Mr. Buddy Rose - American Staffordshire Terrier Part XIX

(Parts I - XVIII of this story are posted below. If you would like to start at Part I, please scroll down. You may need to click "Older Posts" at the bottom of this page. Thank you for reading the story of a remarkable dog, Mr. Buddy Rose.)

Saturday, October 16, 2010
There is simply no doubt about it. We can learn many lessons from our dogs. Some lessons are easier than others. Sometimes our dogs are like sandpaper and rub off our rough edges. Every now and then they teach us something about ourselves we really need to know.

In the business world, perception really is everything. Perceptions made by first impressions can actually make or destroy your career. Because of perception, those wielding power can make or break your career. For most of my life, I have been worried about how others "perceived" me. How do they see my actions? What does it look like from their point of view? One of the downfalls of this way of thinking, especially in business, with perception, you really can fake it until you make it. This is not true with dogs. There is no perception, or faking it until you make it with dogs.

Before Mr. Buddy Rose came into my life, I walked Mollie the Mini-Schnauzer daily. As this little dog pulled me around the neighborhood, I worried about how the neighbors saw me. Mollie is cute. She makes 2-legged and 4-legged friends easily. On a leash, as with most things in her life, she was in control.

After Mr. Buddy Rose finally started walking, I began walking Mollie and Buddy together. In the beginning, Buddy could not walk well, so we walked slowly and had lots of rest stops. Mollie still pulled, but lucky for me she was small enough to control.

As Buddy got stronger, walking the two dogs together was a struggle. It was a physical struggle, but more than this, it was an emotional struggle. What are my neighbors going to think when they see me with these two out of control dogs? It was downright embarrassing to me. There were brief periods when both dogs were angels on leashes. I prayed my neighbors saw me during these times. I did my research. I read all the books, watched all the television shows and endlessly searched the Internet for solutions to my dog-walking issues. I've tried just about every solution I found. It's taken four months for the somewhat dim light bulb in my brain to tell me the problem with walking these dogs is not the dogs, it's me.

It's not about how others see me walking my dogs. It is all about how my dogs see me. And, it's not just when I am walking them, but how they see me all the time. We are the walkers, feeders, pooper scoopers, treaters, scratchers, caressers, playmates, ball-throwers and disciplinarians of our dogs. But, what do they think about us? Are we "pack" members? Are we "pack" leaders? Are we merely humans, here to insure all of their needs and wants are met?

I don't have the answers, but I am committed to allowing these dogs to be the best, happiest dogs they can be. I will no longer worry about what others think about my dog-walking skills. I will be looking to the dogs making sure they are watching me for direction. I've had several really good days of walking both dogs together. This sense of accomplishment is far more satisfying than any business goal I ever achieved.