Lie Down in Green Pastures

We recently started working on article indication in tracking. In SchH, the track layer leaves articles on the track such as leather, wood, or fabric saturated with his/her scent. When the dog follows the track, they indicate these articles by lying down with the article between their front paws and waiting for their handler to retrieve it. Then they have to wait for the handler to give the “search” command before continuing to track. (Note: Other styles of indication are allowed, this is just the type we are training)

The last time our club met, I learned how to start training this behavior by laying an “article track”. I walk 10 – 15 paces then lay down an article with a few pieces of food on it then walk another 10 – 15 paces and repeat until there are 12 – 15 articles on the track. Then when Bison follows the track, he comes upon the article and pauses to eat the food. I tell him to “platz” which is the German command for “down”. Because of his position, stooping to eat the food, the article ends up between his front paws. I then continue to drop 3 – 5 treats on top of the article to make the relationship in his mind that articles are really awesome to find. Then I pick up the article and give him the “search” command to continue on the track.

We went to the park and I laid an article track in a grassy field I then got Bison out of the truck to run the article track. He did fine following my trail to the first article and downed when I told him to, but jumped up immediately eager to continue with the track. I had to tell him to “platz” again until I released him to continue the track. At the next article, he paused only to grab the food and tried to continue rather than down at the article as I commanded. It was easy to see that he was so intent on the trail that he didn’t want to be bothered with the articles. With repetition, he will learn to enjoy the articles, but I thought this was interesting behavior.

Certainly, it is a behavior I could identify with. I, like most Americans, lead a pretty busy life. I work full time, care for my ill husband, attempt to keep up with the house work, teach Jr. Church, do some of the graphic design for my church... About a year ago and a half ago, I had a crisis of sorts when I was diagnosed with a case shingles. I was assigned to a really demanding project at work and really stressed about Lester’s medical routine. The shingles caused me to be really tired. Some mornings, I had to pray for 15 – 20 minutes just to get the strength to get out of bed. It was during this time that I came across the 23rd Psalm in my daily devotions. I memorized this passage when I was a child and was prepared to just breeze through when something caught my eye. In Psalm 23:2, I saw the phrase, ”He MAKETH me to lie down in green pastures...” It hit me, “Wow, God was saying that he MAKES me rest” This is a benefit just like the other things mentioned in the passage, supplying my needs, protecting me, giving me courage... I had been pretty miffed that God allowed me to get shingles when I had so much going on, but this helped me see that it was really a blessing. It forced me to get the rest that I needed to face the stresses and demands of everyday life and take the time to focus on Him to get through the rough times. Like Bison, I was so focused on the track that I was following, I didn’t want to stop to “lie down” and wait, to listen for the Master’s voice.

Let it Go

Author’s Note: In the last entry I talked about Bison having a great attitude, but lest anyone think he is perfect, today’s entry is about one of Bison’s challenges.

In SchH obedience and protection, dogs are trained in an excited state called drive. There are many methods, but a widely used and excepted method is “the game”, taught by world champion Ivan Balabanov. (See links list for more information) It would take several paragraphs to explain this method. In summary, the handler uses a toy like a ball or a tug to engage with the dog. The handler elevates the dog’s level of excitement by animating the toy, but not allowing the dog to capture it. The dog is then rewarded for correct behavior by allowing him/her to tug for, or win the toy.

I have to use a modified version of this method because, once in drive, Bison absolutely refuses to let go of the tug. When he latches on, all training has to stop until I can convince him to let go. I also have to spend hours training him to release the tug. Ultimately he has to learn that to get what he really wants, the opportunity to do more commands and to receive the reward of interacting with me, he has to let go.

Bison isn’t the only one with this problem. Many people are similar in that they are latched on to their past. They hold on so tightly that they can’t move forward. The apostle Paul writes in Philippians 3:12 – 16, “12Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 16Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.” If anyone had a reason to feel guilty and to hold on to the past, it was Paul. Prior to his conversion, he dedicated his life to persecuting Christians, causing many to be put to death. In this passage, he admits that he is not perfect but he has to forget the past and look toward the future. He urges other Christians to do the same.

Are you like Bison? Are you latching on so hard to the mistakes of the past that you can't receive the blessings of the future? Let it go.

Attitude is Everything

When first started working on heeling in SchH, I though we would NEVER get it. Watching others do it, it looks easy, but SchH style heeling is very complex to train. The dog has to be at the handlers left side shoulder to leg and not surge ahead or lag behind. The dog should look the handler in the eye while walking and the whole time display confidence and energy. There are a lot of separate components to teach in order to bring this all together and we are still working on it.

