Getting Involved

When we were researching to purchase Bison, we learned about a dog sport called Schutzhund (SchH), a triathlon for dogs consisting of three phases; tracking, obedience, and protection. It originated as a breed test for German Shepherds. Dogs that have SchH titles being those that are breed worthy. (See side links for more information about SchH) We were interested in what we read, but at the time we brought Bison home, there weren’t any clubs close by. Those that were within a 2 hour drive trained on Sunday. That just wasn’t an option for us, so we went the more traditional training route of indoor obedience classes.

About a year after we brought Bison home, my husband Lester’s kidneys failed and he had to go on dialysis. The life adjustments were difficult and made dog training take a back seat. When he finally got on a treatment plan that worked well for him and we got used to the new lifestyle, I felt it was time to get into serious training. I considered several different options, but was very excited to see that there was a new club that was only a 30 – 45 minute drive and they trained on Saturday. We contacted the club president and made arrangements to visit. My initial thought was that I would just visit so I could see in person what it was all about, but it probably wouldn’t be for me. I was concerned about training outside year round and the big time commitment. Lester on the other hand was very excited about it. Even though he couldn’t physically handle the training, he really wanted this experience for Bison. He also thought it would be really good for me to “get away from it all” every week. He recognized the stress that I was under with my job situation and his care.

After our first visit to the club, I was hooked. Bison was a natural. We both really had fun, and the people in the club were open, supportive, and willing to help. I went shopping for clothing to keep me warm during the winter and it turns out that the time commitment wasn’t a big deal. It is easy to make a commitment to something that you look forward to every week.

This experience of going from an average dog owner that trains house manners a dog handler that trains for competition is a little like going from an average church attendee to one that is really involved. This switch happened for me when I was a teenager. My parents took me to church from the time I was one week old. But, there came a time when the commitment had to be my own. I needed to decide if I was going to just be a pew warmer or if I was going to get in all the way. I decided the later. I remember one Sunday during a sermon realizing that because God had done so much for me, I wanted to give my life to him, make a commitment with my time and energy.

Just like with SchH, the more I got involved, the more I was hooked. Serving God is fun, you get to hang out with people that are open, supportive, and willing to help. With a few adjustments, it becomes a way of live and it is easy to make a commitment to something that you look forward to.