I guess I should more often give credit where credit is due. When I walked away from my office job years ago it didnt cross my mind to use my horse skills to help folks with their dogs. Too old really to mess with unstable horses...that part of my life I felt was behind me. Then, two things happened...the first was a good friend encouraged me to get back to teaching people about the thing I loved the most...namely about how horses think...and the second was I happened to catch an episode of The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan. Sitting there watching, I kept thinking that this guy is pretty good. I mean, you know how in the beginning of the show it shows how the dog in question is running amok and driving everyone crazy...and then they go to commercial? They come back and it shows Cesar in his Jeep driving to the house where the trouble resides...he knocks on the door, comes in, sits down and says, ...so, how can I help you? Well, in short order he is explaining dog behavior to them and then he goes hands on with the dogs in question. And, as he is doing so, I kept thinking, if it were me trying to help them, I would do this or that...and amazingly enough he did just that. It was surreal. Over and over I would find that happening...and I slowly came to the feeling that I could do what I see him doing. I remember one day sitting in the living room watching with some friends and I blurted out that I was thinking of doing that for a living, They all laughed. I really hadnt discussed in detail my former horsey life and they all thought I was kidding. I wasnt. I started walking around Portland with my 10 pound poodle Apollo...and as I would see someone struggling with their dogs I would start a friendly conversation. Hey there, nice dog I would say. Thanks, but hes driving me crazy! Wont stop barking or wont come or fill in the blank. Your dog looks so well behaved, who is your trainer? I trained him myself I would say. Oh, man, I wish you could help me... I would extend my hand and say, give me the leash. In a moment I had the dog going along with the program to open mouth and wide eyes of his owner. It really did become a game to me...see how fast I could get a complete stranger to hand me the leash to their dogs. And to see how many leashes I could get my hands on in a day. Heck, as far as I was concerned I was retired...I had enough to live on for a few years so, why not do what made me happy? Who doesnt love that look on peoples face when you do something they think is amazing? I started calling it my Street Art. I felt as though it was my art and I loved to practice. When someone handed me the leash, it was like handing a paint brush to a painter. Well, the money ran out and I decided to make some business cards and do it kind of like how I saw Cesar doing it...going into folks houses and helping them with their doggy issues. I would literally go in, sit down and say, So, how can I help you? I remember trying not to let that Mexican accent creep in as I channeled the great one. I stole a lot from him, but the majority of what I did was based on my years of rehabilitating damaged horses. Turns out its the same language...just a bit of a different dialect. Like the difference between English in Chicago and English in Texas. Still basically the same thing. I started getting tons of kudos and gratitude for my help and folks started passing my name along to friends and family. Most of my help came in the form of sessions in the clients house, or in public areas where we could work on their social issues. I didnt have a place to bring the dogs for the kind of intense rehab thats possible with a balanced pack to help so that was not part of the picture as it is now. Eventually I found a way to gather a few dogs together so as to be more effective with dogs that needed that inpatient care. Today I have partners and employees to help me with the pack and the patients...campers, as we call them...and we are doing a lot of good. Now, we are on the verge of another leap forward. My dream is to make high quality dog help available to all, regardless of their ability to pay. The non profit status paperwork is working its way through the system and as soon as that happens I have commitments for substantial donations from folks whom I have helped along the way who want to see me do this on a much larger scale. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of dogs surrendered and destroyed because of behavioral issues (the number one reason) by helping people better understand the source of the confusion and misunderstandings. I intend on modeling this effort on Cesar Millans Los Angeles Dog Psychology Center...the only difference being the effort will be not for profit. All of this is to give a nod to a man who has helped shape my life in a very large way...even if we have never met. Please, please consider making a purchase and watching carefully any of the following DVDs...or reading any of the many books he offers. He and I may not see things exactly the same on every issue, but I would be a fool to argue with him about almost anything related to the subject of the relationships we have with dogs and how to improve them. Please, support him by making a purchase. He has devoted his life to helping others...and no matter how well you think hes doing financially, he deserves your support, in my never to be humble opinion. Thanks for reading and moreover, thanks for all the support I have received from so many of you here in our fair city. Im forever grateful to the people of Portland and surrounding areas who have come to refer to me as Portlands Dog Whisperer and even as the local Pit Bull Whisperer for all of the work I have done to help folks with their pitties and pit type dogs. I never refuse a cry for help regardless of breed, age or any other reason. Chihuahuas to Mastiffs, I love them all the same. To those who have dogs they believe are beyond help: Dont give up. Let us try? We specialize in the long shots...the long odds cases. We dont always hit a home run, but I can honestly say more often than not there is improvement. You and your dog deserve to be happy...please...if all else fails, give us a shout. We offer this: First session I come to your house and spend two hours with you...if you are not 100% satisfied, no charge. If you are, I ask for 35 and hour, or whatever you can afford. If you cant afford one dollar I will still come. This has been my policy from the very beginning. I have never asked for more than that. Most people pay the 70 bucks because they know it helps support those who cant. I also offer a package of five sessions for 250 because it becomes clear during the first session that a handful of coaching sessions with me is required to really get their arms around my program. But, things have changed substantially and my practice is almost 80% rehabilitation in our place with our pack for dogs that Portland is a place where It takes a village is alive and well. Lots of dogs and lots of community spirit. This is how we do things here at Uncle Daves. So, How can I help you? cesarsway/shop/Mastering-Leadership-Series-Complete-6-Volume-Set?utm_source=CWShopHome&utm_medium=Slideshow&utm_campaign=DogTrainingDVDs
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 19:26:40 +0000
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