Do you remember Lad, a dog?  Champion Dog Prince Tom?   Sergeant Preston's King?  Big Red?  These are more than fictional dogs.  They are what dogs used to be.  Most of us got "into dogs" because of a special dog that we loved and wanted to perpetuate.  Then we got more dogs, better crates, runs, Champions, and in the process lost our best friend.  It is time to resurrect the personal dog, what we refer to at our house as a "My Dog".

What is a Personal Dog?  It is a dog that is never farther than a glance away from his person.  If you don't see him it is because he is in the shadow of your shoulder.  He may be a top show dog, who enjoys the traveling and showing with his person.  He may also be a mutt who would die trying to protect you.  Most of all he is a friend and companion. You are never alone when you have a personal dog.  He empathizes with your sadness and celebrates your triumphs.  This dog is not a dog that lives in the kennel.

How did we lose this most precious of all pets?  We became too busy.  The television, telephone, and computer took the place of a good book and a good dog.  It happened in pet homes, it happened to dog fanciers.  Dogs with the temperament and disposition to be personal dogs will not thrive and be happy left out in the kennel.  They will bark, sulk, dig, and chew fences.  So we have unconsciously selected for the dull, easily satisfied, diffident dogs.  They cause us no trouble, unfortunately they also bring us little joy.  As we have numerous Champions it becomes less and less important to obtain another piece of paper that attests to the dog’s performance or intelligence.  We feel a lack but find it hard to identify.  What we are often missing is the intensely personal relationship with our dogs.  There is no greater satisfaction than earning titles by enjoying the process with our best pal.

How do we pick a dog to be our personal dog?  First we must choose a breed, often not the breed we celebrate as breeders.  That choice process is the subject of another article.

How do we manage and train our personal dog?  To begin with, if we are buying, rather than breeding this dog, we make sure that we are the primary caregiver of the dog from the day, in fact the minute, it arrives.  If by air, it is imperative that the master be the one to release the dog from its crate.  It is important that this dog be fed, exercised, and trained by his person.

There can be as many personal dogs in a household as there are people.  Some people have more than one personal dog and those dogs become best friends also and share your attention.  You must bond with your dog.  Keep him/her with you at all times if at all possible.  At your desk, in the car (weather permitting), in your bedroom at night.

The range of dog activity makes it fun to train your dog for show, obedience, herding or terrier trials, hunting field trials.  Showing with a handler is fun, winning is always better than losing, but showing your best friend is great.  You win the best prize every time, you get to go home with the dog that is really best, your best friend.

All of these activities are really just big dog parties when the dog and person both agree that the opinion of a judge isn't really as important as going together to have a good time and see all the friends, both dog and human.

Next time we can discuss finding the right breed, choosing the right individual dog, and management and training of your personal dog.

Ó 2000

The Personal Dog Part One - A lot of professionals get so caught up in the business of "doing dogs" that they forget what started them in that career, the dog that was always your closest friend.  

The Personal Dog Choosing The Dog, Part Two - It's surprisingly easy to choose the right dog to match your lifestyle and needs.

The Personal Dog Training, Part Three - You know what you want and need, now it's time to develop  your Personal Dog.

The Personal Dog Older Dog, Part Four - Missed opportunity recovered!  How to convert an older dog into that very special Personal Dog.

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