Having to give things up - just too tired
Spent a couple hours at the VA hospital today, picking up meds and checking on my back brace. I had to face something that I didn't want to face. I just don't have the energy to train my new Service Dog right now. I had thought that once I basically recovered from the surgery, I would be able to pick her training back up. Today I had to hand her off to my daughter as it was just too much work for me to do.
My daughter has agreed to take over her obedience training for the time being.
This is not easy for me. I have always done all my own training on all my own animals. Having to have someone else do it for me is a bit of a blow. The reality though is that if I want her to make it as Service Dog and not flunk out, someone else is going to have to do a lot of the training - I just don't have the stregnth.
Corso is 3/4 Great Dane, 1/4 Cane Corso - named such because I just love the sound of the word Corso so much. At five months old, she has been in training to be a Service Dog for three months - less three weeks after surgery where I did nothing. Yeah, she started training at 8 weeks old. She already knows about 20 words and handles crowded loud places with ease. The problem is that she is also well over 20 inches at the shoulders (have not measured her lately) and is pushing 80lbs. She is just too strong for me.
When something distracts her for just a second, she is more than strong enough to stop me dead with a jolt to my spine that is pure agony.
My daughter has been around my Service Dogs since she was a young child and knows what is expected and correct behavior - and how to get it. I have no doubts that she will do a great job training Corso, but I wanted to do it.
My daughter has agreed to take over her obedience training for the time being.
This is not easy for me. I have always done all my own training on all my own animals. Having to have someone else do it for me is a bit of a blow. The reality though is that if I want her to make it as Service Dog and not flunk out, someone else is going to have to do a lot of the training - I just don't have the stregnth.
Corso is 3/4 Great Dane, 1/4 Cane Corso - named such because I just love the sound of the word Corso so much. At five months old, she has been in training to be a Service Dog for three months - less three weeks after surgery where I did nothing. Yeah, she started training at 8 weeks old. She already knows about 20 words and handles crowded loud places with ease. The problem is that she is also well over 20 inches at the shoulders (have not measured her lately) and is pushing 80lbs. She is just too strong for me.
When something distracts her for just a second, she is more than strong enough to stop me dead with a jolt to my spine that is pure agony.
My daughter has been around my Service Dogs since she was a young child and knows what is expected and correct behavior - and how to get it. I have no doubts that she will do a great job training Corso, but I wanted to do it.
Replies
You are an amazing Women. Sharing Corso\'s training sounds like a lot of work for one person. Having your Daughter is one big blessing. Share the work now and you can continue to take care of yourself. Makes for a happier Wife and Mother for your family to have. Corso is one lucky Dog!
I think it will work out ok, it is just the fact that Corso is an 80lbs five month old puppy that trips me up. When she gets all wiggly puppy at me, I am in danger of getting knocked down. Having someone close to me, who knows how I like to train, take over this part of the training, to get her past where I can\'t, will be ok. I am coming to terms with it.
You be careful yadlim, like you said getting knocked down would be no fun.
That is exactly why Corso\'s training HAS to go to someone else. With my broken back and two herniated discs, falling can put me in bed for days. It is why, if I have a lot of walking to do, I use a walker.
Ironically enough, Corso is supposed to replace my walker! But right now, at five months old, she is growing so fast, she doesn\'t know how big she is, where her feet are, or how strong she is. She does her best to do exactly as told, but honestly, most obedience classes don\'t start dogs until they are six months old, and she is already well beyond basic obedience skills - she just gets into wiggly puppy mode and then I have 80 lbs of puppy bumping into me when my balance is already shaky.
Yeah, having my daughter take over training for the next couple of months at least is just what we need to do.