I've reached one of those moments in your life where you never thought in a million years you would be. When I moved to Austin almost 4 years ago, I never thought I would have gotten so involved with training and understanding dogs. I owe it all to one special dog though, for causing me to get the ball rolling.
This is my special guy, Payden. After I bought my house, I wanted a dog sooooooo bad! With my work schedule, I couldn't get a small puppy, but I had to have a dog that would be good around cats, and ferrets (I had 2 of each at the time!) I decided that Craigslist was probably the best route, and I checked it everyday hoping to find the right dog. Soon, I found a post where a girl said that she loved the dog dearly, but her apartment complex wouldn't let her keep him, because he was a "pit bull" (hate that term!). If she didn't find a home for him that day, the apartment complex was going to call animal control and have him taken. He had been raised around cats and ferrets since he was a pup. PERFECT!
I picked him up that night after I got off work, about 3am. He was loving and happy, and sure enough got along splendidly with my other pets! Sadly, I didn't even have him a full week, before he was diagnosed with Parvo. I was faced with the decision of spending a couple hundred bucks to put him to sleep, or a couple thousand to keep him alive. I called my mom in tears begging her to tell me what to do, but like a good mom, she said I had to make the choice. After talking to the vet, and being assured that she had seen dogs in much worse condition than him pull through, I decided that I just couldn't bear putting him down. I mean, look at that face!
So I decided to use the money I had been saving to go to Korea with, and save this dogs life. Looking back, I have no regrets at all. Not long after his recovery though (the standard 7-21 days I have now learned!) he learned his place in our pack. And his place was claiming me, being reactive, and not listening! I needed help! And fast! I had a dog that I loved dearly, and had helped me overcome a serious depression when my father died of cancer. But I had no idea how to control him.
I knew a friend who had issues with his boxer, the dog was very reactive and had bit a few people. I asked him where he had taken his dog, and he referred me to Tara Stermer. I knew right away that she knew her stuff, because on the main page of her website was my friends dog, sitting in a pack with about 10 other dogs. I signed up for a basic obedience class with her as soon as I could! That was in March of 2010.
Fast forward to now. Payden has been through basic obedience, a reactive dog class, and is currently going through intermediate obedience class. He is controllable, listens to me, and has 10x more focus than he did before I started classes with him. He has come so far, and worked very hard (both of us have!)
He is the reason that I even met Tara. He is the reason I am a proud "pit bull" owner (except now I only call him a staffie, because that is what he really is!). He is the reason I applied to be an intern with Tara. He is the reason I have learned so much about dogs, and am about to start teaching basic obedience classes for people that were just like I was. He is the reason I fight for dogs, especially "pit bulls" (staffies!), because I know just what amazing creatures they are.
Nik
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| Graduating from Basic Obedience! |
I picked him up that night after I got off work, about 3am. He was loving and happy, and sure enough got along splendidly with my other pets! Sadly, I didn't even have him a full week, before he was diagnosed with Parvo. I was faced with the decision of spending a couple hundred bucks to put him to sleep, or a couple thousand to keep him alive. I called my mom in tears begging her to tell me what to do, but like a good mom, she said I had to make the choice. After talking to the vet, and being assured that she had seen dogs in much worse condition than him pull through, I decided that I just couldn't bear putting him down. I mean, look at that face!
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| Contemplating the meaning of it all. |
I knew a friend who had issues with his boxer, the dog was very reactive and had bit a few people. I asked him where he had taken his dog, and he referred me to Tara Stermer. I knew right away that she knew her stuff, because on the main page of her website was my friends dog, sitting in a pack with about 10 other dogs. I signed up for a basic obedience class with her as soon as I could! That was in March of 2010.
Fast forward to now. Payden has been through basic obedience, a reactive dog class, and is currently going through intermediate obedience class. He is controllable, listens to me, and has 10x more focus than he did before I started classes with him. He has come so far, and worked very hard (both of us have!)
He is the reason that I even met Tara. He is the reason I am a proud "pit bull" owner (except now I only call him a staffie, because that is what he really is!). He is the reason I applied to be an intern with Tara. He is the reason I have learned so much about dogs, and am about to start teaching basic obedience classes for people that were just like I was. He is the reason I fight for dogs, especially "pit bulls" (staffies!), because I know just what amazing creatures they are.
Nik
good on you! What a lovely inspiring story :)
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