The Domestic Animal

Beautiful. Glorious. What potential could a rescue animal show that you have?

Ezra was my very first client! Once the SFSPCA behavior team developed Ezra's medication and training protocol, I helped his parents develop his skills (especially his "Quiet" cue and learning to be by himself for short periods) during our thrice weekly half-day outings all over San Francisco. Eventually Ezra came to live up to his namesake meaning "little helper" in Hebrew, as he helped other reactive and fearful dogs develop their manners and confidence, and even learned to... redirect the attention of interloping dogs when another dog needed distance from strangers. Once upon a time, Ezra's mother said that they couldn't raise Ezra without me, and even imagined ways of luring me to New York City with them where they hoped to return someday. Two weeks ago, I had my last outing with Ezra, and his parents moved to New York City with their mature and manageable dog -- all with the confidence to move across the country without needing my help anymore. I know Ezra will take Manhattan by storm (in a good way). ;)

Dear Dog Owners: You have an amazing and wonderful dog. You have every reason to think your dog is the best dog in the world. Your dog does not need to be a s...ervice dog, a therapy dog, or an emotional support dog to be amazing. They are amazing the way they are. If your dog has a calm and gentle demeanor and loves every person, young and old, that they ever meet, no matter how rudely the person behaves toward them; your dog might want to be a therapy dog. If your dog is focused on you, calm, quiet, confident, and happy to be with you while ignoring all dogs and people around you all the time; your dog might want to be an emotional support dog. If your dog is calm, quiet, confident, and happy to be with you while ignoring all dogs and people around you all the time and is task-oriented, easily motivated, not easily discouraged, and of an appropriate size to perform your needed tasks; your dog might want to be a service dog. But if your dog is highly energetic, overly dog social, scared of dogs, "aggressive" toward dogs, scared of people (or even just some people), doesn't like to be touched, in poor physical health, recovering from some emotional trauma, or any other completely normal thing that doesn't make them any less amazing as a dog; your dog probably doesn't want to be a therapy dog, emotional support dog, or a service dog. Maybe your dog wants to be an obedience dog or an agility dog. Maybe they want to do scent work, tracking, or search and rescue. Maybe their love is lure coursing or dock diving or being your hiking buddy or couch surfing with you in your retirement. Maybe they want to compete in a dog sport. Maybe they just want to do dog sports for fun with their human because doing stuff with you is awesome. Maybe they want to stay home and play games in your house and yard and spend hours cuddling with you. Over the last few thousand years, dogs have been bred for such diverse purposes as hunting large game, eliminating vermin, performing water rescue, pulling sleds, and even for simply sitting upon laps and being pretty. What was your dog bred for? What does their combination of DNA and life experiences make them think is wonderful? Your dog is already awesome. Let's be awesome owners and, rather than try to make our dogs fit into the tiny box of our expectations, let's learn how to find what they love, what drives them, what is most reinforcing for them. Let's let them tell us what will make their lives as amazing as they make ours, and let's listen to them. There are thousands of ways your dog can be the very best dog. Let's put them in a position to shine. This post brought to you by my first favorite failed therapy dog.

Ezra celebrated Pride, and he brought delight to everyone who saw him.

Hot days walking through the Marina with Lexie, Ezra insists on stopping for a roll in the shady grass.

Stanley Film Festival Part 14: Hallway Skateboard Isn't That Scary

Stanley Film Festival Part 13: Indoor Skateboards NBD

Stanley Film Festival Part 12: A Skateboard Learning Experiment (long and boring)

Stanley Film Festival Part 11: Conquering The Skateboard

Stanley Film Festival Part 10: Confident On The Porch!

Stanley Film Festival Part 9: Working On The Porch

Stanley Film Festival Part 8: Climbing Those Scary Stairs

Stanley Film Festival Part 7: So Nervous In The Hallway