30/08/2025
I got my first “adult dog” at 18 years old and while my three legged Australian cattle dog, Bear, was certainly a handful, he was also a steadfast companion. I messed up with Bear. A lot. I worked with dogs on the side during college and grew up with dogs so I thought I was fairly savvy for an 18 year old, but Bear threw me for a loop. Bear was not as relaxed and tolerant as my previous labs. Bear had trauma, Bear had pain, Bear had boundaries. I had no idea how to identify his boundaries at the start as he was a very stoic dog. He was also a medical nightmare and increasingly aggressive at the vet. Every time I tried to force things or do something he disliked he would bite without hesitation (low level bites) or snap in your face. We struggled for the first 6 months until I realized I needed to start showing up for Bear as the person he needed rather then getting frustrated for the dog he wasn’t. That was the pivotal moment where things changed for us. Bear rarely snapped at me in his final 2 years, partially because I had learned his many boundaries and partially because he had let his guard down and started to trust me. We had a pretty good 3 years after that before Bear passed away at 12 years old on an overcast island day.
As much as I love Bear and every second I was lucky to have him, I still kick myself for all the dumb things I did as a baby dog guardian. I mean I fed him $8.00 grocery store kibble for far too long! I like to think Bear forgives me for my many missteps in our time together because I think he was just happy to have the time. I wish I could go back and fix a few things, just to have made Bear’s life easier. He was communicating so loudly I just hadn’t been able to tell.
Now, 12 years later, Bear has helped me to read dog behaviour and to better establish positive relationship based training with dogs in need. I learned so much from the scrappy old dog I found online, he will always be one of my biggest teachers.
-Blaze
I'm sorry, Bandit.
Bandit was my first dog as an adult, long before I was trainer and I admit, I knew nothing, like most people with their first dog. I was not a trainer, was a 20-something year old kid and did all the wrong things, because I didn't know any better.
This is why I can relate to people who may have fallen victim to promises of quick fixes or using aversive tools. People just don't know better and they trust who they the professionals are. I know I did.
And, times were different then.
There was no cooperative care movement to teach animals to participate in and consent to vet and grooming procedures. Thankfully, many people have learned better now and gone (mostly) are the days of forcefully restraining animals, pinning them down thrashing, defensively trying to bite or surrendering and urinating all over themselves to "get it done."
This happened to the first dog I ever owned, 20+ years ago, Bandit. We took him to the vet to have his nails trimmed. He did not want his nails trimmed so the vet instructed five people, including myself, to hold him down while she quickly tried to clip his nails.
I didn't know any better. I didn't know to advocate for him. I didn't know there was a better way. I didn't know medication was an option or that dogs could be taught to like having their feet touched and nails done. I just didn't know, and nobody told me.
Bandit was 130 pounds, aggressive and muzzled, and after about 5 minutes of very forceful restraint on the floor, he eventually stopped snarling and struggling and just peed all over himself.
I'm still traumatized by that incident just writing this this. I can't even imagine how scared he was. He's been gone for over 15 years but I'm still so very sorry he had to experience that.
So, I'm sorry, Bandit. I know better now, so I do better. And I teach others to do better.
Read about cooperative nail trims here. With the right training, it doesn't have to be a struggle.
https://rescuedbytraining.com/2021/02/01/cooperativecarenailtrim/
