Generally Mara, I think every different dog is going to want to tell you and have you understand something different since they're not machines.

That nice Yellow lab may want you to know how much she finds contact with kids to be so tangibly rewarding, no matter what they may be doing,that she lives for it and she has the tolerance to handle it.

That Standard Poodle could wish you understood he really has no desire to go fetch your keys in the beginning, but he's happy to do it now because you eliminated all the various choices he would have made by rewarding him with something he really desired for doing it correctly and he appreciates the way you controlled that.

That lovely female Afghan may just want you to know how much John Axe gets under her skin.

And then that extra smart Border Collie could just be determined to steer you clear of the grief caused by picking a topic like "What would my dog tell me if they had a chance".

Kelly, i didn't mean to offend you. but any obedience is control and we have to have obedience/control or they would be feral.

As you know it takes a special dog to do therapy work, but all dogs work for a reward. your's possibly works for the reward of helping children. i'm sure the dog feels the sadness in their touch. a dog that works in that environment knows it's job and looks forward to going to work.that's a reward.

Thank you & your dog for your work with abused children. i'm guessing it's trying but i'm sure the children appreciate your help.

John, it was the "not letting the dog think or act on its own" that set my teeth on edge- for the most part, my dogs are allowed to be dogs. Yes, we have pretty strict pack structure, but I need it with 5 females (3 of which are intact high drive working line) living together in one pack.

When I think of the meaning of the word "controlling" I think of an abusive husband that controls each and every second of his wife's life, and beats the crap out of her when she disobeys. Perhaps that's because of the nature of the work that I do... But, I absolutely adore my dogs, they are my life, and it hurt me to the core to think that someone seriously compared me to THAT.

SO, apologies passed around and accepted- let's get back to Mara's project

Mara, I don't know when your project is due, but I thought of an idea for you.... instead of a dog writing to a human, I thought maybe having an old dog teaching a new dog about what he's learned about his owner in the years they've been together. Rule #1 to writing is "write what you know." You could have the "letter" to the new dog written by Missy- unless that is still too painful to deal with for you....

kelly one last thing, Sorry i no way meant or thought of the term control that way. i,m was always around dogs that bite and possible lawsuits so our term was control , control, control. i never thought you abused your dogs, far from it

Back on topic. Gracie wants humans to know that the BIG bully stick is for her even if she does weigh a mere 4 1/2 lbs!

Oh, and we can buy her Mastiff one also.

lol can Gracie pick it up?

She manages to take it from her Mastiff and hide it from him. But, since he follows her everywhere, he soon takes it back. And the process starts over. She also likes toys that are bigger than she is. She's a true terrier, all attitude!



Gracie is the safest dog on the planet with her own PPD. LOL