[vash]

last Christmas was awful. zero cheer. no Merry, no Joy. I had to pounce on my dog that was getting into a fight with other dogs. I had had a 6 month reminder until June. I limped from banging my knee hard in the tackle.

my dog is reactive to other dogs. I used to keep him in dog day care occasionally, but one day we found bite marks on him. I asked a high school kid (thru a fence) and she told me other dog ganged up on him.. I believe that was the catalyst. we were "that house down the block with that dog"

2024, I elected to make some changes. I stared at the money I put aside for a new kayak and my wife and I plopped it down to pro-dog training. we met the trainer/owner and she said my dog was super anxious. she wanted us to leave our dog with them for 4 weeks. my dog was gonna get full immersion training. they had horses, pigs, rabbits, etc..all running around with a huge pack of dogs..ZERO barking, full harmony, like I have never seen. that first day, there was barking..my dog. hahah.. my dog got full time supervision around a bunch of dogs that couldn't give an eff.

our trainer Alex said day one, my dog went into prison mode and picked a fight with the biggest baddest dog in there. hahah.. muzzles were worn, etc.

I had one wish, "I want to be able to sit down at a brewpub and enjoy a meal with my dog laying there at my feet". I went back for a week to get training myself. it was tough and humbling.

well, its been almost a year. Christmas is coming up. my dog is a new animal. I have worked all year relentlessly. keeping up with training, encouragement, accolades. he can heel without a leash..and yes we recently ate at a brewery without any excitement.

just this morning was a milestone. all the dogs he got into it with last year were out. gate was closed this time, and my dog was wearing his light muzzle. all three dogs hit the fence with rabid enthusiasm. we jogged by. my dog looked up at me the entire time in front to the house. past the house, he looked forward and we kept jogging. I wish I had it on a GoPro. I was beaming with pride. I think I jogged quicker, with my back more straight, hahhaha...

I still keep the muzzle handy. there are still people with leash-less dogs. if one came up into our face, I think all bets are off. I dont know our limits yet, but I will approach it carefully. he won't even bark at the doorbell now. he just looks at me and the look on his face says, "you gonna get that?"