Relationship Building and it’s lifetime of importance by Donna D. Savoie 7/26/15
I sit here, at my desk, saddened and even devastated from having to say goodbye to Panzer yesterday. Panzer was nearly 13 years old and was an awesome German Shepherd. He loved most people as long as he got to say hello properly as he was slightly reserved (like his Mom!) and he wasn’t a fan of other dogs. He LOVED his pack of girls though! He could take lovely walks and be able to ignore most other dogs and just simply defer to me, his Mom, as they would pass by.
As I reflect upon the last few months of caring for Panzer, and watching as he quickly was losing use of his back legs despite our best efforts with laser therapy, meds, exercise and massage, I am truly blessed by having had the privilege of his companionship. He LOVED his mommy.
Since he was a young pup, at 8 weeks old, he just loved us, and would tolerate our silly human shenanigans. We’d put New England Patriots shirts on him when we’d watch football games, we’d slide little shoes on him here and there for Halloween costumes, he’d gladly wear Mardi Gras beads, yes Panzer was happy to play our silly games! We taught him to bring us beer, and occasionally he would puncture one and enjoy a few sips!! We also fostered a cooperative relationship where we humans would occasionally do things for him like come when he called us! Yes, shameful you say? Not really, there were many times over the last 6 months that I was thrilled that Panzer would call us for help. Had we not taught him, over time, that a certain voice would get us to come to him, his options for asking for help would have been limited.
Fast forward to his final year with us, his care could have been so much harder. Because he was so use to us putting fun stuff on him, special harnesses and special booties were not a problem when he was a senior. Neither was picking him up to put him in and get him out of a Jeep. He would ask to be picked up and put on the bed! Lifting an 80 pound dog can be tough if that dog doesn’t trust that he won’t be dropped, Panzer never wiggled because since he was a puppy he loved hugs and being picked up and cuddled. And he trusted us unconditionally.
During our last 6 months, every day I was thankful that I am a person who has always believed in relationship building with my dogs, working cooperatively with them and that I am a trainer skilled at just that.
As a trainer, I relentlessly teach relationship building to clients. Touch those feet and make it a party, lift that tail and look at the bum and make it a party, lift the dog onto a table and make it a party, etc. Through a lifetime of silly human shenanigans with Panzer, and making all of those shenanigans a very fun experience he never ever shy’d away from trying most things with us.
While caring for him the last few months, I was and still am so grateful that his final months could be without fear of “what are they doing to me now” and rather filled with “wow, we get to do this? Cool!”.
Life won’t be the same without Panzer, he was a wonderful teacher and truly a best friend. He was a huge contributor to my education of working with dog reactive dogs. Panzer was very receptive to the “open the bar” method of “see dog get cookie”, BAT 1.0 and Click to Calm. He was such a great learner too. Experimenting with me so that I could tell my clients “this is how that technique worked out for my dog Panzer”.
I’ll miss my Little Buddy, he was a very special boy. As I write, my heart breaks that we had to say goodbye. But he was happy, content and relaxed when that time came. Panzer spent his last day in his sunny yard with his Daddy and Mommy. He did the best he could to walk around the yard, he loved the gardens we have. He investigated the new garage, and hung out in the old garage in front of his fan. He even found his ball, and threw it to me. He even got to bark at intruders.
I loved this dog with every ounce of my being. As I built the Pack of Paws Dog Training business, he was by my side always. Being the logo, understanding the time sacrifice, laying on my feet while I was doing paperwork, reminding me to take breaks and walk around the yard with him and his sisters. Giving me so many stories to talk about that help to educate our clients. And when it was time to go on a field trip, was he excited! Even in the end, field trips to the laser therapy vet was fun. Laser therapy means cookies and time with Mom!!
What I hope everyone takes away from this blog post is the importance of a lifetime of relationship building and training. Not just training special skills like sit and down and spin and hand targeting, but also relationship training. Put a team t-shirt on your dog and have some fun and give some steak. Later on down the road, that type of training will pay off. Help your dog get up onto a beddie, even if he doesn’t need help now, he might later on in life. When your dog is a senior and needs help, if that type of handling isn’t new to him, then it’s neither scary nor frustrating, just another human shenanigan that means fun and games and cookies.
And remember, their life is so short, make every day count.
