by PaulaH » Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:53 pm
Hi there!
Matt and I wanted to check in and give you guys an update on Berdie (Joey). It's hard to believe it's been a year since we picked him up at your farm in Muncie, and what a year it's been! Berdie has continued to amaze us each and every day. He is truly smart as a whip, loyal as can be, and the most loving companion. Berdie's favorite thing to do in the world is retrieve his ball. He always brings the ball right back to us and tosses it at our feet. Berdie has capped off at around 36 pounds, and has remained quite lean and very athletic. He has been an off-leash dog since the second month we had him, never leaving our side. We take hikes in the woods on a weekly basis and he has permanent friends at the dog park that we go to several times a week. Berdie has also travelled across the country to the east coast.
He's retrieved his ball for hours in the Atlantic Ocean on the beaches of Nantucket, MA, he's played in Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Park in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and he continues to travel with Matt and I wherever we go.
About 4 months ago, Berdie developed some bad habits with greeting strangers who enter our house and who he encounters on the street.
Even after consistently socializing Berdie, our love and encouragement for him to greet people without having to protect us wasn't convincing enough for him, so we've begun training again. Our trainer believes Berdie is a control freak ( a common trait in Borders), and believes he is running our pack and needs to protect us. So Matt and I are in strict training, and we're redeveloping our alpha status in the pack.
The trainer believes that if we reestablish our alpha, it will allow Berdie to relax, and look to us to decide who is safe and who is not.
Right now Berdie believes he is the one who decides who can hang out with our family.
His fierce loyalty to us is so endearing, and one of the many reasons why we adore him, but he needs to learn that strangers are safe too.
He is a bit strange around children, so we've begun to walk up and down the school bus route, asking the kids in the morning to give him treats. He's beginning to understand that children are just "little people" and will not harm him or his pack. Again, the alpha training should reinforce the process of him looking to us to know whether something is ok or not. We've been told by multiple dog experts that his extreme intelligence creates anxiety for him and makes him nervous, because he is constantly assessing his surroundings and the people in them.
But I have to admit, it's his extreme intelligence that makes our dog the most amazing companion in the world. The truth is, Matt and I have the absolute perfect dog, he's just not perfect around strangers and kids. But we believe (and the trainers believe) with a lot of patience, a lot of training, and a commitment to make Berdie feel safe, the rest of the world will soon feel safe to him.
We feel like the luckiest people in the world to have been linked with such an amazing creature. Berdie has an old soul, and it's obvious to anyone that he cares about his family dearly. We adore him, and thank you for bringing the most amazing companion into our lives. And even though Berdie has some work to do with strangers and kids and being overprotective, Matt and I have felt, and still feel, that training our dog together has brought our family closer, it has taught Matt and I a great deal of patience, and we're better people for it, as our little family continues to care for one another and to keep each other safe. It's all been a blessing for us.
Thank you always for making our lives so much sweeter. Happy fall!
Best,
Robyn & Matt
Joey is very gentle, no mouthing or nipping and is going to be very easy to housebreak. He will make a family a great companion!
We think he'd make a great testimonial for Blue Buffalo Puppy food since he has filled out so well and his coat is just beautifully shiny and sleek since getting some great nutrition.