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get Putty to respond calmly, the way Cesar was able to do with“ out of control” dogs on his show. Seeing Cesar do it, I knew it was possible, and yet I couldn’ t get Putty to behave. Was she the one dog that was going to be hopeless? I couldn’ t accept that, so I called a local dog trainer to come help me train her.
The following Saturday morning, we went outside to wait for the trainer. Putty was running around the yard, and I struggled to get her back on the leash. This better work, I thought to myself. That’ s when I heard the dog trainer’ s giant black pickup truck pulling into the driveway, and so did Putty. Now she was pulling and jumping and freaking out.
This guy stepped out of his truck, and I immediately apologized as Putty started to lunge toward him and jump. To my complete surprise, the trainer stayed right where he was and made a sound, and then I watched as Putty instantly sat down on the driveway in front of him!
What kind of voodoo is this? I thought.
“ How’ d you get her to do that?” I blurted out. As if on cue, Putty started jumping and pulling on me again.
He looked at me and said,“ She already knows how to sit, and she knows how to‘ not jump.’ I didn’ t come here to train your dog; I came here to train you.”
“ Holy shit! This just got serious,” I laughed.“ Teach me, Obi-Wan.”
FAMILY & RELATIONSHIPS
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