Look Don't Touch

Have you ever heard the saying, “We get the dog we need, not always the dog we want”?This can be so true, In so many ways.

Keeper, my first Belgian malinois, came to us through Belgian malinois Rescue. She was a sweet, sweet girl but a real mess. But she was my mess. In helping her to get her act together and become a part of our family, we created the first Keeper Collar. Keeper showed us what worked to giver her confidence to move forward. Because of her, we started a new design of collar that evolved into Keeper Collars. We have been able to help more dogs over time than just Keeper. 

As sweet as Keeper was, I was hoping for a dog to do rally, obedience, and possibly agility. This was not going to be the case with Keeper.

Several years and three malinois later, Jack came into our lives. He was a great dog to house train, easy to crate train and a sponge on the lead always looking for direction. I thought, here is the dog that's got it all. I love feeling this way, don't you? Then the rug was pulled out from under me.

Jack became a young Asshole. Not from lack of training, we train every day. Not from isolation or lack of socialization. He goes to shows all over the country with us where he sees dogs and people from all parts on the country and even other countries.

He became a teenager in dog years and went from accepting every one to wanting nothing to do with most of the world. Where the other two malinois in our house sit out on our booth and demonstrate collars and leads, Jack does his thing in the show ring and then comes back and would rather chill in his crate than greet the world.

As Jack grew older he became more self absorbed and less interested in others outside his family of dogs and people. When he was a year old I was hopeful that this would be something I could train out of him. When he was two years old I hoped that even more training might do the trick along with more activities.

We do agility classes two to three days a week plus train at home in the summer. We do rally class at least once a week. We do obedience classes and training when ever possible. Every day we run through drills in the shop and at home. He is a dream to work with. He gave me my first ever 100 score in rally. He's trying his very best in agility. He still shows in conformation with his handler but he may never be my obedience dog. Why? Because he does not want to be touched when I am not right at his side.

I asked Doctor Cartrell Cooper about his issues with people and other dogs and what he said made a lot of sense. Dr. Copper said, “He's an honest dog. He will not start an aggression but it doesn't take much to set him off. If another dog or person makes eye contact, if they act up around him and are overly jumpy he wants to correct that. He is honest!”

OK, Great. I have a very honest dog that loves his family, loves to work and do many different activities and he does them quite well. He is smart enough to know that I can't keep up with him when he goes flat out in his agility class, so he has slowed himself down to more of my pace and looks for direction. He gives me all I could ask for when we work. He is open to my mistakes and works to figure out what I meant. In some ways he is far smarter then I am and yet he looks to me to show him the way.

Showing him the way comes in many forms. Training is first because then he has confidence that I can guide him through the day-to-day events in the shop and booth or anything else he may come across. This does not mean that I keep Jack on a tight lead. Far from it! I give him the opportunity to think about making a mistakes but nip it in the bud with a slight, quick correction before it ever happens. This is my job with Jack. I need to see things before he does so that I can guide him through the obstacles of life and keep him safe so he doesn't need to feel like he has to take care of me.

This is a new experience for me to have a dog that is so open and honest with the world around him. He can meet but he can not greet. You may look but you can not touch. He can see but he can not react. We are establishing these rolls for each other as we move forward. Jack is learning where his limits of behavior lie and I am having to become even more aware of the world then I thought I already was.

Remember that when you see someone out working a dog, any dog on a lead is working with their handler and is in a learning or training situation. The handler is responsible for protecting the dog form out side forces like people, other dogs, cars, or anything else. The handler needs to be able to show the dog that they are in control so that the dog doesn't have to be.

Never assume that every dog wants to be touched and know that not all dogs on prong collars are bad dogs. Often the prong collar is there so that the handler can more easily control the dog using less strength. Sometimes, without a prong collar, the handler may not have the physical strength to restrain the dog if they simply lunge at something that the dog thinks is interesting or exciting. The dog can walk nicely and be kept in check with slight reminders from their handler so they don't need to worry about someone in their space.

Even a dog as perfect in every way as Jack is for me, shows me I can still learn form them as well and that keeps me on my toes.

Train on and enjoy the day.