MINDSET-MASTERS

Mindset Masters puppy – my future guide dog – turned into a simpering coward. She cowered underneath the bus bench, trembling violently. I literally had to drag her out by her guide-­‐dog-­‐in-­‐training vest and force her to go up the steps. One of the other passengers made a snide comment about what a great guide dog she was going to be if I had to guide her onto a bus. “She’s in training,” I said. “I’m sure you don’t do everything right the first few times either.” That was a critical moment for her and for me. I realized she was in a fear stage, and it was up to ME to get her through it properly. Emotions of the handler transmit through the leash to the dog. If you’re anxious, the dog will feel it. If you’re upset, the dog will know. If you don’t believe in the dog, she will not believe in herself. What would your natural thoughts be at a moment such as this? Remember, I had raised and trained the dog for several months at this point, and she was well on her way to becoming my guide dog. As my eyes, she would help me get around obstacles, find doorways, and stay out of danger as we travelled together. If she failed, I could not keep her. Perhaps you would be running mental scenarios about the dog failing and you having to give her up after months of bonding and training. Maybe you would have doubts about your dog every time you approached a bus stop. I needed to have unwavering faith in my dog’s ability to overcome her fear. I could not entertain even a moment of doubt in her, and I could not hide behind a veneer of pretended faith, either. She had to feel my confidence through the leash. 164