Active Waiting

One challenge of having two food driven dogs is feeding time. Because Moose already had food guarding issues, we fed him and Bison in separate rooms. I decided when we got Grizzly that I didn’t want to worry about seporate rooms or food fights and attempted to make it “normal” to eat next to each other. From the first day, they were fed at the same time with their bowls about 3 feet apart. I, so far, have seen success with this. I believe it is because I have a strict routine with rules that MUST be followed. Rule #1- You must sit politely and wait while the food is being dished out, no pushing, lunging, or grabbing. Rule #2- You may not eat until you are given the “free” command. Because Bison is more advanced, he has the additional requirement that he has to look me in the eye to wait for his release command with no whining. Rule #3- No approaching the other’s dish before or during feeding. The ability to abide by these rules did not come naturally; it took weeks and months of training. To start a puppy with these rules, I dished out his food out of his reach, then hold him by placing my hand on his chest. I set the food down then say “free” as I let go of him. After he learned to “sit”, I gave him the “sit” command and hold him in place until I say “free”. As they advance, I no longer need to hold them in place. Then I can add in additional requirement, like “no whining” or “look at your handler”, by not giving the “free” command until they are quiet and looking me in the face. The result of this training is that after their morning potty, they run in the house to their respective bowls. They both sit with barely contained energy often drooling profusely, but they don’t move until they hear the word “free”. It is the epitome of anticipation. This activity is exactly what I thought of with a lesson that God recently taught me. Still grieving the loss of my husband, I find myself wondering if I will ever feel happy again. Each morning, I muster up the strength and courage to face a new day with new challenges without him. One particularly tough morning, I opened my Bible for comfort, choosing the Psalms where I left off in my typical evening reading. I read a couple chapters before coming across what felt like a big hug from God. Psalm 27:13-14, “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” What this passage means to me is that I can’t give up believing that I will again see the goodness of God “in the land of the living”. Other widows tell me that the first year feels like a deep cloud of despair, but it does eventually lift and you go on. Their words and this passage give me hope. I don’t have to wait until I arrive in heaven to be reunited with Lester before I am happy again. Even though, at times, it seems impossible, if I am courageous (Means resolute) and wait, God’s healing and strength will come. What a wonderful promise. The word “wait” in this passage isn’t a passive word. It is active. The Bible concordance defines it as “look for, hope, expect look eagerly for”. It is like the dogs, full attention and quivering anticipation waiting for their food. I choose to follow their example, to have the courage to eagerly expect the strength of the Lord and to strive toward the advanced lesson of doing this with “No whining” and “Eyes on the Master”.

Show off

Photo by Dan Oas
For the obedience portion of the SchH title, the dog must perform a dumbbell retrieve. Difficulty builds at each level until the SchH3 level where the dog must retrieve the dumbbell from 30ft on flat ground, over a meter high jump, and over a 1.8 meter climbing wall. Since these activities account for 40% of the obedience score at this level, it is important to train it correctly.

At training this week, a fellow club member asked for help with teaching the dumbbell. I started training this a while back, but didn't have a lot of success and just put it up for a while. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try again, so I asked to be included in the lesson.

When it was Bison's turn to give it a try, he eagerly grabbed the dumbbell(DB)in his mouth and held it tight. This was very good because a loose grip can lose points. We followed the training process suggested by the fellow club member. Bison held the DB tight in his mouth. I used the leash to encourage him to trot in a circle a few times then backed up and called him in to front position to mimic how he would return with the DB after a retrieve. After he landed in the correct position for a few moments, then I would free him to trot in a circle again. The point of the exercise is to get Bison used to holding the DB and to see it as a fun game to carry it around. It also gives him practice getting into the right delivery position and shows him that when he carries the DB around it makes me happy. We had a great training session. Bison loved prancing around showing off the DB and even continued holding it while we practiced his "down", as you can see in the photo above.

For some reason, this reminded me of the Jr. Church kids signing "This Little Light of Mine". They hold their finger lights up high and twirl them around with the same gusto that Bison has as he prances with the DB. Both finger light twirling and DB prancing are such good examples of how we should be proud of representing Christ in our everyday life. The Bible says in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." What a wonderful thing to show the joy, peace, strength, wisdom, faith...that He gives us everyday and to show it with gusto! The point is kind of the same as the training activity to get practice with our faith, to show that the Christian life is fun, and to make our Heavenly Handler happy! I doing so, we give other people a reason to become a Christian too or just the opportunity to glorify God with us. So, be like Bison with his DB hold on tight, and show it off!

CGC

Last month, we had the opportunity for Bison to try the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Test offered by the American Kennel Club (AKC). This is a title that can be earned to show that your dog has basic manners and obedience. I have heard that some insurance companies even offer a discount on your home owners insurance if your dog passes the test. You are required to perform 10 basic tests with your dog such as greeting a person while your dog sits, having the dog brushed by the evaluator, walking loosely on leash... (See the AKC website for a complete list of the 10 tests).

