Shelby Turns 4: Reflections, Part 2
So, now I had a new puppy…and what a puppy! Shelby was so smart….scary smart.  I remember once when I was throwing him a ball and it landed on top of his crate.  He couldn’t reach it by putting his legs up on the cage.   He stopped, never taking his eye off the ball.  He went inside the cage, still looking at the ball.  He went back out again, eye still on the ball.  Then, he ran back into the crate, put his nose up on the top so he could touch the ball, then moved it towards the side. He came back out, stood up so he could reach the top, grabbed the ball, now in reach, and trotted happily back over to me to throw it again!  It was quite a site to witness!
Baby Shelby
But, the honeymoon soon ended…Shelby was a terror!  He chewed everything, wouldn’t listen, grabbed stuff and wouldn’t give it back…you know, typical puppy stuff.  But, it had been over 15 years since I had last had a puppy….and I was 15 years older and less patient!  I was at my wits end.   As Shelby got older, he seemed to get smarter – and less inclined to listen to me.  It was really starting to be a problem. I was getting more and more stressed out – to the point where I was crying quite often about Shelby and what he had done that day.  I remember even contemplating getting rid of him, something I had never thought about before with any dog.  It was getting really bad.
I took him to Narnia, a very well respected training facility in Naperville, for some basic puppy kindergarten. He was kicked out of class for distracting everyone and humping – he was fixed! But just overly rambunctious. How embarrassing to have your dog asked to leave class!
I remember him running away at Lake Summerset.  He ran up Corkhill Court, with me in hot pursuit, calling his name and telling him to come.  He stopped, looked at me, and kept on running the opposite direction!  He was caught by someone walking down the street with their dog when Shelby went to investigate.
The next time he ran away, also at Lake Summerset, I didn’t notice until he had been gone a while, not sure how long. I was frantic! I took the car and drove all around, even driving on the main road in case he crawled under the fence and ran through the field into the street.   He had only run about a half a block down and ran over to someone sitting in their garage – he was very friendly, and they were just petting him.  I was so upset! I loved him so much! Why was he running away?
I did not know about doggy day care, and had just heard about it. After a particularly bad night, the next morning I was crying before going to work. I called the place where I had been taking him for training and asked if they would take him, even if it was only a half day. They said yes and the woman there even had Australian Shepherds so she counseled me on their active nature and the need to get them tired out.  Shelby was in daycare at least 3 days/week after that!  What a blessing! A tired dog is a good dog!
As I would learn from Cesar Milan years later, I was not the leader of the pack and he was taking over! It took Camp Dogwood where we really bonded for peace to come between us. Of course, he was nearly two years old then, and I was more comfortable with him.  I would not know what I would do without him now!  So, for all you folks contemplating puppies, especially active ones, make sure you know what you are getting into!
Shelby is now the joy of my life. I love Bandit and Mia of course as well, but Shelby and I share a special bond, and we always will.