We've been home about 5 days now from our Spring Break trip to Florida and while we are pretty much back into routine as a family, I still haven't found that rythym with my dogs. I always miss them terribly when we leave them (which is only about once a year, but so good and necessary to do for all of us), I can't wait to get home to them, and I am always fired up with new ideas and thoughts on training (especially when I spend my vacation reading training books!) -- but now I'm home and can't seem to find the right time and place to train/play with them.

It really showed last night at the first session of Puppy Class. I got Daisy out to play with the puppies (she is so good with them -- she plays so nicely and has great canine communication skills) and when Daisy figured out that one of the handlers had treats she was willing to share with her, Daisy would have gladly gone home with her! It was like I didn't exist. I have no one to blame but myself -- we've snuggled a lot this week, but that's about it. I didn't take her to school, I didn't train with her at all, I don't think we even did any tricks! Dogs love to work and play and Daisy, even being the couch-potato she can be, is no exception. To maintain our relationship and our bond, it's just like human/human relationships, we need to work on it. Since I am the human and the leader, it's up to me to do that. In thinking back over the week, there were many times Daisy was communicating to me that she wanted to do something with me and I ignored it. Definitely "handler error" and something I intend to work on this weekend and next week. I want to go to Puppy Class next week with my dog having eyes only for me!

Lifelong Learning

I have long told my students and fellow dog handlers that dog training is a "work in progress" the dog's entire life for both the handler and the dog. I truly believe that and try to live that. We currently have an elderly, retired police K-9 German Shepherd dog at home. Every day is a new chapter in our life with him as he ages -- he's losing his sight, his hearing is mostly gone and his body is aging. We are learning ways to keep him healthy, comfortable, and how to communicate with him. It's truly a privilege to be blessed with such a good dog and to have him for so long is above and beyond what we expected. We are thankful for every day we still have him with us.

I have been studying to take a dog trainer certification exam -- something I have put off for a few years mostly because I wasn't sure where I would find the time. But I'm so glad I took the plunge and decided to MAKE the time -- preparation and studying has started off great! I have an awesome study partner and the books are wonderful! I am currently reading "The Culture Clash" by Jean Donaldson and "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor. Wow! I am learning some great new things and reviewing and reinforcing many things I already knew. I am excited about the future and possibilities it holds and can't wait to share all this information with my next class. (Check out www.buchelesk9service.com for class info.)

I am taking Spring Break off this year. We are going to enjoy our family's company and relax before we jump into a new set of classes and all the craziness that is Spring at our house. Have a Blessed Easter!!! He is Risen!!!

Emotions

Yesterday I was asked if dogs comprehend and respond to our emotions, our moods, our health. I have to answer that I strongly believe they do! Not in the same way as humans do, but in a unique, necessary, canine way. I have had my annual end-of-winter, change-of-season bout with whatever germ is in the air combined with the onset of seasonal allergies and my dog knows it. She is constantly by my side, checking in with me much more than normal, and not very amenable to listening to others in the household. Kendra wanted to play with her the other day and work on some tricks she has been teaching her and Daisy wanted nothing to do with it. That's not like Daisy and I can only attribute it to me not feeling at the top of my game.

Dogs are not humans and do not respond in the same way as humans. To give a dog human characteristics is grossly underestimating a dog -- dogs are so much more! They are sensitive and caring and empathetic beings -- almost to a fault. It is our duty and obligation as thinking, feeling human dog owners to do our best to understand and assimilate our dogs' emotions. It is not to give in to them, or to baby them, or to humanize them. It is to understand the best time to train our dog is not when Mom is sick; it is to understand that a dog's love for her human is unconditional and not to abuse that love; it is to understand that all our dogs want to do is to fit into our families, have a purpose and to be loved in return. Our dogs don't ask for much and give so much in return. Hug your dog today and show them how much you care!

The age old problem...time...

Where do we find the time to do the things we want to do? The things we need to do? I have found I need to be far more creative with my time management of late. Raising a family, training dogs, having a job, starting a business, just living! --- they all take up time and time is truly one of our only limited resources. No matter how hard I try to make more time, there are still only 24 hours in a day!

I have been trying to get up a little earlier -- or at the very least, utilize early morning time a little more effectively. I have been trying to stay functioning and coherent a few minutes longer each evening and get a little more done before I sit down to relax. As far as training the dogs is concerned, I am going to try harder to "practice what I preach" and do meal time training at least once a day.

All that being said, I am also trying to better use my down time -- snuggling with my daughters, playing with my dogs, reading a good book, reading daily devotions, enjoying a cup of tea, reflecting on the day, spending time with my husband. It's truly a blessing when you look to what's important, everything falls into place.

Things are changing quickly at our house as we continue work on our new-to-us building, prepare curriculums and handouts, and get the word out about our classes and services. It's new and exciting and it's where we are meant to be. I know this because it's all working out and I am grateful for and humbled by this opportunity.

Things change...

I have been thinking a lot lately about how much things have changed in my lifetime -- since I was a child -- since I graduated from college in the 80's -- since I started training dogs in the 90's. I have been exploring all of the different options of advertising in this age of instant communication and it simply amazes me. Now we have to be so up-to-date, so cutting edge, that we have to be ahead of ourselves!

Truth is, I love it all. I love how I can put something out on the internet and people across the globe can read it instantly. I love keeping track of friends and family through Twitter and Facebook (it reminds me of when I was little and my mom would stand at the back fence with her coffee chatting with the neighbors -- something that was lost, but I think has been rediscovered in a different form). I am learning to like to text and I know it's helping my teenager and I stay more connected. And now, I am venturing into the wonderful world of blogging -- something I wasn't sure I would do, but am willing to try. I am really enjoying learning about the many different ways I can share information with clients.

Dog training has changed too and I think it's for the much better. Using positive reinforcement is so building up instead of tearing down, both of the handler and the dog. I used to dread working with my dog because I didn't want to be mean, I didn't want to see that look on her face that told me she was not understanding and feeling really badly that she was not doing what I wanted. But now, to get the clicker and the treats and to see the joy in my little dog when we get ready to play makes me want to train, to do more, to learn more and I think my dog feels the same way! To watch the shaping, the learning, the understanding is exciting and rewarding for me -- the dogs really seem to love it too.

This slightly middle-aged lady likes the progress we have made in so many areas! I am not going to fight it -- just the opposite, I am going to embrace it!