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ShadowThe Story is still going2006 was a momentous year for Shadow, one where I stopped thinking of him as a 'dodgy dog' and started thinking of him as an untrained bouncy pup. I was (and still am) wary of letting strangers touch him, but I'm happy that he can calmly walk passed people and their dogs. That to me is the major achievement that Shadow has made. He trusts me now and knows that I will protect him. He has shown a talent for using his nose and for jumping, so it may well be that at some point, Shadow may be seen competing in working trials, but not just yet....we've a way to go before that happens. He attended a TTouch workshop with me in the June and despite my apprehensions, he coped so well with having all those people watch him. It really hit me then, just how far he had progressed. He even let me give him TTouch that day, something that he had not permitted before. After all our ups and downs, Shadow and I now have an understanding. When July came round and it was the anniversary of him first arriving, I gave him the only gift that he really wanted.....a permanent home with me and my gang. I really didn't want another male GSD, but I just couldn't let him go. I think he knew that from the first day, he just had to convince me! The first year of his life here was eventful to say the least, and I'm glad that I persisted with him and didn't have him pts as I so nearly did in December 2005. I have learned so much from him, and we are both still continuing to learn. Another year has almost passed, and Shadow's training is still on going. He still pulls on a lead a bit too much, still gets a bit over exuberant and just has to leap up and give me a kiss. But he can do a stay now; he can switch from manic play mode to more controlled play; he is totally retrieve mad but that's probably down to me and he is a wonderful dog to live with and we are having so much fun together now. He hasn't tried to bite for well over a year now, and the nice thing is that we have a lovely play growl. His body language and communication skills have improved dramatically, thanks to my other lovely dogs. The other wonderful thing is that Shadow has developed that lovely zany shepherd sense of humour. Those of you that live GSDs will know exactly what I mean <g> He has no issues with his collar at all now, and doesn't guard his food at all as I discovered when I had to swap bowls when I had accidentally given him the wrong breakfast. He's still on a diet! I realised how far we had come the other day when he stuck his head in the bucket that contained the defrosting chicken backs, I grabbed his collar and pulled him a way and he never batted an eyelid. I never thought I'd see the day when that happened. Other evidence of how far he has improved is that he happily accompanies me to flyball tournaments and can be walked around without reacting to the hoards of people or to the dogs. What a star. Shadow has also recently been in kennels whilst I was visiting the Army Dog Unit in N.I. The army very kindly allowed him to go into their kennels and to be exercised in their secure compound. I was very wary of his reaction to being kennelled as I remember all to well the bite I got when I left him in a compound and then returned to him. I needn't have worried, Shadow was fine in the kennels, completely relaxed and even coped with having the unit's Sergeant Major join me when I was exercising him. Frank, you are a star. He still needs more training, more exposure to people, but to be honest all that has taken a back seat as its not important anymore, I can live with him as he is. I will do more work with him as I would love to get him through his Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze award, and we aren't that far off it really. I just need to focus myself a bit more. The poor lad now has to put up with all sorts of things, stuff that his nasty wicked owner makes him do. He doesn't always look impressed...
If you've follow his story this far, then I hope you will enjoy these pictures of Shadow enjoying his favourite game of frisbee |
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