“Do you remember Jay Flory?”
My mom called in April 2006 to ask me that question. It was a name I hadn’t heard in 17 years, but, even after all these years of training clients and dogs, I remembered.
Prior to training dogs in Los Angeles, I had a training school in Pittsburgh, PA. Recently, my mother got a call from a client who was trying to track me down and called her, the only Setler he could find in the Pittsburgh phone book, to try to find me.
I remembered Jay for a few reasons. His was one of the dogs I trained early on in my career, and she was the first wolf hybrid I had worked with, which made for some interesting times while she was growing up… it’s not easy to behave like a well-trained dog when you’re not all dog! But Luna was a good girl, and Jay was one of the most dedicated owners I’ve seen, which is another reason I remember him well. He took his responsibility as Luna’s owner very seriously, and always followed my instructions to the letter.
Luna with her best friend, Jay.
But there was another reason I remembered Jay and was so happy to get his call. When Luna was a puppy, both Jay and his girlfriend had cancer. I lost touch with them after Luna’s training and feared the worst.
My mom gave Jay my number, and I got a call from him a few days later. When he told me that Luna had died a couple of years ago, I assumed that he was calling to ask for advice about getting a new dog. But he wasn’t. After all these years, he was calling to thank me. This isn’t a phrase I use often or lightly, but I was humbled when I got his call. After all these years, and all he’d been through, he was just calling to thank me for my part in the many happy years he’d spent with Luna.
Jay told me that when he was hospitalized for months at a time, Luna would have to stay with friends or family members, and her training and good manners stayed with her wherever she went. He told me that, after an extended hospitalization, he went to pick Luna up and, after not seeing him for months, she immediately responded to his hand signals and verbal commands. He was amazed by the consistency and reliability of her training in spite of all of the changes of environment she’d had to deal with over the years.
When I asked Jay if he was considering getting another dog, he said he couldn’t bring himself to do it, since he couldn’t imagine having a relationship with another dog that would compare to what he had with Luna. Sad that such a wonderful owner is now without a dog, but it’s a testament to how powerful our relationships with our dogs can be.
Jay told me that once, several years after I trained Luna, he drove past my old training school with Luna in the car. Though Luna hadn’t been there in years, he said she stood up in the car, animated and excited… tail wagging, ready for action. I guess Jay isn’t the only one who remembered me fondly for all those years!
Of course, I hope my clients have good memories throughout their dogs’ lives of the training they’ve done with me. But this call reminded me that training can mean more to my clients than just having a dog that listens when you tell her to do something. Building a relationship with your dog through training creates a bond that can get you through the worst times in life. It’s gratifying to think that I can help people along that path. I hope to always live up to Jay and Luna’s opinion of me!
Below is a note I received from Jay a month after his call.
May 8, 2006Rebecca,
Well, here she is. 10-12 weeks (?) and I think 14 years. Luna died in Feb. ’04. It was such a huge loss, but an incredible experience having her for so long. You trained Luna at 5 mos. and gave us such a gift in teaching Luna and I the groundwork for a lifelong relationship.
We will always be indebted for the care and skill you brought into Luna’s life. She listened to her commands so well, and, by doing so, helped me – and Debi – through cancer. She was so smart and we could count on Luna in so many ways when we were ill.
Even though we haven’t seen each other in years, you remain an important part of my family’s life because of your skill and dedication, Rebecca.
Thank you a million times over.
Sincerely,
Jay
“We’ve been working with Rebecca for fifteen years, and she’s helped us train five Golden Retrievers. We’ve gotten fast, excellent results, and Rebecca has taught us how to train the dogs in our everyday interactions with them, so we are able to maintain consistent good behavior. Most dog trainers work with the dogs, but not the owners, so the owners end up undoing the training. We’ve referred many friends and co-workers to Rebecca, and they’ve also been very happy with the results. Hiring Rebecca has saved us from a lot of stress and has saved our belongings from canine destruction!”
Read Paco’s story…
“No one but Katy’s parents could understand what a difficult task you were presented with… You performed nothing short of a miracle with a very high-spirited German Shepherd.”
—Bobbi Ernst, owner of Katy, a 3-year old German Shepherd.