Day 464
Gus has one more Obedience 2 session left before he heads on to his Therapy Dog class! We are so proud of this boy and excited for him to go out and make this world a better place!
Tonight, our instructor set out a gauntlet of desirables! Each dog started at one end and traversed the entire room with temptations galore. A bowl of chicken, balls, socks, empty water bottles, stuffies and more were strewn about with a rather narrow alley bordered by the desired objects! Gus sat, stayed AND ran straight through the entire path to Mama! He was met with applause AND lots of treats! Good boy, Gus!
Being the model puppy student comes easy for this guy except for one thing. His other classmates can be more interesting than any treat I hold in my hand. During the first session, he actually barked loudly as each new "student" entered the ring. This behavior has diminished over the weeks, but he still vocalizes now and then...just to let the others know he is not timid.
The truth is that HE IS TIMID and frightened of the other dogs in class. Humans are safe...dogs, not so much! Instead of punishing him for his behavior, I have processed the core reason for his barking. He is simply frightened. Being scared makes him on edge and he feels the need to let the others know he is top dog. Poor Buddy!
I have certainly known students in my teaching career who were a two-legged Gus! Sometimes labeled as a "bully," their motto could have been "Do onto others before they do it to you," but the actual message was, I am frightened and I need to look tough so you don't realize my weakness. Poor Buddies!
Adults are not much different than their shorter counterparts. There have been more than a few "bullies" in my teaching career. Instead of the bravado of childhood, they present their insecurity in a more clandestine way. Perhaps they talked behind someone's back to equal the playing field. Other times, I would witness individuals try to put colleagues down so that their own worth would seem more equal. Whatever the ploy, it became more transparent as my years of teaching advanced. Poor Buddies!
Eventually, I would easily recognize a person who had the need to "bully" their way into acceptance or leadership. Meeting them more than halfway with praise, comradery and empathy seemed to work wonders! If they felt that my estimation of them was high, they would not feel the need to bring others down to their level. It was a win-win for all! The individual felt their own self-worth, I had a happy working relationship with them AND the students ultimately won in the end!
Gus will figure it out with enough praise, treats and opportunities to understand he has nothing to prove or fear. He is more than halfway there! Hopefully, I won't run out of treats before he becomes a confident, proud boy!
