2021 Life Logs, Day 124: Dog Training Dilemma
Date: Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Weather: Rain Early, Overcast; High 52, Low, 45 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Shadow and I spent our morning with a dog trainer named Ian. It was supposed to be a short assessment session, but I had so many questions that our session lasted more than an hour and half. Before Shadow was six months old, I entered a training program with a local trainer. The name of the training was “People Training for Good Dogs” and I flunked the course. Shadow’s determination to be the leader of the pack continued, but it has gotten to a point where I have to do something to stop his running and jumping on people. I have used a choke collar to do corrections and it just doesn’t work with Shadow. Despite his behaviors, I love the little critter. I really don’t know what I would do without him. So, I have to do something. In today’s assessment I was told that I need to go back putting Shadow in a crate overnight, anytime I am away from the house, and when he does not do as he is told when other people are around. Putting him in the crate is not because he misbehaves but because being free in these situations adds to his feeling of being ‘top dog’. I hate putting him in a crate and am just not sure I can do it. That, plus the fact that the training is even more expensive than the “People Training” course, is making me reluctant to commit. Shadow is a very smart dog and a wonderful companion . . . as long as I am the only person around. Add anyone else, especially the grandchildren, and I just can’t control his exuberance. I’ll probably give in and ‘break out another thousand’ for the training. But if I do, I have to make sure I am willing to follow the rules. I’ve kept a kennel of fourteen sled dogs and raced them, had a wonderful Collie for twelve years, and then had a very spoiled Cocker Spaniel for fifteen years who could probably have used some training. There were issues, but I never felt like I was being held hostage by my dog as I do now. What to do?

It was an Early Release Day in Falmouth schools today, so I spent my afternoon with Ollie and Jonah. Then, as I do now on Tuesdays, I took Sam to drum lessons at 3:30 pm and then on to Hyannis for rowing practice. We don’t get back from that until about 7:15 pm when I drop him off for his Scout meeting. I then stopped by Heather and Jed’s to hear Ollie play a new Suzuki violin piece, Gavotte. It is the last piece in the Suzuki Violin Book 1 and a plucky tune that was always one of my favorites. Heather told Ollie about my crazy dancing to this tune when she played it as a little girl. I tried to revive those dance steps tonight, which included a bit of ballet, but I fear my days of ballet are over! But Heather remembered the steps and was quite good at it.