WE NEED TO RE FOCUS.....WE ARE RUNNING AN ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ORGAIIZATION BUT IF WE DON'T WATCH IT AND TAKE A FIRM HAND, WE CAN SLIP SIDEWAYS... FOCUSING ON THE FLOORS, FLUFFIES AND FINICKY PROBLEMS DETRACT FROM OUR MAIN FOCUS--- THE DOGS AND THEIR EDUCATION.
CASE IN POINT----
THE OTHER DAY SITTING HERE TYPING-- ONE OF TEH LITTERS WAS YAPPING... AND YAPPING... WHEN I MENTIONED TO THE "HOUSE ATTENDENT"(WHO IS A NEW COMMUNITY SERVICE PERSON FROMT EH ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE) THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THEY NEEDED FEEDING AND SHE SAID " I HAVE TO SWEEP THE FLOOR"
I AM CERTAINLY IMPRESSED THAT SHE IS VERY DEDICATED TO COMPLETING AN ASSIGNED TASK,,,,,, BUT WE NEED A COURSE IN PRIORITIZING.. I TOO LIKE CLEAN FLOORS.. BUT MY Vast experience has shown thatt the e danm dirt will just lie there and wait....- live things need attention more immediately.
sounds stupid..... however the concept is very real here....
we have been concentrating SO HARD on keeping the place clean, quiet and fluffed that altho we need to figure out all we can to keep the place from getting dirty a or noisy a little amt of dirt and noise is perfectly acceptable.
so back to the dogs. ! and a few suggestions-
whifflebbatting should be used at teh discretion of teh trainers--- one OK place is when leading dogs around teh yard with sizzle and paula loose, they need to be taught a bit more self control... so you should carry a whiffle bat and threaten them if they get within reach.. they have no business running in for a sniff... that is unacceptable--- and the only way to correct it can't be done by me long distance.
a wonk with the light whiffle bat will not hurt them, but it will scare them..
the old rule... if you don't discipline your children, the world will. IF ANYONE DOES NOT LIKE THAT SOLUTION AND THINKS WE SHOUDL USE "TIME OUT" YOU GO RIGHT AT IT.
whiffle batting the fences has lost it's effectiveness-- the dogs don't pay any attention to that- if aNYTHING THEY LIKE THE EXCITEMENT OF A NEW GAME.- SO THAT SHOULD BE LEFT TO TRAINERS ONLY.
THERE ARE SOME SOLUTIONS WHICH SHOULD ONLY BE USED BY THE MOST EXPERIENCED... BECAUSE THEY MOST OFTEN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD... ELECTRIC COLLARS IS OFTEN MENTIONED... THEY DO HAVE A PURPOSE-- AND MUST ONLY BE USED PERFECTLY-- THE ONLY CASE I HAVE EVER HAD ONE USED ON A DANE ..... IS....
WE HAVE A POND--- OUR POND HAS FROGS--- WE HAVE MANY AND HUGE AND NOISY FROGS-- THE DOGS LOVE TO RUN AT THOSE FROGS AND MAKE TEHM JUMP INTO THE WATER...
SO WHAT'S THE PROBLEM???
WELL IF A DOG OF OURS IS GOING TO FLORIDA -- THEY AIN'T FROGS DOWN THERE BUT ALLIGATORS-- WITH TEETH. SO OUR DOG MUST LEARN IMMEDIATELY-- THAT FROG CHASING IS DETRIMENTAL TO THEIR HEALTH. ---- IF THE TRAINER TIMES IT RIGHT, YOU ONLY HAVE TO DO IT ONCE.
THERE IS A QUICK SOLUTION THAT ADVERTISING HAS CONVINCED DOG OWNERS IS AN EASY HUMANE SOLUTION-- AND I HATE IT... GENTLE LEADERS-- IN MY OPINION... THEY ARE NOT GENTLE-- DOGS HATE THEM-- DOGS WILL EVENTUALLY ACCEPT THEM- BUT TO ME THEY ARE A SHORT CUT TO TRAINING. WE HAD ONE DOG THAT NEEDED ONE-- BORIS-- WITH LAUREN-- WENT TO COLLEGE AND FOUND THE PLACE LOADED WITH SQUIRRELS- SO THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMEJNT PERIOD-- BUT I DON'T THINK SHE STILL NEEDS IT... I HOPE NOT...
