10/02/2025
I was on the verge of tears last night, and I’m not exaggerating. MAN, I am proud of this class.
This video is time-stamped 6:00pm… That’s when class starts. It was taken when they had all just entered the gym, taken their seats, and were waiting to begin their fourth hour of instruction.
There are many *positive* words I could have used to describe this particular pack-of-pups on Day 1, but ‘peaceful’ would not have been one of them. There was a lot of energy in this room…
My passion is creating extraordinary handlers, who then create extraordinary dogs.
Last night we trained in whispers. After 3 weeks of class. (That’s 3 hours of class.) 7 dogs. Various breeds. Some working dogs. Some busy-bodies. Some babies. Some adopted. Some not. A group of dogs who didn’t know each-other outside of class…. peacefully working in the same space…responding to hand signals… doing down stays… listening to their handlers *whisper*. Let that sink in.
Whispering.
This isn’t ‘obedience’. This is bonding.
I am so proud of this group. I am so encouraged by people who follow the syllabus and do the small, mundane, daily repetitions that change their dogs’ LIVES foreverrrrrrrr. I’m so proud of the people who are learning to make provision for their dogs’ mental stimulation and exercise needs, so they can train a peaceful, public down stay, all at the same time. I am so proud of people who invest one MONTH of their lives to change the LIFE of their dogs. It’s truly the best return on any investment I know.
What a rewarding, beautiful night.
