I got a dog. A puppy, actually. Not something I thought I would EVER do. She’s a Great Dane and her name is Clio. She’s 13 weeks old.
Clio is one of the Nine Greek Muses, famous for inspiring artists and creatives the world over across the centuries. She is the Muse of Heroic Acts and lyre playing. I’m generalizing that as a musical instrument since I’m learning to play the saxophone. But that’s for a different conversation altogether.
Before I got this dog, Clio, I read some books on dog training. I don’t want a dog that drives me out of my mind. I love dogs who behave, and I’m amazed by people who can train them. (Shannon at Maggie’s is quite literally my hero.)
So far, I’ve been through Cesar Millan and “How to Raise the Perfect Dog” as well as Brandon McMillan and “Lucky Dog Lessons.” I’ve also started “What the Dog Knows” and “Gundog Training Like a Pro.”
And then my Jeannette gave me her dog training book from 1969, “The Koehler Method of Dog Training.” This book is by far the best and most effective of the lot – in one shot Clio was “heeling” like a pro. I couldn’t even believe how well it worked.
The coolest thing about dog training is that dogs are super smart. It’s us humans who need the work. Whenever I do what the book says, she does exactly what is supposed to happen. Seriously, like magic.
The other interesting thing about this adventure is I always smell like dog treats now. I always have to wear something with pockets. For the dog treats. I definitely get a lot more exercise. And the stars at night – oh, man. In the middle of the night – like at 12:35, 2:35, 4:35, the stars are gorgeous. They really do look like diamonds that I can reach out and pluck right out of the rural Nevada sky. While Clio snuffles around doing her thing.
I’ve also had a humbling realization, having just wrapped up child-rearing and becoming an “empty nester.” It really would be advisable that before anyone actually has a human child, they should be required to raise and train a puppy. I would have been a better mom if I would have been following Koehler and his method.
At any rate, Clio is right over there in her kennel, keeping me company at the shop while we get this paper out. She’ll be right here with me for quite a while now, and we’ll both be…
…keeping you Posted.
Rach
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