In the beginning stages, I worked on just teaching him to be in the right position. Once he learned that, I added in walking. He naturally sat each time we stopped. For some reason, I was thinking that he shouldn’t do this, so I taught him to stay standing when I stopped. Unfortunately, after watching some of my club members training and reading the routine for trial (term for competition) I realized that he is supposed to sit on his own each time I stop walking. I felt so stupid. I had to re-train him to do what he wanted to do in the first place. He wasn’t in the least bit frustrated though. All he cared about was that he got to work, to spend time with me, to hear me praise him, and to get some treats.

If I was in his position, I certainly wouldn’t have a good attitude like that. I imagine turning an assignment in to my boss, having her ask me to do it all over again. Then once I complete it, telling me to start from scratch only to put it back the way that I originally had it. I would have a really bad attitude about it. Philippians 4:8 says “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” When life’s little irritations come my way, I need to change my attitude to a Bison attitude, a focus on the positive. That’s what is really important.

Courage and Fear

Author's Note: I read in one of my devotion books a few days ago that courage is the opposite of fear. When we are determined to be courageous with God’s help, we can defeat fear. I couldn’t help but think of my dogs as examples of the contrast of courage and fear and how that related to some events in my life. Due to the importance of this subject to me, this will be a bit long.

The day after I created this blog, we lost our dog, Moose, to cancer. Moose was the first dog I had that I really trained and he has a special place in my heart, but Moose had issues. He was afraid of everything. It makes me sad to think of how he lived his life, often cowering in his doggie bed growling at threats that didn’t exist. He snapped at children and fiercely growled at anyone who was “different”. He couldn’t be trusted to interact with visitors or go anywhere with us. What is especially sad is that aside from that one issue, he was a great dog. With me, he was loyal, cuddly, extremely smart, gentle, and loving.

In contrast, Bison is my brave dog. There is very little that will rattle him (those things are a story for another day). In SchH, the protection phase is all about testing the courage of the dog. The helper wears a bite sleeve and carries a padded stick. These decoys are trained to present a threat to the dog, to look as menacing as possible. Yet, Bison still runs toward the helper, bites the sleeve and holds on even when hit with the padded stick.

One day in training, we parked on the other side of the field from where we normally park. I was walking the long distance with Bison and the helper yelled from the other end of the field, “Send him for a bite.” I gave Bison the command for bite and let go of the leash. He ran as fast as he could and bit the sleeve. After the initial engagement, he stopped and looked back at me. He was checking in to see if I was with him. He is a very confident dog, yet he was asking for permission to engage. We work together as a team. He wanted me to be with him. As soon as I nodded, he went back to engaging with the helper.

This contrast is very real in my own life. I’ve never really considered myself a fearful person. In fact, growing up I would have said I was brave. It wasn’t until I hit circumstances in my life that I couldn’t control that I began to be filled with fear. I wanted nothing more out of life than to be a stay at home mom with a half dozen kids. I was devastated when we were unable to conceive. Through the early days of fertility treatments I was consumed with fear. What if I can’t get pregnant? What if this isn’t the right treatment? What if there is something really wrong with me? Am I going to die? Month after month was filled with blood draws, drugs, doctor vistits, and disappointments. I couldn’t control this. I was like Moose lying on my bed growling at the world. It wasn’t until I recognized that I needed to trust God in this situation that I began to let go of my fear. Isaiah 55:8-9 says “8For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” I had to recognize that MY perfect plan for my life was not GOD’S perfect plan and I began to experience peace. Today, I am thankful for the trial of infertility. It helped me be a stronger person and I am able to be a friend to other women who are experiencing the same thing.

Through my adult life, I have had to battle fear over and over again. When Lester lost sight in one eye and was in danger of loosing sight in the other, when Lester’s kidneys failed, when financial difficulties were overwhelming, when workload was too heavy to bear, and countless other trivial things. But, with each battle, faith grew.

Fast forward several years as I stand in the emergency room where the attending physician tells me that my husband had a severe infection that caused sepsis and was not likely to live through the night. I was told that I should call his family to get to the hospital right away. The moment that I dreaded for over a decade was upon me. Every time in the past when this scenario had played out in my imagination, I was consumed with fear. How could I ever face loosing him? He is all I have. How could I ever go on without him? But, instead of being completely paralyzed with fear and anxiety, I was filled with peace. Verses that I had committed to memory over the years as I battled fear flooded my mind.

