Comments on: The Puppiness Project – You’re Gonna Stink; Do It Anyway

By: Mike Webster

Mike Webster — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 23:24:46 +0000

From the Husband:
She smells great to me, folks!

By: Kristine

Kristine — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:03:26 +0000

It is so not true that you are the world’s worst dog trainer. You’ve said that before but I just can’t believe it. You have lived with and trained three rescue dogs, none of whom were particularly easy, and you now have all this terrific fostering experience. Maybe you haven’t succeeded in teaching a dog to roll over, but you have given the dogs in your life something far more important: trust and a very positive relationship in a loving home. This makes you a far better dog trainer than many who charge others for the same service. In my opinion, anyway.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t get your point. I like to be good at everything I try pretty much right away. If I’m not, I give up and move on to something else. It’s why I have never made a single craft since elementary school and why I hate to cook. I need to learn how to relax and enjoy things, even if I am terrible. It’s not about being impressive, it’s about learning and having fun. Right?

By: melF

melF — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:26:58 +0000

What a great message Pamela (by the way, I haven’t mastered the art of teaching the roll either). I love reading about your grandmothers too. It’s a good reminder that if you enjoy doing something but don’t excel at it that it’s okay to keep doing it.

I have often stopped doing something because my sister is just better at it than I am. She’s the creative one in our family. Everything she touches turns into art – sewing, baking, painting, scrapbooking, photography – you name it and she’s done it and done it well. In fact, she’s sold many of her things in craft shows. Me on the other hand? I tend to be impatient, inattentive and less aiming of perfection. When my sister excels at something I usually give it up because I know it won’t compare. But, you just reminded me that if I get joy from it, it doesn’t matter how good I am at it. I should do it anyway.

By: Clowie

Clowie — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:29:51 +0000

It’s fun doing things together – that’s the important part.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:54:05 +0000

Luring hasn’t helped me teach Elka to roll over either! Really, I’d settle for a “flop on her side”.

By: 2 Punk Dogs

2 Punk Dogs — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:47:51 +0000

The fact that you keep working at training and have fun even though it doesn’t come easily is great!
Maggie and Duke are both nervous and not very food motivated, so the instructor nearby pretty much wrote us off after we tried agility the other weekend. Yeah, Maggie & I pretty much sucked, but we realized that she’s not someone we want to train with. Glad we found that out before signing up for a class!

By: Lynda

Lynda — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:17:02 +0000

Don’t feel bad if Honey won’t roll over. Two professional trainers tried four or five separate time and neither one could make BJ roll over. Even with HIGH value treats he would wiggle his way around and not roll over.

Honey is so cute and looks cuddly that’s the greatest.

By: houndstooth

houndstooth — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 00:52:06 +0000

What a great message and reminder today! I am a hopeless perfectionist and I admit that I have been guilty of letting this hold me back from things.

By: Georgia Little Pea

Georgia Little Pea — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:52:39 +0000

Grandma Fegley reminds me of me! LOL. I think I may be a little more colour coordinated though 😉

By: Amy@GoPetFriendly

Amy@GoPetFriendly — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:19:31 +0000

My Gram was a quilter, too and yesterday was her birthday. Her quilts were never perfect either, and she always said that if we really loved her, we’d use the quilts until they were worn out – not put them in a closet just to look at them. It sounds like you’d be making your grandma very happy.