| I'm a professional dog trainer. I don't | | | | the leader and his pulling on the lead is |
| ordinarily believe in the mystical or | | | | merely taken as the appropriate inquiry, "Are |
| magical. But I realize that when I do my job | | | | you the leader or am I?" I give a short snap |
| well, I'm not being driven by human logic or | | | | on the leash, which brings him back to my |
| some textbook knowledge. I realize that my | | | | heel and in his world, I have politely |
| many years of working with dogs has taught me | | | | answered, " Thank you for asking, I am the |
| to be able to cast aside my human limitations | | | | leader." This question may be asked and |
| and for the moments of our human/canine | | | | answered several times in sundry ways during |
| interaction, I can hear and understand and | | | | our interaction. We are having a rich and |
| become one with the world inhabited by dogs. | | | | wordless conversation that goes to the |
| Let me try to explain. I've learned the world | | | | essence of all that needs to be known in this |
| of dogs is a Zen like place somewhat | | | | particular moment. This conversation is |
| counter-intuitive to humans. There is no such | | | | fluid, dynamic and constantly ongoing. An |
| thing as time but rather a flow of events | | | | undirected stare, a paw placed on top of my |
| that predictably cascades through the dog's | | | | foot, a lazy yawn can all be part of a rich |
| world. Breakfast is not at 7 am in a dog's | | | | language that is pregnant with meaning and |
| world. Breakfast is that slice of life that | | | | content. Being human, I dwell on past |
| follows the sunrise and the birds chirping | | | | victories and defeats. I plan and scheme. I |
| and master rustling about in the food bin | | | | brood sometimes. A dog does none of this for |
| accompanied by the smell of his morning | | | | all of "this" is a moment that will change in |
| coffee. Although this happens at 7 am for | | | | another moment like the breath going in and |
| master, this happens in the dogs mind as a | | | | out. Dogs only care about now and when I hear |
| familiar routine that could better be called | | | | their owners bemoan past behaviors and |
| an association. My dog and I both know when | | | | challenge me to "correct" their dog's |
| it's breakfast time but it's an illusion to | | | | behavior, I smile knowingly at my canine |
| think we both tell time. When I walk a dog I | | | | pupil and understand that in this moment |
| put her at heel. If she's an untrained dog or | | | | there are a universe of possibilities that we |
| simply unfamiliar with me personally, she | | | | shall discuss and act upon. Yesterday, as I |
| will probably pull and wander at first. My | | | | was browsing a magazine and my dog Zoe was |
| human logic would tell me that she wants to | | | | laying by my chair curled up like a giant |
| be free and run and sniff the grass and bound | | | | question mark, I came across an interesting |
| through fields like a free spirit. That's | | | | advertisement. It was offering a forty-five |
| what I would desire were I on four young legs | | | | minute video on meditation and the difficult |
| and equipped with a nose that could smell and | | | | practice of "letting go and living in the |
| sense unimagined sectors of the world that | | | | moment". I laughed out loud when I read the |
| merely blow by my human nose like chards of | | | | exorbitant price for this vehicle to peace |
| sand in a dust storm. But I'd be wrong to | | | | and tranquility. I then returned the magazine |
| think my dog thinks like me. My dog knows | | | | to its rack and the sound of my laugh caused |
| there is a natural order to the universe and | | | | Zoe to sit up. I thought to myself that |
| between us we shall chat and determine our | | | | perhaps the reader of this magazine could |
| personal fit. In going on this walk together, | | | | find better fulfillment if they merely owned |
| it must be determined whom shall lead and who | | | | and learned from a dog. I'm sure it was my |
| shall follow. In my dog's world there is no | | | | imagination, but it appeared, Zoe winked at |
| democracy. In my dog's world, his pack cannot | | | | me before lying back down and rolling over. |
| stop to debate or take a vote as to what | | | | |
| action shall be taken when a prey animal is | | | | Dog Training advice and informative articles |
| darting across their path. Were such | | | | may be found at Perfect Manners Dog Training |
| decisions up for a vote, his pack would | | | | website. Sandy is ranked among the top dog |
| surely die. When I am in a dog's world, I am | | | | training experts in metro Chicago. |