Lessons learned in doggie boot camp

I spent the past two weeks in doggie boot camp and it was hard work!

My daughter Johanna received a service dog from Canine Companions for Independence.

As part of the placement, CCI conducts a team training program at their Northeast facility in Medford. The training runs for eight hours a day for nearly two weeks, culminating in an emotional graduation ceremony for the newly certified human/canine teams.

The two-week training isn’t just for the dogs, it’s primarily for the recipients and any supportive facilitators who will be handling the service dogs in public. CCI invests thousands of dollars, years of research, breeding and training into each one of their highly skilled dogs.

We have two weeks to learn what these dogs have been learning for two years. It’s less about learning dog commands and more about learning to be an empathetic, calm and effective leader of the pack.

While I would hardly call these past two weeks a retreat, this training was a break from the day-to-day responsibilities of home to focus on this goal of public access and graduation. Johanna and I stayed in the dorms of CCI’s Miller Campus in Medford to avoid the daily commute.

Eleven years ago, Johanna and I graduated with our first service dog, Taffy, who passed away this summer. As much as I knew most of the dog commands, I definitely felt 11 years older going through these past two weeks of training. While I was exhausted for sure, being older and wiser allowed me to sit back and reflect on some simple, yet profound, life lessons in doggy boot camp.

Training a dog has a lot of parallels to life. Dogs are emotional animals which is why they make such awesome companions. It’s also why, like each of us, dogs need healthy boundaries and effective training so they understand what’s expected of them to be a part of the family.

It’s not much different than raising kids. In fact, since my husband and I were introduced to CCI’s effective dog handling skills 11 years ago, we found that the dogs knew more commands than our kids.

I must confess I find that using short, clear dog commands like “Let’s go”, “wait”, “leave it” and “sit” to be more effective than wordy explanations given with a nagging tone. However it does elicit funny looks from my husband and daughter.

One time when I was frustrated with my husband’s non-compliance, Johanna suggested that all I needed was a prong collar and firm correction to get my husband to comply. I cringed, gave her that funny look and quickly changed my tone.

These past two weeks, I was constantly reminded that our commands, corrections and praise are only as effective as our interior disposition. The trainers explained that our emotions travel right down the leash. Dogs, like humans, are emotional beings. Unlike humans they can’t cognitively process the why of our emotional state. Therefore, an effective dog handler needs to have a calm and positive disposition, be aware of one’s surroundings and learn to read the dog.

These past two weeks caused me to pause, to re-assess the busyness of my life which can cause a lot of anxiety. Being mom to a daughter with special needs, there are added stresses of doctor’s appointments, health concerns and the need to translate everyday life for a person who doesn’t always comprehend it.

I was also struck by the perseverance and determination of our classmates, three of whom are wheelchair bound. Here I was feeling tired and overwhelmed by the training, but I had the use of my hands and feet. These adults have limited strength, focusing their mental and physical energies on learning how to handle their dogs. They inspired me to do my best without complaining.

In reassessing my own priorities and being inspired by my human and canine classmates, I honed in on three things I believe we all need to accomplish our goals and live a more purposeful life.

• Motivation:
Most people think that dogs will do what we want because they love us. But dogs and humans alike need motivation. Johanna’s new service dog is a lovely mush. She is very sweet and obedient. But she needs praise and motivation to encourage her to fulfill the tasks Jo needs her to do. She melts right into Johanna’s body for affirmation. It’s great motivation for both of them to keep moving.

People need motivation too. I’m motivated by meaningful connections with others and with the Lord. When I don’t take the time for prayer and meaningful human connections, I feel like I’m running on an empty tank.

These past two weeks, I had time to share with many wonderful people who have overcome tremendous struggles in their lives to be where they are today. There were many moments in the training class when I was inspired to the point of tears, as I watched them forming a foundational bond with their new canine companions. They motivated me to keep pressing on to graduation.

• Rewards
Our involvement in CCI included raising five puppies for the organization. We returned our last puppy to CCI for advanced training on the same day that Johanna graduated with her new dog. We use dog treats and puppy kibble to teach the puppies basic obedience. Every trainer at CCI wears a fanny pack filled with treats. The adoring looks from these dogs are founded on respect and the desire for more treats!

Dogs need to be rewarded for good behaviors and people do too. Some people reward themselves with food or gifts or travel. I’m slightly motivated by wine and chocolate, but I prefer rewards that have less effect on my weight. For those of us who are more motivated by intrinsic rewards, like inspiration this concept can be overlooked.

These past two weeks I realized the need to set clearer goals for myself and Johanna with attainable rewards. We really need to re-vamp our household schedules and organization.

Johanna and I love Marvel superhero movie nights at home and in theaters. We also follow these shows on TV. I’m thinking it’s time to re-institute the chore chart and use our penchant for superheroes as our rewards.

Everybody needs a hero. I’m very blessed to live with one.

• Relaxation

One of our favorite dog commands is “release!” This command tells the dog that they are free to relax and do what they want, within reason. When we come home with a working dog, we take off the cape uniform and the collars and give this command. It’s so funny to see them shake their bodies and roll on the floor in the same way some of us take off heels and ties when we get home from work. We all need to relax!

I relax best when I am outside enjoying the beauty of nature. I remember reading a scientific study that showed that green is the most relaxing color to the human mind. Isn’t interesting that we are surrounded by green when we are outside enjoying nature? God’s gifts in creation were meant to heal us and help us release the tensions of life and relax.

I personally think that life is much better when it’s lived with a dog and gets exponentially better with more than one (my limit is three well-behaved dogs). Whether or not you agree – find your motivation, reward your success and take some time to relax, especially outdoors.

I finished this column. Now it’s time for a big game of fetch.

Eileen Benthal is a writer, speaker and wellness coach with a B.A. in Theology from Franciscan University. She is the author of Breathing Underwater: A Caregiver’s Journey of Hope.

Eileen and her husband Steve live in Jamesport and have four young adult children. Their youngest, Johanna, is a teenager with special needs.

Eileen can be reached at CareforaCaregiver.com.