Why Did Your Dog Come To You?

[The Spotted Devil]

Dolly (ACD) came to me to show me what it felt like to have a dog devoted to you no matter how crappy your training skills were (RIP)

Ziggy (Dalmatian) came to me to teach me to think outside the square in every aspect of training, to learn the power of positive reinforcement and that a one-eyed foster failure kitten can be a dog's best friend.

[Guest belgian.blue]

Ivy came to me [she is my first canine after losing my precious Pointer four years earlier] to make me realise that being on your own isn't such a bad thing, it's actually really awesome. She forced me to end a relationship I was really comfortable in, until the end when Ivy arrived.

Badger I'm not overly sure but I think he came to me because I have an extremely soft spot for English Pointers and lost my first girl at such a young age and he also came to me to realise how amazing male dogs are, being my first ever boy dog.

I took about 6 months trying to find my second dog, went through a few breeds and all of a sudden I was planning to fly Badger over and he has slotted in perfectly

[Agility Dogs]

Rex came to me to teach me a LOT of things in a very short time. He taught me how messed up a badly bred and unsocialised dog can be. He taught me the value of training and building a relationship with a good mate and how this can overcome a lot of things. He taught me that sometimes holding on is not the kindest thing to do. He taught me how to cry.

Xena came to me to teach me the joy of having a best friend and that not all obesessive stalkers are evil . She has taught me forgiveness and about fun. She has taught me there are not shortcuts to training and she has reminded be about what a sense of achievement feels like. Xena is my beautiful girl.

CK came to me .........well, he just came to me. (Sorry buddy.) He came to teach me to always look behind the obvious and that with calm can come great strength. He has taught me sheer joy for the sake of living, even when it seems that things suck. He has taught me patience and the rewards of looking after your animals well - especially when they suffer an injury. He came to make me a better dog trainer - that there is more than one way to an end and that what helps one dog prosper can break another.

Wikki........After 36 hours I'm still wondering why Wikki came to me. I'm hoping we are going to go on an amazing journey together and the early signs are very good. She is going to reinforce the lessons of patience and humility that the others have taught me I am sure.

Time will no doubt reveal all.

[Skruffy n Flea]

bella came to me to teach me that the universe really does speak in many different languages

byron came to me to teach me how to teach him

both came to me just to tell me that some things in life are far more important

top thread

[Skruffy n Flea]

for the kitties:

bob came to me to teach me that some things are certainly not what they seem

[Lucy's mama]

Bundy came to me to teach me that love for an animal really can be as powerfull as love for another human being.

Lucy came to us to teach us that cuddles cure everything, and nothing is worth getting in a flap over.

I'm not sure why Banjo has come to us. I'm hoping it's to teach that perserverance and patience and hard work pays off in the end. He has definately taught me not to buy a pup I haven't met.

[Guest]

I think our oscar came to us to try and drive me insane or mabe to keep me fit , but honestly we couldn't part with him now as I think we get more of a laugh out of him now, than when we first got him.

Today I have just had to put some hanging baskets higher up in the tree as he was trying to pull them down, and then he thought he would chew up the welcome mat at the back door, I think I might be winning though

lablove

[Dory the Doted One]

Cool Thread!

Dory came to me for a variety of reasons.....

1. Special Dogs need Special People. (Or vice versa)

2. She has shown me my own issues with separation anxiety and clingy over attachment .

3. I wasn't that attached to a super obedient dog, anyway.

4. I know she knows and she knows I know, you know...but we pretend we don't. You know.

5. I quit my crappy job where I couldn't take her to work (and I got paid when they could afford it), so I could get a better job where I can!

6. I always have someone to hug, who won't EVER say they have had enough or their too busy.

7. So I could have a dog that I can take anywhere.

And most likely a whole lot of reasons that we are yet to discover......

[poocow]

Darcy came to me to get me through my darkest days. Hes tested me in so many ways, and made me spend thousands of my hard earned dollars. He made me learn about allergies in dogs, the importance of diet, training methods and that parvo is a horrible horrible disease with lifelong effects

Top came to me as he tugged on my heart-strings and was hours from being PTS. He taught me that some dogs just have issues and should never be breed stereotyped. He is the most complicated dog I've met and to this day I'm still trying to figure him out, I probably never will.

Morgan came to me to introduce me to the world of showing. She is my heart dog, I love this girl so much. She introduced me to so many people who I know call my friends and was a great introduction to showing. Her confidence is a great asset and together we get out there and promote a rare breed.

Flynn came to me as a dog for my OH that I could show too. He makes me laugh constantly at his antics, has become a solid friend for Moo and a great introduction to the world of Aussies!

