I watched tonight as an 8 month old Rotti deployed through about 6 other dogs and took a bite. He then sat quietly at his handler’s side as she shook the hand of the target. He was then told to sit and stay as his handler walked about 10 feet away to again shake the hand of the target. She then walked away from her dog still at sit and was pursued and attacked by the target. The young dog, still what most people would call a pup, sprang up and again attacked the target. Biting and holding on as he had the first time off lead and outed and returned to the handler again. This was the very first time this dog or handler had ever deployed off lead,"outed" off lead and recalled also watched a boxer deploy off lead and bite. He bit for the first time on Saturday. Why? The answer is simple. It was time for it. The young Rotti has trained with me since he was about 12 weeks of age. The Boxer started about a week ago. Many would say it is impossible. It was proven otherwise. Impossible usually means we accept less than we should. If we expect less we will accept less.

We live in a time when we expect far too much of the wrong things in life. We therefore accept far too much of the wrong things of life. The Rotti if in the hands of someone else may very well be considered far too young to achieve this level. Yet it would not be impossible just accepted and lost. We far too often state they are too young or too old, this means we are incapable or unwilling. Today we live in a world of too young or too old. A world of lowered standards and expectations. Our children, our dogs and our lives are often lived accepting the theory of those too weak or too lazy to put it to practical application. When those too weak to rise to the challenge convince the strong to never attempt we find no more strength just weaknesses. Many working breeds are left to die because they are labeled unstable or viscous. Labeled by those too weak to handle them. Thus they breed weaker dogs, shadows of their ancestors, walking dead.

We have grown to expect corruption in our governments so we accept it as the norm. They no longer serve but dictate. We again accept. Yet I not only saw this tonight I have seen it a thousand times. Those dogs, too young to work, working in confidence also saw people smiling, not phony nervous smiles. Smiles are contagious and cause other people to smile as well. People whom with the help of a dog have in seconds raised their expectations and will only accept that which they expect. People that are neither too old nor too young, nor are their dogs. Soon they will expect more from life, as they will gain confidence. Possible because of a silent creature at the end of a lead.
©Mike McConnery/Baden K-9, 05/30/02

Mike & Emmy

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