The trouble with 10-month-old Buster the Airedale Terrier is that he never gives up.
Belligerent adolescent that he is, Buster will seem to “get it” one moment and then lose it the next. Buster pushes every button that is guaranteed to annoy his owners. And he makes the same mistakes over and over again.
In his youthful exuberance, Buster is an accomplished jumper. His owners know that a greeting from Buster can easily cause a four-year-old grandchild to land on her butt, so they are working hard with him to get him to tone it down.
And it
seemed that the light was beginning to dawn. Buster managed to contain his enthusiasm when the FedEx guy arrived with a package. Buster bounced in place for a minute or two, then finally settled with all four paws on the ground, and actually SAT for a pat. But later the very same day, Buster completely forgot his manners and planted his feet firmly on the thighs of Aunt Cindy.
“Is he hopeless?” his owners despaired. ” Why doesn’t he stop already? It feels like all we do is work on this problem day after day, and there’s no progress. We’re so tired of his constant testing.”
I remind Buster’s owners that, back in the day, their own parents hounded them constantly to put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher instead of the sink, to turn off the lights when they left a room, and to take out the garbage on Thursdays.
Their parents didn’t give up, despite the frustration and endless repetition. They knew that you weren’t hard of hearing or stupid. You were just young. Your thoughts were in a million places at once. You didn’t even see the lights, the dishes, the garbage.
And somewhere in the recesses of your mind, your parents’ guidance and training sank in.
At some point, children grow into responsible adults. And with guidance and training, puppies become well-behaved dogs.
Buster is on his way – with patience and consistency, he’ll get there.
Comments