I SEE A FEW SEEING EYE DOGS WEARING ONE.. AND I GET UPSET- HOW CAN YOU ASK A DOG WOT WORK A 12 HOUR DAY AND THE FIRST THING YOU DOG IS PUT SOMETHING HE HATES AROUND HIS NOSE.
I THINK WE ACCOMPLISH THE SAME THING WITH SPOON FEEDING AT A YOUNG AGE-- WHAT THEY ARE ASKING THE DOG TO DO , IS PAY ATTENTION. YOU WATCH GEORGE CONCENTRATE ON BELLA'S FEET AND EXPLAIN WHAT A gentle leader would do in that situation.
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so back to how do we get back on focus.... lets start with WHY-- why do we-- why don't we --- why is is that dog xxxx why doesn't that dog xxxxx.
think about things...
back to basics----case in point--- PEOPLE THINK..."male dogs have to pee alot"-- no they don't-- they can hold gallons- so let them empty the tank twice a day- and teh rest of teh time " tie a knot in it"
WELLLLLLLL BOTH MEGAN AND I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT ONCE IT STARTS TO EMPTY, GRABBING THE END TO TRY AND SHUT IT OFF DOES NOT WORK. MY CASE- I WAS TRAINING IN A WHEELCHAIR IN SAM'S-- I GRABBED-- AND IT WAS UNDER ENOUGH PRESSURE TO SQUIRT OUT BETWEEN MY FINGERS- BOY WAS THAT AMUSING TO THE ON-LOOKERS...
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WE NEED SOME OVERNIGHTERS=- PARTICULARLY SUNDAY NIGHT... RIGHT AT TEH MOMENT YOU WILL GET ALOT OF SLEEP AS THE PUPS NEED MOSTLY POO ORGANIZATION.. AS WE GET BRAND NEW PUPS, THEN YOU REALLY HAVE TO STAY AWAKE FOR TEH FIRST 2 WEEKS...
IN GENERAL.. WE NEED MORE OVERNIGHTERS.. PAM CAN NOT DO 2 A WEEK AND KEEP EVERYTHING ELSE GOING STRAIGHT.
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SDP BELONGING....
BEST BARGAIN AROUND! (All this actually is free, but $10.00/month is the requested amount to help run the program.) YOU GET 720 hours/month of entertainment, available conversations, prayer support if requested, witnessing and/or participating in multiple kindnesses, someone to chat with at all hours, meeting people from all parts of the world. YOU ALSO GET 180 mail call gatherings with the bonus of Trainer Talks and Barn Talks. YOU GET 30 "newsletters" (Doggie Daily). YOU GET teaching techniques which can be used with your own pets. YOU GET TO SEE lives changed and improved by service dogs after watching these dogs from birth through training to partnership. ADD watching generous volunteers, the skills of staff, the training of young people, and on and on~~ and 100% of your donation goes directly to Service Dog Project. CAN YOU THINK OF A BETTER BARGAIN ANYWHERE?
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Good afternoon Carlene and crew,
I was hospitalized for a couple of days this week due to some complications of my chemotherapy. Charlotte was an absolute angel through the whole thing. As a military hospital their policy was not to allow a service dog to stay overnight without a handler and I was doped up and unable to fight this too much. Charlotte never made a fuss over the medical staff working on me or taking vitals and such. She just kept looking up at me to make sure she's got my back.
Both she and I were UNHAPPY being separated for even a few hours but Charlotte was very very good for my wife. I don't know who was happier when we were reunited, her or me. Charlotte spent all day with me and allowed tori to take her outside for restroom time. It looks like I may be having a procedure end of next week but we shouldn't be separated for more than a couple of hours.
Charlotte is so important in both my mental and physical state dealing with this. I won't know until next weekend if we will be able to be at dogfest this year but I have fingers crossed. It never occurred to me when applying at SDP how she would impact a hospital stay. But I can't thank you so much. She is there with me and patient with me when I need her to. A blessing, truly a blessing.
paul an charlote
