K-9 Reform School
Friday, May 1st, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
While watching the news once morning, a special about disciplining dogs came on. It enrolled four dogs in the Washington DC dog training to try and reform them. Each dog was treated individually and taken through a series of exercises. Dog clicker training was a main focus of the program When the trainer used a command, he or she simultaneously use the clicker and if the dog obeyed it go a treat. Eventually, if the dog heard a click it would do the command. I was astonished at the progress the dogs made in such a short time. Each went in a miscreant and came out a jewel.
Had they held auditions for the program, my dog would have been a shoe-in. Jesse, my dog, and I have a very rocky relationship. As it seems, he is the king of the castle. I didn’t think dogs could wear pants, but Jesse has showed me differently. Jesse is a diva by all standards. I have spent countless nights sleeping on the couch because Jesse wouldn’t share the bed. Any pillow I have must be tested and approved by him first, and if he likes it, he might choose to take it for himself. Jesse takes it upon himself to taste-test every meal, whether or not I allow it.
I feel like I’ve done all I can to try and reform Jesse. I started with a book given to me by my brother-in-law; called Good Masters make Good Dogs. I did everything the book suggested, child-locking my kitchen, putting shock systems on things, but nothing seemed to work Jesse just out-smarted it all. I was at a loss. I then turned to my veterinarian. The vet taught me tricks to correct misbehavior in animals that was “fool-proof”. Well, obviously, my dog is either a genius or a dunce because it didn’t work. Jesse seemed hopeless, resistant to any type of correction.
The expo seemed like my only option. If it could fix the terrible dogs I saw on TV, Jesse would be an easy task. After all, Jesse was harmless at heart, he would never hurt anyone. He just needed some expert discipline. After watching the news special, I ran to the internet to see if I could get Jesse into the program. The news station website had a contest entry form for a sweepstakes that could land Jesse a trip to D.C. for dog training. I am normally not the type to enter contests, but I was hopeful.
Three weeks later, I got a message on my cell phone from the dog expo in DC. I had almost forgotten that I even entered the contest, so it was a huge shock. I had to have Jesse in DC in two weeks. In anticipation, I had Jesse groomed and checked by the Vet, for posterities sake. Now that he was presentable, Jesse and I got in my car, him in the front seat of course, and set off. Jesse made a complete transformation by the end of the program. Since that time, I haven’t slept on the couch or had my food taken.
