I am Humbled

Mole and I went to a training facility this evening for an agility evaluation. There were a few parts to this evaluation: the first part was "obedience" the second part was "team work" and the third part was "equipment introduction". Mole and I have been together for 5 years now, I figured that we would have all this down pat. And, to be honest without sounding like a brag, we did. We had no issues with the evaluation whatsoever.

But I was still completely humbled. And not by another dog/handler team. . .by mole himself.

I have been super busy and don't always have a lot of time to think, but I found myself thinking about how amazing my dogs were - and not in the trite -mushy-i love my dog sense. My dogs have always been "just dogs" nothing more, nothing less. They are my companions, friends, hiking partners, cuddle buddies, plate cleaners, etc. But recently they have become something entirely different. I don't want to use the term "working" because my dogs are not "working dogs" but they have begun to do things that I ask of them without a second thought and while putting their own fears/confusions aside.

Today I asked mole to walk into a room that he had never been in, be in a ring with (annoying) dogs that he didn't know, perform behaviors that I ask, and take obstacles that he has never seen. And you know what? He did it all - and wagged his little tail through it. And he did it all because I asked him to - and because he is a little brown-nosing mama's boy! I felt honored and humbled, both at the same time. It reminded me of this quote:

"He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion" - Unknown

I'm not entirely sure that I will ever be worthy of a dog like mole. . .but I have Abby to balance it out, so it's ok. But even there, Abby has come so far and continues to make huge improvements. Why? Because I ask her to. It's a very humbling experience to have that kind of devotion.