I can't decide what I want the title to be. Basically, did you/do you have a dog or dogs that you are insanely grateful for in the sense that they taught you valuable lessons that helped with your next dog?
I totally do, Rider mainly. I got Rider with the intent of having him kind of wade me into the herder pool. Everybody on forums said that ACD/BC hybrids were the best dogs for beginners. Harlow never made me deal with prey drive or biting or anything of the sort. I knew I wanted working cattle dogs, but I had a huge fear of going off the deep end and really being in over my head. I even chickened out again and got a dog out of mixed, but heavily conformation lines. Oh my God, I do not regret that decision one bit. Rider taught me so many things about how these dogs think and act so much differently than Harlow. He taught me about confidence building, building drive, how important good genetics and socialization are.
I honestly think, had I not started with him, that Tulsa would not be the dog she is today. I would have had no idea how to truly embrace yet repress the over stimulation biting and really integrate impulse control (yet I still have a lot to learn before I get an even more driven dog).
Harlow helped me to learn how to protect your dog and learn to read body language a lot better. She helped a lot with my timing in training, but more than anything the reactivity was actually super beneficial. Tulsa doesn't really like dogs that rush her, but because of Harlow I know how to use LAT and have really headed off what would most likely turn into reactivity if left untouched.
Even though Harlow and Rider aren't what I love in a dog, I really appreciate the lessons I've learned through them and have shaped me into the trainer I am today.
I totally do, Rider mainly. I got Rider with the intent of having him kind of wade me into the herder pool. Everybody on forums said that ACD/BC hybrids were the best dogs for beginners. Harlow never made me deal with prey drive or biting or anything of the sort. I knew I wanted working cattle dogs, but I had a huge fear of going off the deep end and really being in over my head. I even chickened out again and got a dog out of mixed, but heavily conformation lines. Oh my God, I do not regret that decision one bit. Rider taught me so many things about how these dogs think and act so much differently than Harlow. He taught me about confidence building, building drive, how important good genetics and socialization are.
I honestly think, had I not started with him, that Tulsa would not be the dog she is today. I would have had no idea how to truly embrace yet repress the over stimulation biting and really integrate impulse control (yet I still have a lot to learn before I get an even more driven dog).
Harlow helped me to learn how to protect your dog and learn to read body language a lot better. She helped a lot with my timing in training, but more than anything the reactivity was actually super beneficial. Tulsa doesn't really like dogs that rush her, but because of Harlow I know how to use LAT and have really headed off what would most likely turn into reactivity if left untouched.
Even though Harlow and Rider aren't what I love in a dog, I really appreciate the lessons I've learned through them and have shaped me into the trainer I am today.