Hebrews 13:5b- “...he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
Psalm 56:3- “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”
John 14:27- “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Psalm 29:11- “The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

I certainly didn’t want Lester to die, and yes, I was very upset. But, at the same time I knew that no matter what happened I would be ok. Just like Bison looking back for me and getting the nod to go on. I “looked” and saw that God was with me and because He “had my back”. I knew I could face this engagement. God was on my team. Courage replaced fear. I latched on. I took the hits with stick and walked away with my faith in tact.

I am happy to report that after spending 13 days in the hospital, Lester came home with me. I don’t share this story to pat myself on the back. It is just one success in what seems like a mountain of failures of faith. There have been other challenges since then and there will be more in the future. I just hope that as I face each one that I will remember to be a Bison and not a Moose.

Sometimes You Just Can’t be a Post

I am not by nature an adventurer, so when we started SchH training, I was determined to step out of my comfort zone. I wanted to brave the snow, rain, and heat and the physical demands head on. That is why I was not willing to admit defeat when I was struggling to “post” Bison in protection training.

Posting is when the handler “stands like a post" and holds the dog’s leash while the helper (see terms) agitates him with the bite sleeve. It is important not to wobble and let the dog surge forward. There are many reasons for doing this activity which I won’t get into here. For an un-athletic woman, holding back a 110 lb German Shepherd (GSD) who is taking flying leaps at the end of the rope is not an easy thing. I was shown how to stand and how to hold the rope, but no matter how determined I was and how hard I tried I still couldn’t hold him still and it was inhibiting the learning process. I just kept thinking, “All I have to do is stand here like a post, how hard can it be? What is wrong with me?”

One training day, I hurt my knee. My fellow club member, Lisa, volunteered to post Bison for me. She is a very strong woman whom I admire. She is an aerobics instructor and has done some weight lifting. I have to admit that I felt relieved. I thought, “Finally Bison would get posted properly and would be able to learn.” But, the most amazing thing happened. She wobbled too, not as much as me, but she did. She even told me that Bison was really strong. I was shocked. All that time I thought it was just me, so I never said anything, I just continued to struggle. The following week our helper suggested that we post him on a tree, something that I didn’t even know as an option. From then on, Bison improved quickly. I wonder what would have happened if I would have asked for help instead of continuing to try to do it on my own.

So many times in our lives we are like me trying to post Bison. We get in over our heads, and we don’t ask for help. We go on trying to do things on our own and failing miserably. Instead, we need to turn to God for help. Jeremiah 33:3 says “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” God is always there to help us when we ask. But, the biggest lesson I learned from this experience was that we need to help each other. When Lisa saw that I was hurting (my knee) she stepped in and faced the challenge. Because of her knowledge and experience, she was able to assess the situation and make it better for Bison and me. Galatians 6:2 says “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” There are people all around us who are hurting, struggling to do things on their own, but so often we don’t want to get involved. What a difference a kind word, a sympathetic ear, or a hug can make to lighten someone’s burden.

Listen to the Voice

Every Saturday, our club meets together to practice all three phases of Schutzhund (See links on the right for more info). During the obedience portion, there are 3 to 4 dog and handler teams on the field at one time. This saves time, and also helps the dogs get used to the distractions that they will encounter in trials. One training session, I was working on the field the same time as one of the club helpers (See Terms on the right), Tim. Bison LOVES Tim. This created a problem because everytime Tim would say “Free” to release his dog, Bison thought he was released from what he was doing too. I had to teach Bison that he needed to only obey MY voice and no one else. I walked over by where the club members sit when it isn’t their turn to train. I told Bison to lay down. Then I asked several of the club members to take turns saying “Free!”. If Bison stood up, I have him a collar correction (See Terms on the right). If he stayed in the down position, I said “Good Boy!” and gave him a treat. After about 5 – 6 minutes of repeating this exercise, Bison finally got it, even with Tim standing a few feet away and saying “Free!” Bison learned to shut everything else out and listen to my voice.

As I think about this exercise, I see how it is similar to my relationship with God and how I need to listen for His voice. I don’t mean this in a supernatural way, like a big booming voice from heaven. In I Kings 19, we learn from the story of Elijah that even in Bible times when He spoke in an audible voice, it was a “still small voice”. I think this example shows that God directs our path when we pay attention. In my life, His “still small voice” has come through my parents, teachers, my pastor, and the Bible. When I seek to do what is right, to listen to His voice, I can hear it. And just like Bison had to ignore the voices of my club members, I have to ignore all the other “voices” of self centeredness, fear, covetousness, and pride for God’s to become clear.

