So...what are you saying?

Saturday, April 17, 2010 2:00pm. Logan and I arrive at the dog training facility. There is a long dirt road that leads to the house with red tin roof. The land surrounding the house in plush and green. There is a slight breeze blowing that brushes the leaves of the trees ever so softly. I'm thinking this place is great. Logan can't possibly get over excited here. But then a Golden Retriever crosses the driveway and the blissful sound of the rustling tree leaves is broken by earsplitting barking! Be mindful, at this point we are still in the car. So Logan tries to jump out of the window to get to the Golden Retriever. So I'm pulling his leash and trying to switch gears with one hand and steer the car with the other!

Let me take this opportunity to tell you that Logan weighs 50 pounds of solid muscle. And his breed is notoriously strong for their size. He could easily pull triple his weight. Triple as in 50x50x50, not 50x3! You do the math.

So I finally screech to a stop with dirt from the road flying through the air and Logan barking his head off out the window. I hear someone yell my name "Tawasha?", I reply "yeah, how did you guess?" "The Staffie gave it away" she said. I think that was kind of her to put it so nicely that I was the lady with the out of control dog who had been emailing desperately for the last two weeks, begging for help! I didn't even get a chance to introduce myself to Angie the Trainer before Logan pulled me across the field to bark at a pack of dogs. Thank God they were in a fence! So after a very brief observation Angie tells me "oh yeah, you have a very dominant dog and you've got about six months of work ahead of you". So I look at her with a crazy face and say "So what are you saying? Does that mean we can't go jogging by the river?" She tells me if she was allow Logan to get in the pin with the other dogs "he would handle business and have a good time doing it, he;s fearless. But this is a good thing. From this point on nothing in the past matters, (referring to Logan being a rescue) today on is what counts".

Stepping onto my soapbox---But what we have to understand about Bully breeds is that they were bred to be aggressive to other animals. They were used for bull baiting, lion fighting for sport, and of course we all know about modern day dog fighting. Humans have bred these animals to perform a task and then call them vicious when the complete it. Misuse of these animals is never their fault. The blame lies with irresponsible owners. These animals love people and would never purposely harm a man, woman, and especially a child. Abuse and mishandling by humans is what leads to tragedy.---Stepping down now.

Role Reversal

Apparently Logan thinks he is H.D.I.C in our house, so we have to teach him that he's not. Angie the Trainer told us we have to give him tough love. He has to work for everything. So here are some of the tips for role reversal. And let me tell you, this stuff really works!!

1. No sleeping in the bed or on the sofa. The Alpha gets the best seat in the house.
2. Make sure your dog follows you in and out of doors as well as up and down stairs. The Alpha walks in front of the pack.
3. Playtime begins and ends when you say so, not the puppy. Leave him wanting more.
4. Do not lavish the dog with unnecessary petting. This was the hardest for me, but it is working. Logan only gets loving if he sits or comes first. Instead of the usual 20 minutes petting sessions he normally gets.
5. Feed the dog last. Prepare his food but don't serve it to him until after your family has eaten first.

These are just a few to get you started, your puppy can handle it, but I don't want to
 overwhelm the owners! :-)