Day 443

Tonight, our Gus had his second class for Obedience 2. He tries so very hard to do the right thing, but 99% of the time, mistakes are made by the handler...me! There was also a distraction, size extra-large!

One of our classmates is a Rottweiler who is rather intimidating. Everyone tries to give him a wide berth, but he is rather unpredictable. He had a "discussion" with Gus as he entered, but moved on to bigger dogs to voice his dominance. Rotties are amazing dogs and this guy will eventually find his way to obedience!

As I watched this big pup, it seemed that he was simply letting everyone know he was in charge. Perhaps he had a history of being bullied or was simply attempting to hide his own fears. Either way, Gus and I played it safe on the other side of the arena!

I have known bullies in my life. As a child, they intimidated me, but as an adult the visceral reactions were feelings of betrayal and hurt. When I would seek advice from others, close to my heart, I would often be directed towards confrontation or retaliation. Those options are not my style.

Instead of any revengeful act, I would always try to model kindness and acceptance. I believe it was confusing to the bully, but my heart simply cannot hold a grudge. There have not been many bullies in my life, but my hope is that choosing kindness is NEVER a bad option.

So, choosing kindness is not the easiest road, but I find that path to be easier on the heart and soul.

The Giraffe, the wisest of all the characters in one of my chapter books said, "Always choose kindness." It seems to be the most gentle, nurturing response to just about anything!

Now, as far as the rottweiler goes, I think we will keep our distance...also a wise choice when encountering any bully!