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c o m m e n t Changing the World

Inspired by her encounter with Keller’s Cause, a nonprofit that helps deaf and/or blind dogs fulfil their true potential, Heddie Leger realizes that we are all up to the collective challenge – or opportunity – of moving forward to the next level in our care and training of dogs

We all live in a world within a world. Each of us has the inherent ability to change and adapt, and we have unlimited opportunities at our fingertips. We make thousands of minute decisions that change our immediate environment every day. For instance, I open my eyes, raise my head, lower my feet to the floor, then consciously move my feet to touch the floor, moving from a sitting position to a stand. I then decide what to do first. This is a simple stepbystep process before we start our day. If you think about it, that is eight decisions before determining what to do next. I have changed my world in a few seconds before I even begin the day.

Changing the world may be defined simply as changing the immediate environment. Consider all the little micro actions and decisions that take place in any given situation, and you will realize how you change the elements in your world on a regular basis. Now, consider adding intentional purpose to accomplish change in some area of your life that will impact another life. It can be with any species.

Many moons ago, as a young mom with two small children, I pondered how to manage working and caring for my children. It was a balancing act at best. Add to that the fact that I had to be at my work location by 7 a.m. and my children didn’t need to arrive at school until 8 a.m. A dilemma faced by many working moms... What to do with the children for one hour before school and how to get them to school? At the time, before and afterschool childcare was nonexistent. I had read one article and study on the topic. Other than that, there was no help available other than grandparents – which we did not have in the immediate vicinity. You might wonder what this has to do with dog training and behavior consulting but bear with me.

Community

I looked at the resources in my immediate area and began to put together a plan. Three of my friends who were in a similar situation joined me in my quest and we began to create a before and afterschool program concept. Public officials like the mayor, city council, school district, and a host of other professionals said it was “not needed” because “not enough women worked,” and that we were wasting our time. But we knew otherwise (I am dating myself here!). We started with our own resources: inkind contributions, such as books, toys, and creative grit. We finally convinced the school board and school district to provide an inkind contribution of space, since this is where the children needed to be when school started, hired a managercaregiver, and the rest is history.

Long story short, we became a model for other schools, communities, cities, and states to follow. History has a way of repeating itself. People can be ingenious when need be and no challenge is so great that it cannot be creatively overcome. So, you might still ask, what does this have to do with dog training?

Let’s think about that now. We walk through the door into a client’s house, or they walk through the door of our facility. Over a dozen decisions have already taken place between the human and the dog. I will not go into detail here, as I believe you know what I mean.

We then progress to our skill set or plan of the session we hope to accomplish. Another set of decisions and interactions have taken place.

© Can Stock Photo / Everst Pet professionals can bring about change by working together to ensure every dog s given the chance to succeed within the limits of his capabilities

We have begun to change someone’s world. The humananimal bond has been reinforced, we have communicated the details of the exercise, and the team has taken steps to accomplish the set goal.

Without getting into details or semantics, as that will vary from person to person, or dog to dog, each interaction is changing someone’s world. This is important because if we are to succeed at training or behavior change, we need to be aware of the consequences of each of our interactions. As humans, we are not always terribly selfaware. It takes conscious effort to develop that skill. How many of us really think about it? What does it even mean to be selfaware? I think our dogs have a better handle on that than most humans! This is how we learn from our dogs. They teach us to be selfaware, because of who they are and who we need to be, if we are to help them and their humans succeed.

Special Needs Dogs

A perfect example of this is the rescue group, Keller’s Cause. I came across this group recently, as I was helping a blind and deaf dog find his place in the world. I have found that there are not too many resources available to help those of us who work with special needs dogs. But when I came across Keller’s Cause, I found a caring, compassionate community, led by Amanda Fuller and Rose Adler, that was changing the world for deaf and/or blind dogs.