[black magic]

Scout came to me to show me

*To not worry about what people think, to be who I want to be, and that sometimes it is OK to be silly, because every now and again it's fun to act a little crazy.

*That laughter can make even the sadest day that little bit better

*That sometimes saying nothing but being there is all that needs to happen to make someone feel better

*That owning a dog is the best thing in the world, and that I should share this joy with any children I could possibly have in the future

* What really matters in life

[OSoSwift]

Rommi came to me when I really needed her, she was meant to go to someone else, but it ended up they couldn't take her. She helped me to move on after a very hard hard time with lots of dark thoughts. She showed me how to enjoy myself and be happy and it really was all okay. She also guided me on training a much more sensitive dog than I was used to, she also made me work harder than I was used to for her attention.

Lewis came to us fairly quickly as well. What has Lewis taught me? the joy at just being alive, that everthing is fun. He has really wormed his way into my heart and is really my shadow, he has taught me how to be a better trainer and to be much more patient, but also when to push just that little bit harder. He has also taught me that a ball and retrieve addicted Whippet is possible.

[KitKat]

Harm came to me to show me how much i love owning and training dogs, and what it is to have a Heart dog even if that dog strains the bounds of just about everything. (RIP)

Bronx came to me so show me how much i love owning and training dogs, and that you can indeed have more then one Heart dog.

Sabre came to me to show me how much i can put up with (allergies, naughtiness, anxious behaviour) and still keep a dog, and how much effort i will put in to keep that dog healty and happy. (And what to steer clear of in another pup/dog!)

Edited July 31, 2010 by KitKat

[Esky the husky]

Didge taught me so much

-What I did wrong with my previous dog

-The importance of recall

-The unconditional love brought to you by a dog

-How much a dog can change your life

-The hole a dog leaves when they're taken too soon.

Esky has taught me

-The power of good breeding.

-Socialization for me and her

[whiskedaway]

- Gus (RIP) came to my family to show me the joy of a well-trained dog.

- Elley (RIP) came to my family to show me that the love of a dog is unconditional and that no matter how sick you are, you have to continue with the joy of life.

- Cooby (RIP) was only with me for a short time, but was with my OH for a long time. She showed me that a scruffy mongrel dog can be special to someone, even if you don't understand how. She also taught me a lot about my OH.

- Akira's reason for coming to me I'm still unsure about, because she's still a pup. But so far she's showed me what patience is and has brought me into the world of learning more about dogs. She has taught me to always buy from a registered breeder, because while someone may have the best intentions for their pups, they don't necessarily have the experience to successfully socialise a puppy.

Close family and friends often ask my fiance and I if Poppy is our practice baby! But she really is. We love her with all our being and while I'm sure the love we feel for her will be different to the love we feel for our future skin babies I think that love will be VERY similar!

That was part of our reason for getting Akira too, and we said to family when we got her that she was practice for the future, as well as completing our family and making us aware of someone other than ourselves.

[lanabanana]

OP that is a fantastic question and I wouldn't have a clue why any of mine came to be honest though will try and post what I think fits.

Chevy came to me to show me 1. just how beautiful dogs are and to show me2. how to look after a dog and also to show me 3. that being calm and laid back was always the best way to handl everything (she was my first dog after kleaving home, but slightly unfair as she was pretty perfect so she didnt really prepare me for others lol). RIP

Lennox came to show me 1. patience and 2. unconditional love 3. just how fun it is to play with a dog by rollinground on the ground with them (he was an escaper and a wrecker and very annoying but I adored him). RIP

Barney came to 1. show me a bit of reiteration on the patience (he is a bit annoyign and clingy) and also to show me 2. how nice it is to feel safe under the watchful eye of a dog who loves you (he is an awesome awesome guard dog) and 3. that just because you reach maturity it doesnt mean you have to grow up (he loves to be silly)

Pippi (ahhh miss monster) came to me to 1. to show me that tiny dogs are not babied little yappers all the time but are really real dogs in smaller packages 2. to show me how to smile and laugh more often and finally 3. that a good grease up with licks, cuddles and cute faces ALWAYS difuses a tense situation

[Pollywaffle]

Unable to have children, Polly has come to me to show me that I can be a good 'mother'...

[mackiemad]

good question! and some lovely answers...

barry came to us to teach us that people can cause irrepearable damage and that some things, even lovely, kind things, cannot be fixed. that even if they want to protect you, sometimes you have to protect them.

vb came to my family to show us that the animal kingdom can encompass everything that is good about this world in one, wonderful being-patience, love, kindness, fun, leadership, wisdom and family. and that the animal gods actually do like you and know what they are doing!

max came to me to teach me about dog training, being a cool, calm, reliable, responsible leader- as well as to indulge my consumer side! and that everything we do is a choice-so you beter make it a good one.