I've loved dogs and dog stuff since I was a kid. My parents ended up getting the "family dogs" because of me. As long as I can remember, my favorite thing at the Stampeed (aside from the junk to eat and the rides of course) was the SuperDogs - still is actually!!
I always wanted a dog that could do that, but we'd never had a dog in actual formal training before and I didn't know enough about it to be able to find a trainer and start that journey. The family dogs did do some "agility" but it was mostly jump on or over that rock/log or walk across the top of the log. A lot of the "training" happened during family vacations when we were camping! Considering Mom has an issue with dogs that shed and I was accomplishing this with a Bichon x Shih Tzu I'm fairly impressed with it.
Fast forward and after losing Calvin (said Bichon x Shih Tzu) to congestive heart failure at 13 years old, the house was too empty. I worked in a pet store at the time and convinced my parents to come in and look at a puppy. They were actually supposed to be coming in to look at a black 4 month old Bichon x Shih Tzu, but she was adopted the night before. There was a kennel of little fur balls that had just come in. Little sable puffs with black masks. They were adorable, and terrified. Behold the powers of persuasion (and puppy breath) and Baxter came home with us.
Knowing what I know now, things might have happened a little differently. Baxter was shy, very very shy. He was terrified of strangers. We missed out on a lot of the early socialization that is so important. We had to kennel him for a week and a half when the entire family went on a cruise. The kennel freaked out at Mom when we went to get him saying that Baxter is going to turn into a fear biter and he needs strict training etc etc etc. He also came home a whole lot thinner than he had gone in, I think it took 5 days for him to start eating.
So started my quest for a trainer. When you're trying to find a trainer from outside the dog world it's pretty hit and miss. We hit with a positive reinforcement/motivational trainer that I looked up off of kijiji - we were so lucky. I still remember our first basic obedience class where Baxter had a little area blockaded off from the rest of the dogs - he would sometimes growl at dogs on our walks and I had been told he was "reactive" so I passed this along to the trainer. (Baxter isn't really reactive, he just has a low tolerance for rude dogs.)
A light bulb went off in my head.We learned about clickers and how to use them. We learned about positive reinforcement (R+) training. We did lure the dogs, but were taught about the difference between a bribe and a lure. Baxter loved it. Cookies to do something?! Score! Do something and he gets to play with his fav toy - he's there!
After obedience we signed up for agility classes and the journey began. My scardy-cat little fluff knew what I wanted him to do. He could do it! Chute touches you?! No problem, it was his choice to go in and he gets his ball when he gets out! He might only jump 6" but he tries and he tries for me. Agility has made such a difference in his confidence.
About this time I moved out, but had no yard so I couldn't take him. We kept up on his classes since I only lived 5 min from home. Then my parents went to BC for a week, so Baxter came to my house to be dog-sat. It worked out fine! No yard was no problem, so when my parents came home, Baxter didn't go back "home." Thankfully this has worked out okay, and they got a new little dog with less drive to play, who doesn't shed and just likes to be cute.
We all ended up with what we needed and there started our journey!
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