For me, the training of dogs is not a four or five week course, it is not about obedience, it never stops and continues through the life of the dog. Fate’s training has gone beautifully, especially after I realized she was not going to be a working dog like Red. The pressure was off, and training is all fun.

Fate is an energetic active and instinctive dog, her instincts often overwhelm her attentiveness and focus, she needs to be worked with every day and she is making wonderful progress. She actually lies down when asked, waits by the gate before she jumps in. On the walk in the woods, I step back and let the dogs get about 100 feet ahead of me, and then I yell “down,” and both dogs drop, Red instantly, Fate after a second or two.

Now we are working on “stay,” Fate is so distractable that is a challenge for her. Today it was crisp, they both dropped when told, waited for us to come down to them. The clearer and more patient I am, the better we all do. For me, training is a spiritual experience, not an exercise in authority.