What Does Ayrton Senna Have To Do With Dogs?

Ayrton Senna was arguably the greatest Formula One driver to walk the face of the earth. That is the opinion of many including myself. However, even if one disputes this opinion, it is inarguable that once the rain started to fall, he was untouchable. One only needs to watch his performance on the first lap of the 1993 European Grand Prix to see just how great he was. Click the link if you want to see the man in action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MAvSZPHSZ4&feature=related

So why am I talking about a race car driver on a dog blog? For one, I love Formula One, and any chance I get to talk about Ayrton Senna, who is my favorite driver of all time, is an opportunity I'll take. Secondly, and more important to whoever is reading this, I've been reading the book The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, which is about a dog and his owner who is a race car driver. And there was a quote from the book that inspired me and brought me here. "That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny".

So what does that mean? This quote was by one of the characters in the book as he described the approach a driver must take when racing in the wet. And what he was referring to is the notion that the driver who excels in the rain is one who doesn't drive in fear of it. Most drivers will drive apprehensively, afraid of losing control of the car. But the driver who excels in the rain does the opposite. He creates his own destiny by initiating the loss of control, rather than constantly fighting the car trying to be in control of it. By proactively triggering the car to slide around, the car's behavior then becomes predictable and manageable. Always trying to fight what the car naturally wants to do in the wet, makes it unpredictable, unwieldy, and likely to snap on you. The difference between driving from your head and driving from your heart. Senna was the epitome of a man who drove from his heart.

If you live with your dog in fear of his energy, always fighting him, trying to keep him in check and under control, then you can never manifest the outcome you desire. But if you can initiate the loss of control, letting your dog express his energy and embrace his natural wild nature, then his behavior becomes predictable. A predictability that can only come by letting go of the reigns. You have to lose control to be in control. Such are dogs and such is life.

Jackie and Me

Summer is coming here in the northwest, and that means long, gorgeous days. I'm lucky and blessed to live in an area that isn't too crowded and is within walking distance to the beach. So I took advantage of it and took Jackie with me to watch the sunset and the ferry.

Your Dog Is Your Mirror

In the late 80s, early 90s, Kevin Behan published the book Natural Dog Training. It was a complete and total paradigm shift in the world of dogs, as Kevin's theory was based on the notion that dogs are emotional beings. Almost 20 years later, and Kevin has released a follow up to his seminal work, Your Dog Is Your Mirror. It's a profound and provocative book that explores on a deep level the human dog connection.

Go to the Natural Dog Training website to learn more about it.

http://naturaldogtraining.com/

Heeling

A photo my wife took of me working with Jackie on some heeling.

Hessian Sees a Deer

Are you the emotional center of your dog's universe? How would your dog respond when seeing a deer, a rabbit, a squirrel, or any other prey like being? Would he bolt after it when it takes flight, or would he look to you for resolution.

Watch the linked video to see how Hessian, Kevin Behan's dog, reacts after seeing a deer on the Behan property.

If you are having trouble seeing the video here, click on this link to watch it on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzRqiGrh-nQ&feature=player_embedded

Rebirth of a Terrier

This is how Roxy looks nowadays. She used to be so stressed and anxious all the time. Things aren't perfect for her yet. But the transformation that's occurred has been amazing. Will she ever be a completely calm, relaxed, easy going dog? She's a terrier, so calm and relaxed are relative terms. But when I see how she can just lie around outside in the sun and hang out with me with this look on her face it makes me feel so good knowing how far she's come. Which of course means I've come pretty far too:)

I just wanted to add an update to this post by saying that Roxy is now SO much better about riding in the vehicle with me. She used to be incredibly wound up and anxious, vibrating like crazy. But I recently decided to see how she would do if I took her on a drive with me. And she did AMAZING. No whining....not even once! She just sat down in her seat, and then rode shotgun with me the whole time, even deciding to start sniffing around the truck instead of getting fixated on what was going on outside. We even drove by a dog, which did get her attention, but no whining or barking. In the past this would have sent her into a frenzy of whining, lunging, spinning around, barking, and possibly even biting whoever is closest to her. It's incredible to think that I was out with Roxy, just driving around like normal people do with their dogs every day. It's such a small thing, yet the implications are enormous. So now, not only can she just hang out with me calmly outside, but she can also ride shotgun with me too. And since I love driving around in my truck, that's a good thing:)

Gucci!

This is Gucci, the Cocker Spaniel, and he was available for adoption at the shelter. He is an absolute sweetheart, and would make anyone a perfect companion. Amazing how many dogs like Gucci we get at the shelter.