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It has been since July since Lilly has come into my life. Lots has happened. I’ve learned that certain things in life are not worth going after and certain things are. Lilly’s training has changed to suit what I need in current stage of my life. I was going to teach her to be a search and rescue dog. Now as time goes on I just work bonding exercises and proof her obedience. For me, working on the things that matter to me make sense. I could and have the know how to get her to that level. Which is just teaching a cue and more about training myself to navigate and have the skills to read maps. I’ve learned that through some revelations about my life to double down what you know you’re good at and the things that you think you want, to really look at them and answer every question that’s possible, investigate it. If every answer is yes then don’t quit, peruse it. Figure it all out. If there’s doubt, then don’t invest the sacred time you have into to it. If you don’t know then take the risk and find what your deal breakers are.
For me that’s training. Finding what matters to you. You may want a super obedient dog, or you may want to accept some quirky things because that makes you bond with them more. I believe you can change most of any behaviors you deem necessary. You can literally create the friend you want. For me, some of her bad behaviors make me want to be connected to Lilly even more. like her putting paws on me. Laying in the bed. Jumping up to give me hugs. I know to the average person that may be hard to accept or deem the behavior embarrassing. For me, it’s all about bonding. What do I consider to be love? What will unlock those feelings inside me. This is what I’ve learned over the years of dog ownership. It’s not how well they behave, it’s what you allow that can morph them into connecting to you. Do you need them to walk next you? What are the things that matter to you? That’s what you should focus on during training. What matters to you not to someone else.
Lilly will lay on me, she will put her paws on me, she will whine at the door, and will lick me to wake me up. She does lots of things because it’s what I’ve allowed and rewarded her in some fashion. She is indeed a reaction of the situations that she’s been rewarded for. I’m thankful for the relationship I have with her but I’m also understanding it’s what I’ve created and I don’t hesitate to understand that I’ve bonded with her fully.