Frieda and Maria head off to the Studio Barn, toting yard
I believe the training of dogs is a spiritual experience, not an exercise in technique or obedience or submission. This is borne out again and again with Frieda. Frieda was abandoned in the Adirondacks and roamed wildly there for years, finding her own food, and her own shelter. In our long training experience together, I never quite grasped the idea that she had no idea how to walk comfortable with a human being.
When she is out, she is always hunting or guarding. When you ask her to walk she gets nervous, even confused. So I begin each morning with a kind of spiritual meditation. I just visualize walking her calmly with her, and I reinforce this with voice, food and reward. We go for short walks, and we always end up in a good place – seeing Maria, having a treat, or praise and affection. Day by day, Frieda is beginning to grasp the idea of the walk, although our progress is halting if steady. Dogs need a chance to succeed as well as fail.
Training is an intensely personal thing for me. I am not really looking for training gurus or the techniques of other people. I work on my conviction. I mean to succeed. I work on being positive. This must be good for Frieda. The important thing is that we end up walking together. Everything else is just filler.
The words I always use with Frieda are “Frieda, come walk with me.” Then, just “come,” “sit” or “stay” remembering to praise her frequently and let her know I am happy. Frieda is exquisitely tuned into the people she protects.
My state of mind is crucial to training Frieda. If I am relaxed and joyful, it goes well. If I am tired or irritated, it doesn’t. I need to use few words, be positive and clear. Good for me, good for her. This reinforces my own need for a calmer, more peaceful self. We are doing it together. I don’t have an “up” voice and I don’t really like them. But Frieda is getting the idea, and I will take it a few steps at a time. Come with us on our walk this morning, which was just down the road and ended up at Maria’s studio. We’ll do it again this afternoon.