Dear Petra and Mike The Guru
We can't thank you enough for your wisdom and kindness. We had an incredible time. Our lives have been changed (for the better) forever. It was truly an honor to meet you and your family, and it was a greater honor to have been able to share, for a brief moment, a small part of your lives. We can't thank you enough.
Tom is seriously considering a career change. If you need new dedicated members for the k-9 tactical deployment team let us know. Also, my mom Is coming back to the USA in late September and she will be cooking special meals for the fall boot camp.
Enclosed please find Blue Marble Sand Castle book and video for Megan and Briana and a
Special package for Gary.
P. S. It's no longer Zen the religion - It's Zen he bites Please excuss the many typos in the book. Enjoy!
Hi Petra,
Long time no type. I apologize for not writing sooner to say Thank You for taking good care of G_____ and Diablo. G_____ is still talking about what a great time he had and how he can't wait for next summer so he can come back. So I hope you enjoyed him enough to have him back again.
Diablo is so much more relaxed now. I think just knowing that someone knows what he is supposed to do and how to make him mind has really settled him down. Not that he was unruly before but you can tell a change.
G_____ has talked about you guys and how great all of you are. He can get along with almost anyone but you all really impressed him. He tells everyone what great people you all are and what a great time he had. For him to brag like that you all are very special so once again Thanks. G______ said there was a possibility that you might be down this way in August. If you are please call. We would love to have you all visit.
Hello! how are things going there. I want to thank you and Mike for your
hospitality and all the knowledge. I truly believe that training up there was
the best "vacation" I ever had. (Don't tell Mike I called it a vacation -
smile)
Rameses has adjusted well at home again. We are keeping the dogs apart as much
as possible with supervised interaction. I wish that I could train everyday.
It is so much better than going to the office. Tell Mike that if he wants to
start something up in New Jersey I will be fully aboard.
Let me know the dates when they be there, that way there will be you and I and them...we'll show 'em how it's done. I'd love to do that kind of work with Mike, he seems to enjoy that. Maybe we can do some repelling too. I'd enjoy the advanced training, protection work & tracking hostile subjects....sounds like some really good stuff. Let me know as soon as possible and I'll get plane tickets....I'm sure we could squeeze a day or two of girl stuff in there somewhere. I miss the girls and you'all....your Moms cooking.... Gary, his tractor mud racing...just a different pace up there.
I'll keep taking photos so I can send you some of kid events etc. I have to admit I haven't taken too many lately cause I'm so involved in her tracking etc.
See you soon!!!! Take care and hug the girls for me!!
Robin, Coda & Spanky
Hi Mike and Petra!
Thank you for the honor of training me in the work. You both have made
such a difference in my life and I just wanted to extend my appreciation and
gratitude. Thank you for the pup! She is wonderful and we have named her
RoseHaven's Sable Freya. Freya for short of course. We are so happy that
Molly is settled in and with you. Aaron agreed with me that she is safer
with you. Please understand that we feel as strongly for the breed as you do
Mike, and it means a great deal to us that she is with you for the ideas that
you have to utilize her for.
Marnie
October 1, 2000
Mr. & Mrs. Mc Connery
Hello and howdy from Kentucky! Clipper and I made it home fine. It's a 675 mile /12 hour trip and worth every mile and every minute. The words on this paper can't fully convey my thanks nor my thoughts of my week up in Canada.
First off, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!
There were so many highlights during my time up there. I hope you won't let my lack of questions or words cause you to think that I wasn't taking in what you were presenting us. Remember, a wise man refraineth his lips and I knew my time would be better spent listening than yapping. It was great! You described it best when you said that when you can get a glimpse of working service, your go "wow'. I did go "wow". Many times. I'm still wowing....
LORD willing I'm planning on the March Bootcamp.....
In the meantime I'll "work the work" down here in Kentucky. I really miss being up there. I'm sad also. It was so much better than I expected.
.....
Your friend,
Tony
Again it was a priveledge to be on your field.
KT
Mike and Petra
We mad e it home. We had agreat time thanks again for everything. Hope to
see you in New York.........Hey Mike...here is the one about .......
