfecting something, keeping hold of something, keeping somethiNG the same, BEIGN SURE OF SOMETHING, keeping things as they are - that is not living - that is stagnation - death even. Endless change and challenge, tough as it may seem, is the way forward to "more" BETTER AND NEW.

Eventually it becomes 2 steps forward and 1 step back .... sometimes it takes a long time to get there, but you always do.

I think those that stop trying, stop enjoying their dogs. Training is a big part of owning a dog and bonding with them. IMO anyway

SO true. Half of training is being observant and creative! There's always another route to the same place if one doesn't work out!

Cloud sounds like such a cheeky girl! In fact, she sounds much like my Skye. I think less than perfect dogs are real dogs. It's amazing that your girl has taught you so much.

Those are brilliant points! And brilliant wisdom too.
Bless Razzle too, progress like that is what makes it all worth it I think.

What a wonderful post. I have read a few posts about Cain and I admire you greatly for persevering with him and not giving up. I have only a small taste of this in Bear and Shiloh, and do understand about never giving up. The small steps are so massive.

There have been times I have been in tears with Shiloh, and times I have been so sure that there's no hope because I must have caused all this in the first place as I've had him from a pup so how could I hope to fix it.
And you have to have a thick skin I think too, as people will always look at you in a certain way if your dog isn't 100%, or make an unhelpful comment and others may even feel the need to give you their (unwanted) advice.

Just gotta keep going and have total faith in the fact that you will get there .... eventually