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Training Your Dog...Is It Worth The Effort Or Is It Just A Waste Of Time?
Many people feel that taking the time to train their puppy or
dog isn't worth the effort. What with everything else we have to
do these days in our busy lives, whose got the time?
Kimberley was just like that. She'd never bothered training
Jackbut then, one day
Kimberly and Jack ran excitedly up to the top of the escarpment
and gazed out over the deep blue ocean waves as they rolled in
from the east. The sun was just appearing over the horizon, the
cool sea breeze on her face made her feel completely alive, and
Kimberley was as contented as she had ever been.
The time she spent with Jack, the 3 year old German shepherd she
had rescued from the animal shelter a few months earlier, was
the most precious part of her life. He seemed to know just what
she was thinking and was devoted to Kim to the point of being a
fanatic.
He wouldn't leave her sideunlike most of the other male
companions she had previously had in her life.
Jack was the perfect companion.
He gave her unconditional love, he was always there for her when
she needed to talk to someone, he lavished his undivided
attention on her, he never spoke back, and was always waiting
patiently for her when she came home from her work at the
pharmacy.
The early morning walks they shared helped her forget the many
troubles in her life, and allowed her just enjoy herself.
This morning was special.
She was on the first day of her annual two-week vacation, and
had plans to take Jack up to the mountains hiking and camping
for a few days later in the week.
The thought of getting away from the pressures of daily life
made her feel a rush of adrenaline and Jack could sense her
excitement, yelping and barking playfully as they frolicked in
the grass at the top of the ridge.
They played for over half an hour, then turned to head for home
to have something to eat.
Maybe it was the excitement of it all, but for whatever reason,
Kimberly wasn't thinking straight as she undid Jack's leash to
let him run on his own through the grassy fields as they
descended the hill towards the township below.
It happened in an instant.
Jack caught sight of a rabbit hiding in the grass and took off
after the animal in a frenzied rush of excitement and playful
enthusiasm.
Kimberley called him back, but he was totally focused on
catching the rabbit and heard nothing but the creature's cries
Bread In The WoodsWe really like fresh bread while were camping. There is something about bread products that just seems especially ..... for help as it raced towards the safety of its borough.
Jack was a beautiful sight to behold as he chased the rabbit in
full flight across the grassy field. Every second he gained on
the small creature, until he was only 10 feet behind it and
closing fast.
But Kim was looking on in horror.
The rabbit had built its borough close to the edge of the cliff,
and Jack was running at full speed towards the huge drop down to
the ocean below.
Kim could feel the fear welling up inside her and she
frantically called him back as she ran towards the cliff top
herself. "Stop Jack!", she cried, but he paid no attention to
her commands as he chased the rabbit towards the cliff top.
Just 6 feet short of the cliff's edge, the rabbit dropped into
the safety of it's home below ground.
Jack didn't see where the animal went, and in the few seconds it
took for him to realize that the rabbit had escaped, his
momentum carried him off the cliff and over the edge.
Kimberley screamed as she saw her beloved companion disappear
out of sight. "No!" she cried as she ran headlong towards the
jagged cliff top.
She peered over the edge with tears streaming down her cheeks,
fearing that her best friend had fallen all the way to the rocks
below.
She moved closer to the edge screaming out to Jack, praying that
by some miracle, he had survived.
As she lay down to look over the edge, she saw Jack wedged
precariously next to a tree stump on a small outcrop about 20
feet below, injured, but alive.
If he had gone off the cliff just 3 feet either side of where he
did, he would have fallen hundreds of feet to the rocks below.
His life had been spared, at least at the moment, by the
narrowest of margins.
A huge feeling of relief welled up through Kimberley's body as
she saw that Jack was still alive.
She pulled out her mobile phone and called the police.
She quickly explained what had happened to the officer on the
line and a team of rescue workers were dispatched to the cliff
top to rescue Jack.
Kimberley watched on with trepidation as the rescue team
carefully winched her beloved Jack to safety from the outcrop
that had saved his life.
He had broken his left rear leg and had some cuts and abrasions,
but on the whole, he was a very lucky dog that dayand Kimberley
knew it.
She looked towards the sky and gave thanks that her best friend
had been spared.
She promised herself that as soon as Jack was back on four legs,
she would start to train him to obey her commands so that
something like this could never happen again.
She felt guilty that her neglect at not training him properly
from the start could have cost this beautiful animal his life.
She felt sad but also happy that she had been given another
chance with Jack, and she wasn't about to waste it.
3 Months Later
Kimberley and Jack are again able to take their early morning
walks, but now, Jack's lead is an option.
He obeys Kimberley's every command, and they have a deep, new
found respect for each other's abilities that goes far beyond
their roles of dog and master. They are truly great friends.
Maybe you don't take your shepherd for off leash walks near
cliff tops, but there are lots of hazards just as dangerous
around your home that can cause your favourite pet to hurt
himselfor worse.
Running into moving traffic, drinking something poisonous around
your home, jumping the fence and getting into fights with other
dogsthese are all situations that proper training can severely
restrict or eliminate.
Think for a moment of how you would feel if your wonderful dog
was injured or killed by a car right in front of you because he
ran out onto the road despite your calls for him to come back.
Training is vital for every pet so that they know what is
expected of them and they stay safe in an increasingly dangerous
world. And properly training your pet is your responsibility.
Please, take the time to train your dog. If you don't know where
to start, there are plenty of good books around to help.
Another option is to take him to obedience classes in your local
area.
This is the most focused training you can give him (and
yourself) but it's also the most time consuming and expensive.
If you have the time and financial resources, it's usually the
best way (if you can find a good trainer), but if you don't,
then reading a good training book and following it's
instructions will give you a solid grounding on how to train
your dog properly.
Train him well, and he will reward you for it in so many ways
that you can't imagine.
About the author:
Rocky Tapscott is an author and owner of Just German
Shepherds.com For free information and articles on buying,
training and living with German shepherds, or any dog for that
matter, come and visit us at, http://www.just-germ
an-shepherds.com/
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