Gifts

Do you ever think about what gifts you have been given?

Not the kind wrapped up with a bow and presented to you on special occasions but rather the qualities and/or privileges you have received — and can give away to make the world better.

And so maybe I am really asking if you have ever considered your Regifting Super Powers? (I just made that term up but I like it!)

A Regifting Super Power is something you have and/or some quality you possess that when shared, creates a positive change. For a moment or a lifetime — something is different in a positive way for someone else because you shared a Regifting Super Power.

Like Lisa K’s beautiful photos — wonderful in the moment and priceless treasures later when those photos become part of what is left behind. Photography is one of Lisa K’s Regifting Super Powers.

Remembering Clark Osojnicki. Kindness was one of his Regifting Super Power.

It is not boastful or prideful to acknowledge a Regifting Super Power — how can you share if you are unwilling to admit you have it? How can you make that Regifting Super Power even better if it is a secret — from yourself?

I spent the weekend in Utah observing Regifting Super Powers.

I witnessed Capella — a country dog — navigating a major medical center in a large city to share her Regifting Super Power.

Capella has a temperament and demeanor that allowed her to earn a “Complex” rating as a Pet Partners Therapy Dog, which means she is approved for all kinds of settings and populations.

Capella is striking in appearance — Dear Daughter calls her Barbie Berner — with an inviting manner that attracts attention (and hugs). She is big enough to be sturdy but not so big as to be intimidating. Her fur is soft, her nature kind, and her dark eyes are sweet and soulful.

Seeing Capella’s Regifting Super Power in action was so very touching.

I observed Kira’s Regifting Super Power as well. Loyal, direct, and astute, she provides vigilance and advocacy for her husband who waits for the heart that will allow him to see his children grow up.

Because she can. Because she has those qualities and is willing and able to give them away — for the benefit of another.

Kira’s mom, Cindy, is an amazing caretaker of humans and animals — she is sharing her Regifting Super Power by managing Kira and Jay’s family back in Idaho.

Jay possesses a kind and agreeable nature, and that is one of his Regifting Super Powers. He extends this to the staff who are helping him stay alive as he awaits his new heart, making their job so much easier. Jay does the “patient patient” thing as well as it can be done, and that is indeed a gift to everyone around him.

One of Dear Sons and his wife quickly finished up the renovation of a cottage to provide a place for Kira to stay in Salt Lake City, thereby reflecting their Regifting Super Powers.

Another Dear Son stayed with my dogs at home, regifting his time and abilities so I could make the trip.

Dear Daughter came along to share her Regifting Super Powers, providing invaluable support that facilitated this quick trip and to remind Kira she is ready, willing, and able to help.

Dear Daughter’s Regifting Super Power is also why I now have blue hair but that is another post.

And so on.

I feel a bit awestruck today as I reflect on the weekend. Regifting Super Powers generates so much mind-blowing, gratitude-inspiring goodness out there in the world.

Wow.

Just wow.

Wow. Just Wow.

I want to share community news (with their permission, of course). This is the family of Bright Star Atlas…

As you can see, Jay is in the hospital. He is waiting for a new heart.

Jay and Kira are in Salt Lake City, and Grandma Cindy is managing the kids and animals in Boise with the help of Grandpa Vic. Wrap your head around all of that — if you even can.

I can’t.

Please send up prayers, thoughts, and/or good wishes for Jay and Kira, and for future organ donors who are living their lives right now not knowing that they will be someone’s miracle.

Wow.

If you would like to send good wishes to Jay and Kira, please email me at sontag.ma@gmail.com and I will provide the address/info.

#perspective

Fun and Finery

I have said it before and will say it again — training dogs is an intensely creative activity. Each new dog is an opportunity to learn new things — new ways of doing things. My outcomes may be the same but how I get there? Surprisingly different.

There is no way I could train Capella in the same way I train Claire. Capella is as soft as Claire is not. Sweet and easy, Capella can be concerned about things — like a noisy cart.

And so her draft training is slow and easy. Step One is learning to step between the shafts — and she controls the pace of things. That is how confidence happens — honoring and respecting what this particular dog needs to be successful.

Capella appears to have potential in agility. Her physical structure is sound and balanced, she is active and bouncy, and she enjoys the “work.” She is learning weave poles using a modified two-by-two method…

Gentle dogs like Capella are especially tuned in to “corrections” and even a harsh “no” may shut the dog down. I do not train using corrections/aversive methods — instead, I work hard to simply train what I want. This is a well-suited method for Capella.

This is Capella on a “wait” — what if she were to move before I released her?

I would say nothing but I would think to myself, “I asked for too much too soon.” Maybe the duration of the wait was too long or maybe I got farther away than she is currently comfortable. Maybe I have not been clear enough about the criteria for “wait.” We cannot always know what went wrong but we can make some educated guesses — and note that I am not saying any version of, “Capella was naughty.”

Training issues are training issues. Not dog issues.

If Capella got up from a wait before I released her, I would simply (and kindly) walk her back to the spot and do it again — but I would adjust my expectations (less duration or maybe less distance?) and heavily reward success.

We should always train to/for success — not failure.

Capella is a lovely jumper. She is very careful about bars because hitting one and having it crash down concerns her. Therefore, I do not ask her to do things that might set her up to hit a bar. Again, confidence happens with successes — not failures.

Her mom, Claire, could care less about crashing bars or noisy carts or loud teeters. Each “flavor” of dog has strengths. I love having a careful, fast agility dog as much as I love Claire’s big, bold, and unflappable presence in obedience.

Although I will not compete with Capella in agility before she is two, I decided it was time to make her life as an agility dog special-slip-lead-official. In other words, I ordered a custom agility slip lead for her — this is Sparkle helping with the modeling…

Notwithstanding Sparkle’s reaction to the taste, the lead is really beautiful…

Pozy Clarkia also scored big — just wait until you see her custom finery!

Happy Wednesday to you!

And as always — HAPPY Dog Training.