Fuller and Adler immediately responded to my request and helped me realize there was hope for my pup. Deaf and blind dogs are often euthanized before they have a chance to experience life. When a

Changing the world of a dog does not take a miracle. It takes the ability to see the dog not only as he is, but as he can be. I challenge each reader to consider this amongst the many issues we face in the world of dogdom.

breeder realizes a pup is deaf, blind, or both, they may consider them to be “worthless.” Meanwhile, when a pet guardian realizes their dog is not ignoring them, but cannot hear or see them, they may relinquish him to a shelter because they don’t know what else to do. But at Keller’s Cause, every dog has value and is given a chance to succeed within the limits of their capabilities.

Both ladies are accomplished forcefree, professional trainers that impart their knowledge in an unselfish manner for the sake of helping the dogs under their charge find loving and stable homes. They are changing the world of each dog. They are changing the concept of a special needs dog being worthless, seeing worth in each dog that crosses their path. They are training and competing with blind or deaf dogs in many venues. They are changing the world of blind and deaf dogs. In simple terms, they are changing the world.

Each pet guardian or dog trainer can find value in each dog. Most will not be to the extreme of those that are saved at Keller’s Cause, but each dog has their own set of needs. Both Fuller and Adler first look to see clearly what each individual dog needs. While they do have a set protocol that is standard for each dog in the beginning, each dog is taken at their own merit and ability.

For example, the dog I was working with had a compulsive behavior that needed addressing before he could be rehomed. Within a short period of time, Fuller and Adler had identified a plan, contacted a veterinary behaviorist and taken immediate steps to alleviate this condition. They also taught the dog the life skills he needed to live comfortably in his environment, such as encountering different surfaces, learning touch signals, scent signals, proper leash walking and a host of other behaviors necessary for him to be able to navigate the world.

Ripple Effect

How many trainers are well versed enough to take on a dog in this situation? In my opinion, not many. But that is not the focus of this article. The focus is the fact. Keller’s Cause saw a need and decided to focus on that need, no matter what challenges it presented. If each of us will do that, we will find we can change the world, dog by dog, human by human, and each world we change creates a ripple effect.

Changing the world of a dog does not take a miracle. It takes the ability to see the dog not only as he is, but as he can be. I challenge each reader to consider this amongst the many issues we face in the world of dogdom. Rather than focus on the challenge, whatever it might be, instead focus on the opportunity it presents to improve life for dogs and the people that care for them. If our field is rescue, how can we network better? If it is dog training or behavior modification, how can we develop better understandings with veterinarians? If it is service dog legislation, how can we reach out to legislators to give them information and gain their attention? It requires each one of us working in our area of specialty making small incremental changes each day that will change the world for dogs to live harmoniously with humans. Each of us can change the world.

There is a great need for professional guidelines and legislation to create a viable avenue for positive, forcefree, rewardbased trainers to be recognized as the experts they are when it comes to making an impact on the lives of humans and their dogs. There is still much education that needs to take place. Inch by inch, step by step, human by human, we are moving in that direction. It will take a concentrated effort from all of us working together in a cohesive manner to move forward to this next level in our care and training of dogs. It is possible, if we work together, that we can change the world. It may seem like a monumental task, because it is, but I think we are up to the challenge. Or should I say, opportunity? n

Resources

Keller’s Cause

Heddie Leger is the owner/founder of Hero’s Hope and is a training coach with CampGoodStay in Camden, Tennessee, a full service canine coaching and pet care service. She is a certified humane educator, a therapy animal/instructor/evaluator, C.L.A.S.S. instructor/ -- evaluator and CGC evaluator. Her passion for rehabilitating homeless and displaced dogs blossomed with her therapy dog, Hero, and developed into a full service program for rehabilitation of shelter dogs and people incarcerated in correctional facilities. Together, they received the Pet Partner finalist of the year, and Purina Service Team of the year award. She has worked in a collaborative effort with the Missouri Department of Corrections and local shelter/rescue groups to help facilitate a program that received the Governor’s Award for Innovative Programs. She was recently awarded the Director’s Coin of Excellence. She and her therapy dog, Hero, began the first reading programs with the Mid-Continent Public Library and the Kansas City Public Library systems. Those programs are still operating, as well as programs in the Liberty Public School District promoting literacy, humane treatment of animals and the importance of reading as a life skill. She is also a published author in several magazines as well as her book Hero to the Rescue, The Memoir of an Unlikely Hero.

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