I could include the usual all-about-my-dog, Leo, but it's mostly not relevant. Here's are the two useful bits: One, he's an 11 year old Aussie, adopted by us when he was 5, and whatever his background was he came to us fully activated as GUARDIAN OF ALL THINGS. In other words, a lot of barking at dogs, cars, birds... whatever. However, we have worked fairly diligently and while he still *WANTS* to do it, he obeys "leave it" and reluctantly moves on. And two, he has cancer and we are putting him down tomorrow at noon; in-home, we'll be there, don't need to be told thanks etc...
(yes, this is kind of a "laugh so I don't cry" thing, hang with me.)
SO, we're on our evening walk, and he clearly wants to bark at some dog behind a fence, and I automatically give him the "leave it" that I so often do... and then it hits me. What in the nine hells am I sticking to training for? I'm not going to "ruin" him for the future, there is no future. So I praise the CRAP out of him. Treats, high squeaky voice. What a good defender dog you are! You showed that guy who was boss! Y'all, this dog perked up on the walk like he hadn't done in months; he mostly is an old, phlegmatic dude. But he was ears up, trotting, attentive, happy-looking.
We had like 4 more encounters on that walk, more than usual; the gods of dogs clearly saw what was going down and decided it was good. I praised and cheered him for his natural instincts instead of frustrating them, and he was almost giddy with satisfaction at being a Good Boy doing a Good Job. He led me and his "sister" home, instead of being either at my side or bringing up the rear. It was phenomenal.
I didn't distract myself with pictures during the walk, but here he is at the dog park today.
Leo, who loves to go get the ball and never had an interest in fetching it back.
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from Pets https://www.reddit.com/r/Pets/comments/bdc09q/a_funny_story_about_endoflife_for_my_dog_this_is/
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