Here are some other thoughts on “Listening to Gods Voice”
1. God’s voice calls us to Salvation. We accept him as our savior and ask forgiveness for our sin. (See first post regarding Salvation). Revelation 3:20 states, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” and John 10:27-28 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”
2. God treasures those who obey His voice. Exodus 19:5 “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”
3. God promises blessings to those who obey His voice. There are multiple times in the Old Testament when He tells the nation of Israel that He will bless them if they obey him. For example, Jeremiah 7:23says “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”
4. God gives strength and peace through His voice. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 29:11 where God promises strength to His people. This verse is at the end of a chapter describing the strength of his voice. I believe this means that our strength comes from the voice of the Lord, The Bible. That is why it is so important to memorize the scripture. I can not count the times when circumstances in my life were very difficult and a particular verse would pop into my head that gave me the strength to go on.

Here is the whole chapter of Psalm 29. “1Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. 2Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. 3The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. 4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. 5The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. 6He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. 7The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. 8The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh. 9The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory. 10The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever. 11The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.”

Sometimes it is Good to Stay in the Box

One of the first things you teach in tracking is to get the dog to have a positive human scent. This is done with food. You want the dog to think, “Ah, I smell human scent, that means I get food.” There are different ways to teach this, but we used scent boxes. To create a scent box, you pace out an approximately one yard square in nice lush grass and mark it with surveyor flags. Then, drag your feet from side to side until all the grass in the square has come in contact with your feet. Then, use some really tasty treats randomly spread through the square. You create three scent boxes for each training session.

Once you have waited about 10 minutes for your scent that is lingering in the air to settle, you lead the dog to the square and give him the command to search. “Such” pronounced “Sook”. The dog will smell the food and happily run around the square eating. If the dog strays out, you wait patiently for him to find his way back, but if he strays too far you need to pull him back in and give him the search command again. Just before he gets bored with the square, you move him on to the next one. Repeat with the remaining two and finish for the day. You continue to work in scent boxes until the dog realizes that he only gets the reward of food where your scent is on the ground. He will sniff the ground up to the edge of the scent box then stop and turn around. He knows that it is futile to step outside the box because there is no reward there.

It occurs to me that this is much like being “in God’s will”. God has a plan set out for each of our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” And Hebrews 13:21 says “Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” He lays out our scent box for us. Through the practice of daily Bible reading and prayer, we understand what that plan is. We learn that when we stay in that plan there is the reward of peace and contentment. When we wonder out, our master is patient but sometimes allows circumstances to bring us back on track. It has also been my experience that just before I get board with what I am doing, God provides a new “scent box” challenge for me to learn and to grow.

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.

The Makings of a Dog Lover and a God Lover

I’ve owned dogs since my marriage in 1995. I wasn’t around dogs much growing up and didn’t really like them. Until the day my husband talked me into getting a puppy. We ended up going down to the Humane Society. From the moment I saw his cute little furry face and big puppy belly, I was in love. All his litter mates had been adopted already. He needed hernia surgery that would cost extra. We were rescuing him. The adventure started three days later when the sweet little angel, Bear, ran non-stop from one end of our tiny rented home to the other end for two hours straight. But it was the beginning of my relationship with dogs. I knew next to nothing, but it didn’t matter to Bear. I was the primary trainer in the house. I made a ton of mistakes, but he loved me anyway and we learned together. Since then, there has been Gator, a German Shepherd who we lost to bloat, and Moose, a Golden/Shepherd mix who we will lose in a short time to cancer. Finally, Bison, registered Indo vom Triton, who is the main focus of this blog (pictured on the right).

This beginning makes me think of how we come to God. I was only four years old when I decided to give Him my life. My sister told me about John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” She explained that we can go to heaven when we die if we ask forgiveness for our sin. Even at the age of four, I knew I had done bad things. I don’t remember if she told me the verse at the time, but 1 John 1:9 says “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I bowed my head right there in the garage and with the faith of a child asked God to forgive me for my sins and take me to heaven when I die. In the church world, we call that “getting saved” because of Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

My relationship with God started that day and just like with Bear, I knew next to nothing. It didn’t matter to God, He loved me just as I was. Through the years my relationship has grown deeper and sweeter. Not only am I a dog lover, but I am a God lover.