[PyrNet-L] Chat: Devoted dogs (was Dog Training)

[MagEBroD@aol.com]

   I am so glad that you and Shyllo have each other in your lives to love and
care for each other, Mary!! Even though they can be stubborn and bull-headed
at times, they also can surprise us and touch us very deeply by how devoted
they are to us, too. 
   We often take Albert on long hikes in the wooded areas of the Olympic Mts.
He loves these forays and all the new smells to smell!  We always keep him on
lead. He insists on keeping us all in sight.  He doesn't want our 12 yr. old
wandering out of his sight. Also I am accustomed to telling my family to go on
ahead of me as I hate slowing people down and because of knee problems I often
have to go slowly on way down. On our very first long fairly steep hike of 8
miles when Albert was five months old, on the way down my knee was really
hurting and I had to really baby it. So I told hubby to take leash and for
them to go on ahead and I'd go at my own pace. They walked on and Albert kept
looking back at me and seeing me limping and wincing in pain he got this
worried look on his face.  Finally he planted his rump down and refused to
budge until I caught up and he licked me and I told him it was Ok and said
"OK,  Let's go!"  Then he'd go on and keep looking back at me and then do the
same thing eventually.  After my knee started really hurting and I gave hubby
the leash I'd say Albert stopped at least every half to three-quarters of a
mile and waited. He never would let me get out of sight either. He stopped
about 5 times!! I was so touched by how worried he was about me!!! I had tears
in my eyes!! We were all very impressed with how devoted he seemed at such a
young age!

:)  &  :)```   (me grinning & Albert grinning & drooling!)

Janice Vocke
MagEBroD@aol.com
Shelton, WA.



In a message dated 11/7/98 4:20:10 PM Pacific Standard Time, PYR4@aol.com
writes:

<< Shylo is my "rock" when I need him to be, on command, which floors me but
for
 me he will go rock-solid still for a few minutes while I pull myself up on
 him.  Not enough of my weight to harm him but enough to steady myself.  He
did
 this the day I broke my leg and again the last couple days when getting up is
 a chore in itself.  I discovered he will stand close enough to my waterbed
 that if I'm in the wrong position to get up he will stand rock-still while I
 put a pull to his hair and skin while I swing out of bed.  Did I teach him
 this, don't think so, but he does it.  He has learned to give me a hug by
 putting his big head on my arms or my hip or my chest but not the stomach
 area.  Figure that one out.  Did I tell him, might have but don't
 remember--another one of those little quirks about my big guy.
  
  So in conclusion, train for what you want and hope for the best.  Me, a
 professional trainer, not hardly.  Just know what I wanted him to know to
help
 me and make him happy.
  
  Mary and Shylo >>