My name is Petrea. My boyfriend, Ryan and I have a boxer named Jager. We have a wonderful relationship with Jager, but it wasn’t always that way.
We got Jager when he was eight weeks old. He was a great puppy. He was potty trained very quickly. We took Jager to puppy training classes at a local facility. At the puppy classes, we were taught the treat method. If the puppy does something you like, give him a treat. We were doling out treats left and right. Jager was doing some simple commands. Then, we found out that Jager has some serious digestion issues. No more treats for Jager. This was a turning point and it was a turning point that left me without any leverage to get this puppy bribed to do what I wanted him to do. With no treat in my hand, Jager refused to do those simple commands we thought he had learned.
Jager was pretty good while Ryan was home, but every day when Ryan left at 4:30pm to go to work for his fourteen hour shift, I was left with a monster. Jager would bite, jump and bark at me for the entire fourteen hours. I was at my wits end. I would call Ryan crying and would tell him that the puppy had to go and that I could not go on like this anymore. Just about that time, my dad went up to Quansa and witnessed some of the training that goes on there. He called me and told me I really needed to check it out. My dad thought it was amazing. I went and watched a class and I was amazed too. These dogs had great manners and listened to their owners so well. Why can’t my Jager be like this? We made an appointment for a training session with Pat at Quansa for the following Saturday. That next Saturday was another turning point for us. Jager was pretty much trained after we left that Saturday, but Ryan and I needed a lot more training than the dog.
I went to weekly classes at Quansa and worked on my skills as a dog handler. I needed to gain respect from this puppy. I needed to become the pack leader. Jager slowly learned to trust me. I learned to control the food, fun, attention, comfort and safety. Controlling these aspects, Jager learned that I was a worthy pack leader.
Once we had a leader, me, the possibilities became endless.
After building a respectful relationship with Jager, I learned he does much more for me than just being my pet.
Before Jager, I was bored and alone a lot of the time. I work alone most of the time and Jager makes me feel safe when no one is around. He is a wonderful watch dog. He also very loving and keeps me company. When I am not working alone, Jager helps me get out and interact with people in my community. He definitely has added many events to my social calendar.
I used to be an obsessive compulsive cleaner, but now Jager takes the focus off cleaning. I used to clean all the time. I would be upset, stressed and completely unable to focus on anything but cleaning all day every day. Now, I have someone else to put focus on and that is my Jager.
Jager has also taught me to be fair, firm and consistent in his training. This has empowered me to stand up for myself. I used to never say no. It is something that runs in my family. I now have given myself the strength to say no if I do not want to do something. This really is very freeing, and I owe it all to learning how to handle a dog. Jager and I do everything together. He chases geese for the Rockford Park District. Jager is a reading dog at the library. He goes hiking and camping with us. Jager goes to work with me. Jager loves to cuddle too. He loves to take naps as much as I do.
He is one of my best friends. I am very thankful that I get to have him in my life.