This weekend Devi had two classrooms. The first was the woods on the shore of the mighty Potmac, close to where I live.. There, she began learning one of the fundamentals she will need for her first extended overnight in the back country coming up later in August: how to lead on the trail. Stay in front. Keep moving. Pause only when there’s a real reason, like an animal or a human. And every so often, look back to ensure I am alright and we are in sync. She took to it naturally. She has only three things to master on the upcoming trip. Besides leading on the trail, there is carry a pack (hers will be empty or extremely light on this first outing), and stay in the campsite. As you can probably tell, I’m looking forward to camping with her on my annual getaway.
The next day we traded trees for sidewalks. Downtown Bethesda brought barking dogs, laughing children, busy intersections, crowds, strange smells, and distractions everywhere. Curious but composed, alert but steady she took it all in. Then when we got home she took a long nap! It’s like you can see her grow. Sleeping and body morphing, mind integrating. She is taking in new environments, and figuring out what is expected of her.
It’s a pleasure to be by her side, guiding her into new life skills. We work on basic obedience, too. She now knows how to walk with a loose leash. A game changer in terms of enjoying walking together. I did her DNA and found out she is about a third German shepherd. Well, the desire to please and do the right thing transferred with those genes! It makes training so much easier. 99% positive reinforcement because she wants to do the right thing. Dhe’s looking for it. Of course, there are still fits of puppy energy and great distraction. That’s part of the joy, too.
“Life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.”
— Charles R. Swindoll
