Gaining Wisdom

I've always heard the saying: "You don't get the dog you want, you get the dog you need."

Great, so I got Beckett, pretty much the epitome of "the perfect dog". Housetrained since we got him, hasn't really destroyed anything -that I remember or that was important anyway-, always the gentlemen with other dogs and so tolerant of people. Truly the perfect first dog any family could ask for.

Then we got Lemon, or more Beckett got Lemon -according to Jerrad he pines for her on Saturdays when she goes to training with me-, who is for the most part even-keel, kind of needy, always a make you smile or pull your hair out dog, friendly to a fault, a dog who I could take anywhere off-leash and not worry about. Sure she drives me up the wall the odd day and I can't get her to shut up if someone knocks on the door no matter how many set-ups we go through, but that's just knit-picking. She might not be all I want, but she is really all I could ever ask for. (Minus the barking ;) ).

But Jinks is a different story. Jinks is ridiculously even-tempered with it comes to other dogs, she has dog skills that are rarely matched by other pups so young. She can read body language from a field away, she's quick, smart, driven, highly talented, highly focused and eager to please but at the same time has enough of an off-switch to be a good house pet. However, Jink's achilles heel is new people.

She is getting better, she goes to Canadian Tire two or three times a week with Jerrad and gets fed by all the people there without an issue now. We started with people just throwing food at her, and worked up to her taking food from new people. On the trails she can pass people without issue now, where as when we got her she would freak out if a jogger came up behind us, or if one was coming towards us. Hackles would go up, the fearful bark would come out and she'd fluctuate between running full tilt in the other direction, or staying with us and fear barking some more. Now she will actively pull (slightly) towards joggers that come in either direction, she can handle bikes passing providing I set her up properly before they pass (bring her to the side of the reward and use commands to work through the stress). She can effectively go off-leash most hikes now, even if they include lots of people. She now has no problem with people in her space.

PROVIDING: They don't pay her any attention!

So of course, sometimes we get into a pickle. It doesn't help that she's a damn good looking dog.

Last night we had our first intermediate agility class. They never told me my footwork would have to be worked on harder than Jinks'. I have two left feet, I really should have thought about that before getting into agility! So anyway, now that we've worked on most of the equipment we're starting sequencing work.

Jinks does well throughout the class. Another border collie has a barking fit at a strange new computer somebody is holding to take some pictures of his wife. I can see Jinks thinking about barking at it too, but of course I'm on her like a dirty shirt. I've got baloney and I know how to use it! So we can work through scary new laptop.

"Okay mom," she says, and gets back in the groove, completing our exercise regardless of barking-it's-pants off collie. She gives the odd look at the laptop every now and again, but resigns herself to her "down" position. IE: the position of instant success no matter what under any circumstances. (We're even at about 80% of downing her from a distance now, so if she gets overwhelmed away from me I can snap her out of it). ---I use down as her stress-free command as very rarely do people want to disturb a dog in a down command.

So at this point I'm a little smug. My Jinks dog has issues -I know she's got issues-, but look at her go with this other (apparently non-issued) collie barking it's head off. Smug and proud I am. Look at all the training that is lining up!! She might just make me a good sports dog regardless of her issues yet.

And of course, like all things, smug leads to Murphy's law smacking you down at some point. So anyway, we lined up to pay for our course, and the barn where we have lessons is actually divided into two sections. The very first night of puppy agility (which we just finished with flying colors) has started on the other side and there's a great big collie -mix?- who is split faced like Jinks, just with his split on the other side of his face. His dad, who is a larger, older man with a booming voice starts hoofing it over to us on a mission.

"WOW! HE LOOKS JUST LIKE MY DOG. GOD YOU ARE GORGEOUS. WHERE'D YOU GET HER? HOW OLD IS SHE. WOW!"

Boom, smugness leaves, Jinks starts going stupid, I lose all "down" command since she's been pushed past her stress threshold since he came so quickly. She's all bark and growl and moving backwards (obviously fearful). So I do the only thing I can do. "Sorry, she isn't fond of new people in her space."

"Dogs love me. It's okay pup." (smoochy smoochy noises)

I want to hit him, I really want to hit him. GO AWAY. You're freaking her out. You're also really creepy.

Anyway, work through it as best we can, try to stay polite, pay fast and keep moving. Reward when we get far enough away that the commands start coming back into play. We both sigh, stretch and move on, but I'm a little pissy. Why does she have to be such a douchebag sometimes?

Get home, Jinks proudly chases some deer off the property and volunteers herself to go to bed for 8:00pm. I'm still grumping. I have two left feet, my dog is a douchebag and I obviously haven't trained her enough.

Grump grump grump. Grump grump grump.
Until...

I realize I wanted to hit the guy too. My social skills just kept me from it, but I DEFINITELY thought about it.

I suddenly realized if I was in her position and I was a dog, I would react much more strongly than she did. "Sorry, she isn't really fond of new men in her space." Perhaps I could be labelled people reactive too! Oh god, I'm like my dog with issues.

Beckett and Lemon haven't taught me much about myself. They've taught me lots about dogs, about training, about love, loyalty and family, but Jinks, Jinks will teach me about myself in ways I never thought about before. Jinks will push me to be a better trainer, a better handler and a better person. She will challenge me to face realities, have set-backs and have even greater successes. Perhaps then that is what I need from her. The realization to look in the mirror and look at my own strengths and weaknesses, and my own strength of character too.

I look forward to all the things Jinks will teach me in the many years to come.