Later
NY
Mike & Petra,
I just wanted to drop a few lines to say thank you for a
wonderful week! It was truly educational. I am 100% satisfied with the dog
and the training! If you ever want to give my name and phone number out for
a reference, feel free to do so. I look forward to coming up again sometime
and maybe even getting another pup!
Sincerely,
FL
Petra-
Just wanted to thank you and Mike for the great week up there. I am having a difficult time returning to life here...was great getting away from it all. I envy you guys.
Please keep me in mind for a ....
Thanks, and say "Hi" to the girls for me.
NJ
Thanks again for May training. I had a great time. One of the best of my life. There is a power and realness to this training. It changed me.
I still intend to come as often as I can.
take care,
NC
Hello Mike and Petra,
I would like to thank you both for your hospitality
and training this weekend. I was not sure what to
expect when I made the trip, but the experience was
more and better than I could have imagined. Sable is
a terrific dog and I look forward to having her home
to work with.
Mike from CT
Just wanted to write and say thanks for another great time! My wife and
kids really enjoyed everything. I don't think I need to mention that I did
:)
FL
Excerpt from our message board on www.k9soldiers.com
I noticed how well the children did on the tracks. I concur with Petra about how they are unaffected by some of the emotions that affect adults. The children seemed content to trust the dog, without second guessing the dog. I believe all the children found the person they were tracking, even on the longer tracks.
A note on "Sable" - She is a calm, stable, and gentle dog. She is not "driven". Her tracking is steady and accurate. She seems meticulous and detailed. She never pulled any of the children. I've heard so many trainers talk about the high drive dogs. They should see this dog work. 'Sable' has a good deal of determination. Petra tied her lead to a large tire on the field and left to lay a track. 'Sable' wanted to be reunited with her. She tracked Petra all the way across the field, pulling the tire. This was a real world retort to the advocates of the sporting methods and dogs.
Final point - When we first arrived I was able to see how far off my handling of Umsa had been at home. Mike helped me to step back into the work. He very quickly got Umsa to where she needed to be for us to start the exercises. My son John (7 years) witnessed this. Later that night as John was falling asleep he wanted to talk about all he had seen the first day. He talked about Mike's handling of Umsa. John said: "Daddy, Mike really is The Dogman. I watched him today." - I thought this was worth sharing. Good day to all - Kent
Excerpt from our message board on www.k9soldiers.com
I'll have to say I believed in what I read from them before but now, having been there, I feel I've been handed a special gift. I am better from the inside out for the experience. My brain is however still trying to decompress.
Excerpt from our message board on www.k9soldiers.com
Great stories Robin and Tina. Bootcamps at THE DOGMEN'S place are special and addictive as you say. Glad you both had a good time.
Tony, Kentucky
Excerpt from our message board on www.k9soldiers.com
Wow Petra, That is a very loaded question... :) My thoughts are reeling in my head. I believe that what I've learned has changed my life forever. I realize now that my dog is capable of almost anything that I ask of her. I knew before that Storm was smart and learned quick, but the truth of the matter is that it is what I give to my dog that makes her willing to try anything. If I did not ask I would have never known. I have to show her that I have faith in her and myself, she then sees that she can trust me. That is a lesson that I would say stands out. It's like having faith, Faith is belief in something that is not known. To know something is that you have seen it. I have seen it.
That tunnel that is elevated on the walk over stands out to me. Before I came to bootcamp I worked on teaching her to walk over some boards and things, but knew from some of the videos that we would be doing some tunnels. So, When we actually got to that part, I could feel my chest tighten up, my mind was saying that we could do it but I just wasn't sure it could happen. Then I think it was the second time over, Storm and I actually saw it was possible, be it tentatively, but after we did that I knew that it would be a million times easier the next time. By the end of it she was going through on her own and from both directions. That was a very personal and memorable moment.
I told Mike that I realized sometime at Bootcamp that bootcamp was really for me, Storm came along for the ride. She was there to guide me and I was there for her it is a very gratifying and awakening feeling.
