Wha ???

It was only five posts ago that I was moaning about time changes.

And we're doing it again???

Seriously. This has to stop. I'm a basket case.

I have had an interesting experience in the last couple weeks. I met two different dog trainers. One I was considering for Daisy. I had a one hour in person chat, asked lots of questions, got lots of answers. I'm not convinced of the wisdom of her methods, but I understand them and her underlying philosophy.

Which is more than I can say for another trainer whom the rescue organization wants to hire for Rocky Baby (who is a dog terrified of almost everyone and everything). We spent a couple weeks playing phone tag because they never answer the phone. Then finally I connected with one of the trainers & he spent an hour talking my ear off on the phone, then he came to do a 2h assessment, was late for it, had all my info wrong on his computer, saw the dog for less than 5 min during that 2h, and spent the entire time yakking about how great & original his approach is, and how all the other approaches were wrong. But. Didn't. Actually. Tell. Me. His. Approach.

Only the vaguest hints and me reading between the lines lead me to guess at his basic philosophies (rank reduction & Jan Fennell. I think. I'm guessing, still. And I'm only able to guess because over the last two years I've read probably over a hundred books on animal behaviour and dog training methods and can put together a sketch with only the smallest hints.) I guess his business model calls for this sales pitch & you slowly get reeled into his expensive program.

Which I wouldn't be paying for so I don't really care about it except I find this business model slimey. I felt like I was locked in with a combination of timeshare salesman, junior venture stock promoter and an Anthony Robbins clone. All talk, talk, talk about all the great things he's achieved and righteous indignation about the wrong paths we've been led down and apparently sincere enthusiasm for what we need to do now, but little concrete information about the detailed how's.

Well. Whatever. It's not really my decision & against all reason, there is still a part of me which is hoping that this trainer will do the equivalent of pulling a rabbit out of a hat or a faith healing, because that's the heavy duty stuff Rocky Baby needs to get over his issues, but the reality is there is no magic and behaviour modification and emotional healing are a long and difficult process and there really are no shortcuts.

This week, because I'm a glutton for this sort of stuff, I go and check out yet another trainer for Daisy (who is a sweet girl except she likes to act like a homicidal maniac when she sees a dog she doesn't know).

At some level, I keep looking for magic.

(& that lost hour).