The evaluator that we used is an obedience instructor. He suggested that we stop by as his class was ending to do our test. When we arrived at the building, Bison was very excited. He loves going to class and even though we had not been to this facility, our routine of getting out of the car with the leash and going potty clued him in that we were in for some fun. I believe that I have mentioned before that Bison has a difficult time calming when he gets excited. I was starting to panic, if he was overloaded when we started the test, he would fail. I remembered my club training director saying that she uses obedience commands to get her young dogs to stay focused. I told Bison to lay down while I filled out the paper work. He had to be reminded several times not to get up and he was buzzing with excitement. Finally, he settled down just as it was time for us to go into the classroom, but as soon as he entered and saw the other dogs in a doggy class setting, he started building up drive again. I asked the evaluator if we could warm up. I thought if I could get him distracted with the treats that I had with me, he might think I still had some in my hands when we started the test (no food is allowed during the test). It worked. Bison settled into following the obedience commands and was able to calm down. When we did the test, he completed all 10 with only a couple small hiccups. He passed and was awarded his Canine Good Citizenship. By focusing on obedience, even when he was buzzing with energy, he was able to pass the test.

This experience aligned well with a thought that I had last week. A friend mentioned the quote that people often say when they are going through a tough time. “God will never give you more than you can handle.” I couldn't remember for sure if it was actually in the Bible; religious saying sometimes are not. I looked it up and found that it is based on 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” I was struck by the last phrase, “but will with the temptation make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” I thought about the strength that God has given me through the last few months as Lester has been in the hospital for the amputation of his small toe on the left foot and another surgery to remove the remaining toes and part of the foot. It is more of a blessing to me that God gives me a way to escape the temptation of anger and bitterness than that quote that is often made, “He won’t give us more than we can handle”. He provides a way. I don’t have to figure things out, I just need to trust him.

Taking the thought one step further, the “way to escape” is often through obedience. I am able to defeat the temptation to get angry and fearful when I spend time in prayer and Bible reading, essentially obeying God’s commands. When I fail is when I try to do things on my own. I neglect to reflect on God’s goodness. I don’t pray. I lose faith.
Like Bison, I get worked up into a state where I can not focus; I can not defeat the temptation. I am overcome with nervous energy and can not focus on my task. I can’t win. But through obedience, I can settle in and listen to the one who loves me and take His “way of escape” to enable me to bare the trials that I face. I can pass the “Christian Good Citizen” test.

Who’s in Control?

I recently had the opportunity to attend the regional SchH competition for our area. It was a really neat experience to see so many great dog and handler teams. As I watched the dogs perform, I was struck with the idea that most of these dogs were no better than mine as far as their capabilities. Bison could run as fast, jump as high, and obey as well. The main difference is that these dogs had better handlers. People with years and years of experience who had trained them from the time they were 8 weeks old or even earlier. The handlers are the ones who made the dogs as spectacular and as useful as they were. The best dogs on the field were the ones that were the most yielded to their handler. The worst dogs were the ones who tried to do their own thing. One dog was even disqualified for being “disobedient”.

It is the same way with the Christian life. We all have potential, but what makes us useful is our “handler”, God. The more we are yielded to him the better off we are. It is when we try to do our own thing, when we are disobedient, then we lose.

Romans 6:16- “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

1 Corinthians 6:20- “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

2 Timothy 2:20 – 21 “But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. 21If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.“

True Obedience (Rally Trial- Part 2)

As mentioned in the previous post, we recently entered a Rally Obedience event. In one of the trials, Bison obeyed every command but chewed on his dangling leash through the entire run. It was a way to let off his drive, blow nervous energy. His obedience was only on the outside, it wasn’t in his heart. Though he technically followed the rules, it wasn’t TRUE obedience.

This was the second lesson that I learned from our first Rally experience. Obedience that doesn’t come from the heart is not true obedience. I think of the beginning of Psalm 119 (below) which talks about following God’s law from the heart. Yet, so many times we go through the motions. We go to church, say our prayers, read our token chapters of the Bible, but never let it reach our heart. Like Bison, our efforts to follow the “rules” fall short of TRUE obedience. Instead, as the passage describes, we need to seek him with our whole heart.

Psalm 119:1 – 11“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Looking in the Mirror

To work on Bison’s previously mentioned klutziness and jumping problem, we enrolled in an agility class. The class is at a club that we have never trained with before. The first night, Bison was very distracted in general with the new place, new instructor, new dogs... One distraction though became a lesson to me.

The club has a few places where they have placed mirrors on the wall. They are about 18 inches by 4 feet tall. Each time we walked by the mirror, Bison stopped to look at himself in the mirror. The first couple of times he did it, it was cute like he was saying, “Who’s that handsome guy”. But after five or six times, it was annoying. It was to the point that he wasn’t able to do the obstacles because he was so focused on himself.

It hit me that I am like that sometimes too. I focus so much on myself that the obstacles of life trip me up. This concept reminds me of an acrostic for “Joy” that I learned as a child, Jesus first, others second, and yourself last. This is based on Matthew 22:36-40 “ Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Focus on loving God first of all, then others, then yourself. When in times of trouble it is very easy to reverse that and just like Bison, focus so much on myself that the rest of the world just stops. Its time to put away the mirror.

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.

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.

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.”