Day 25

I've had this blog on my mind a lot lately.  By this blog, I mean, this post.  

     The puppies are at a very impressionable age right now.  They are right at the 6-7 week period.  During this time, they are going to gain knowledge, behaviors and impressions that will stay with them their whole lives.  How crazy, and intimidating, is that?  We are constantly aware of this fact, and, like any good pawrents, we are wanting to do our very best to make this a loving, structured time for them.  Seeing as both of us normally work during the day, our nights are, understandably, full of puppy time. Sadly, puppy time doesn't always mean fun time.   Why?  Because we are the owners of two very, very strong-willed, dominant puppies.

    Hubby and I aren't so good at what their mother would have done to train them, i.e. snarling or biting. Trust me. We wish we were.   Instead, we have to use, and this sounds so cruel, "dominance training." I think parents title this "this-hurts-me-more-than-it-hurts-you."  We're trying to use non-violent, natural forms of training.  We put the puppy on it's back and hold til they calm down.  This is the exact same way Brink shows his dominance of Topher.  Once you do this, you can't let up until they stop.  It's not to hurt them in any way.  Once they start quieting, we stroke their ears and paws and tell them they are good.  Like I told Brink tonight "I love you and that's why I have to be the boss."

DISCLAIMER: We are researching constantly to make sure that our methods will not be damaging.

  The reason I've been thinking about this a lot is because I wonder, how often does God do this to us?  How often is it something so simple but we make it so hard?

Quit struggling, release, and enjoy the safety and relaxation that comes with just giving in.