I learned that nothing in life is perfect, It's how we approach obstacles that make them possible or insurmountable. And I'm not only talking about those obstacles we met on the agility field. All lifes obstacles if approached positively can be triumphs. Somewhere in the Bible it says "There must needs be, opposition in all things" If there was only good we wouldn't know evil And something to the effect "...that in this life our trials will only be as hard as we can handle..." This is so true and stands out as another lesson from Bootcamp. I have so much more but I will spare you for now... As my mind unravels....
Excerpt from our message board on www.k9soldiers.com
My brain's so full right now & my mind keeps replaying every day but there are two things to me that will forever be foremost in my mind. First was communication. I have begun to learn to open my mouth & keep talking when I am stressed & to work through problems. As we left the airport in Kansas City my dog (who chose flight at the sound of an oncoming bus before bootcamp) was told 'it's okay... I see it' & Legend didn't even blink as a number of those big buses blew past us. He was no longer concerned about the grate in the side walk on the way to the parking garage. I knew then that he was changed. I can't put into words how that felt except to say I am now awake just as my dog is.
My 2 favorite moments at camp was when Legend went after another dog, I fell, & he came back to me instead of fighting the other dog. It was the first day I felt that I had really stepped up to bat & not made a mess of things. The other was that Legend would walk into the ring of smoke with me. I was choked up & couldn't half see, he'd been shaking very hard yet when I went... he stayed right there beside me. Only a dog would do that.
The second thing I learned is more of a life lesson: You can't control what goes on around you. This has been a big problem for me & on the plane home from camp it really just sunk in. The world around you is going to happen & while you can't stop it... you can control yourself & your dog. No panic, no tensing up going 'oh no, here it comes.' just a calm in knowing that when the crap hits the fan you & your dog will face the storm side by side.
I knew there was a change in me at the Buffalo Airport. You see they decided that they weren't going to take Legend on the plane. His crate was too big. A week ago I'd have been a nervous wreck but I remembered Mike saying how if you say something with authority... you can accomplish a lot so I said matter-o-factly, "Well, we've got a problem then. My ride just left... they're going back to Canada. You're airline booked this flight & assured me there would be no trouble on the return flight. I'm going back to Missouri. Figure out how you're going to make this happen."
10 minutes later, we were set to go. No more problems & the lady behind the counter said very quietly across the counter, "Where did you take your assertiveness training?" I managed to keep a straight face... she would have never believed me if I'd told her!
But those who are considering going to their first bootcamp should be warned... it's addictive. The more you learn, the more you want to learn & do!
Excerpt from our message board on www.k9soldiers.com
I have to tell ya i had a great time in May's bootcamp.I seen a big difference in my puppy pitt bull the very first day.She actually listens to me when i tell her phooie when she starts to bark here at home.At first i was afraid to go to your camp with her being only five months at the time.I didnt think that she would listen to me b/c she has so much puppy in her.I was shocked in our training. she did so well.i was a proud mama.she listened to just about everything that she was being told to do.when we had her do those stay excercises she stayed.and i was so shocked b/c i only worked on that with her only twice and i hadnt done it in a month before camp.She does show to be smart and learns very quickly.I couldnt believe i had no trouble getting her to climb the boards.i couldnt believe everything she did at your camp.when we were done training for the day i took her to where we trained at and had her do all the boards that we hadnt covered.and let me tell you she had no problems at all.she did every single one of them with out even hesatating.then i took her off lead and she just took it upon herself and just did it all on her own.i couldnt get her to stop.i think maybe she wanted me to be proud of her.She didnt do it the next day though.of course i kinda figured she would show me wrong.but bill and kevin seen it.maybe taz was worn out b/c we did do alot of training.I know i was worn out and i could see it in taz also.I cant wait till the next bootcamp in Sept.I need to get more into the protection training for her.she did do very well with what we did do for protection.I would like to know what i can do at home with her?now that you have seen what she can do.I just dont want her to take it upon herself to protect in her own way.She is still very young and is still learning.plus she is a pitt.I do have to say that i have myself a very good dog and a smart one at that.You guys do a very good job in your training and i cant wait to go back. Thank you for everything.
Wendy
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