Backstory:
I first heard about Kratos from my pet groomer who heard from another friend that a dog was going to be put down if he was not rescued from the local shelter because he bit his owners 4 year old girl. No one knows the true story, all that is for sure is they heard a crash, a snarl, then a cry from the little girl after he bit her in the face resulting in 13 stitches. I have since learned that Kratos was constantly abused by all of the children and there are many signs of foul play around his stomache which leads me to believe he was repeatedly abused. After picking up Kratos and taking him home, I noticed that he did not seem very comfortable around little children and about 2 weeks later, my niece was snipped at when she decided to get in his face and hug him while he was laying down. I quickly lost my marbles and decided to contact the previous owner to let her know I could not keep him. She ghosted me and refused to answer the phone or return my calls. I then contacted Roxanne after being reffered by my groomer and we set up a meeting to test his temperment. After a session with Roxanne and her dog Sugar, it was determined that he was very headstrong and dominant as the Alpha. We went through the entire FC with a muzzle always on while working. By the time we were done, he was very submissive with the muzzle on and did very well through the remaining course. We then started the ecollar program and working with the muzzle off. He now listens to the sound of a high pitched whistle and returns when commanded.
1) What did you learn about yourself during this RC?
When I first started the RC, my confidence was overflowing after having just completed the foundation course. I felt like Kratos and I could conquer the world and knew without a doubt that we were more than prepared for this course. I soon learned however that I indeed was NOT more than ready for this course. Every lesson had a twist or turn that pushed kratos and I to rethink how we would normally do things and more often than not, Kratos ended up teaching me by always demanding perfection. Even to the smallest detail! I found that half way through the course, I was failing to push him to his full potential and he was quickly losing faith in me as a handler. Luckily and unluckily for me at the same time, I ended up tearing a muscle in my lower back and I had to pass the reigns to my wife Rebekah. I quickly learned that I was not pushing him near as hard as I needed to. I continued to coach from the side, but ultimately it was she that pushed Kratos to be the best he could be and she did a phenominal job.
2) What did you observe or learn watching other people work dogs during this RC?
I was told at the beginning of the course that I was going to be soft on kratos and I didn't believe it. I pushed him as hard as I thought he needed to be pushed and that was it. During classes, I would notice others struggling to follow basic commands and when I attempted them with kratos, even though I did it completely wrong, Kratos was able to pick up on what was supposed to happen and would find a way to succeed. It took me stepping back and watching Rebekah fight to dominate Kratos to realize that I was not helping him at all, I was slowing him and hurting him at the same time. Even when he snapped and tried to bite her, I saw that he was acknowledging that she was pushing him where he needed it most and after every nasty moment, he succumbed and improved dramatically. Most importantly, I learned that the mental stress of pushing our companions is not only stressful on them, but it can also break the handlers as well if we are not preparing for it by studying, practice, and pushing past our limits.
3) What was the MOST unexpected result of THIS RC?
Perfection is not the final objective. When we believe our dog is perfect, others such as our peers and instructors can and will guide us to see the smallest of flaws that can be the difference between running and jumping at 100 percent in 10 years or having a limp that impairs movement. There is ALWAYS room for improvement and as trainers we should always strive to help our companions become the best dogs they can be. Work itself is and always can be the greatest reward as long as you are willing to work through the tough spots.
In conclusion, the dog that is asleep at my feet is completely different than when he first arrived at my home. While I am cautious while he is in the same room as my children, I know that he wants to be around not only me, but them as well. He always wants to be with us when we are outside and he loves my 2 other dogs as well. I recently did a play date with him and my brothers border collie mix and golden doodle puppy. They all played for hours with no incidents. I am forever greatful to Roxanne for saving my dogs life and giving me the opportunity to restore his faith in humanity. I look forward to our future work together and plan to title him in every way that I can.
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