Training with Wolfie - Chapter 16 – Part 2 of 2

Training With Wolfie

By Karen Singer

Chapter 16 – Part 2 of 2

     All through dinner, Jose had sat and listened to Rosa and Connie telling him about Bobo…or Brian as he used to be known.  He heard the entire story and the reasoning behind it.  Not surprisingly, he understood how Rosa had personally felt about what she had done to him.  She was a true dominant.  He had no doubt at all.  No doubt she had a tremendous cruel streak in her as well, something that his wife lacked in her attempts to dominate others.  Finally, he had to ask, “Do you plan on keeping Bobo that way indefinitely?”

      “Oh no,” Rosa replied.  “Only for the summer.  No, I think that once September gets here, I’m going to have to let Bobo become human again.”

      “I see.  And what becomes of him then?”

      “A lot of that I’m afraid will have to be his decision.  What I’ve done to him is illegal and bad enough.  I’m hoping by that time to come up with a few…alternatives for him to his old life and career.”

      “Such as?”

     Rosa shook her head.  “I’m still trying to figure that part out.”

      “I see,” Jose replied.  “I’m totally amazed at the job you’ve done so far with Bobo.  You said you wanted to continue to train him and find ways to make him into even more of a dog.  You even said you wanted him to forget completely that he was human.  That’s quite an undertaking.”

     Rosa smiled.  “I know that’s pretty much impossible, but that’s what I want to see in him.  I want to see him accept fully that he’s nothing but a dog, and I want to see him behaving like any other dog would.”

      “But don’t you have him to that point already?”

      “No.  As good as he is, he’s not nearly there yet.  You saw how he was trying to hide when he came in.  I want to be able to put a leash on him and take him out in public, and have him not cower and try to hide what he is.  I want him to forget his human side and instead feel like he’s a real dog…in any situation.”

      “That’s going to be difficult,” Jose replied.  “And I’m not sure it can be done.  Besides, if you take Bobo for a walk down any street, I’m sure you’ll cause more than a bit of alarm from anyone who happens to see him.  Some may even call the police.”

      “I’m very aware of that,” Rosa told him.  “It’s unfortunate.  But it’s possible that there could be times and places when I feel that I can do it.  But that was really just an example.  What I need for him I guess, is an expert to help correct any of the little things he does that may be wrong.  Someone to force him to behave truly like the dog that I’m doing my very best to think of him as.”

      “You’re looking for additional ways to make him live and behave like a dog would do.”

      “Yes.  Exactly,” Rosa agreed.

     Jose nodded as he thought things through.  “Madam Rosa, as I see it, you have two dogs that need very different types of training.  Wolf needs to get his aggressiveness under control, and Bobo needs…a different kind of training.  Two different dogs, two different agendas.”

     Something about what he had just said bothered Rosa.  “Um…I was hoping…” she said, “that Bobo would be able to go through exactly what Wolf does.  I do think it would make him feel more like a dog than ever if he had to do that.  That’s how I trained him in the first place.  I trained him right alongside Wolf.  Both of them together.”

     Jose smiled.  “Two different types of dogs.  Two different types of problems, both of which will need to be addressed separately.  But I believe we will have no problem finding a common training ground where they both can participate.  And that is a training that I feel very strongly that both of them might really need.”

      “And what kind of training is that?” Rosa asked.”

      “Agility training.”

      “Agility?  Is that where you make the dogs go through all kinds of obstacles and things?”

      “Something like that.  Wolf needs to focus his energy.  He’s a big powerful dog, and a breed like he is has a brain that needs to be focused and kept busy or, like an unruly child, he’ll eventually get into all kinds of trouble.  And in Bobo’s case, I believe the agility training will not only force him to see himself as more of a dog, but as you’ve done in the past, doing it alongside of Wolf will reinforce that concept as well.”

      “Hmm,” Rosa muttered s she considered that.  “It does sound interesting.”

      “Madam Rosa,” Jose said, “I would consider it an honor if you would let me and my wife aid you in handling your dog Wolf, and also your dog Bobo.  Together, I have no doubt that we can give you exactly what you’re looking for, in both of your pets.”

     Rosa looked at him.  The man was certainly confident.  And so had Isabelle been when she had been here last time.  She had no doubt that both of them were very capable when it came to handling dogs.  She didn’t even ask the price.  She knew it was going to cost her a fortune, but opportunities for that kind of fun…and help…didn’t come along very often.  “Very well,” she said.  “When did you want to start?”

     Jose smiled, but inwardly he was breathing a sigh of relief.  They needed the work!  “Let us spend some time with them tonight so we can better see where each dog is at and exactly what each of them will need, then, we’ll work out a schedule that you and we can agree on.  I think for now, twice-a-week workouts would be best.  Are you ever here during the day when we can come?  Or do you need us to come out in the evenings?”

      “Actually, during the day would be best,” Rosa told them.  “I’m here every day.  I manage rental properties out of my home, so I’m usually here.  If I know you’re coming, then I can arrange my schedule to make sure I’m here.”

     Things about this job were looking even better.  Most of their clients were gone during the day and they needed to wait until evening to work with their dogs.  “In that case,” he replied, “Isabelle and I will be able to spend far more time with your dogs than we can with most of our other clients.  We will consider it to be a pleasure.”

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

     When was she going to feed him?  When?  He was starving!  He heard Wolf suddenly bark.  From experience, Bobo knew that Wolf had heard someone going out the front door.  Wolf barked a few more times, and in the distance, Bobo thought he heard a vehicle door closing.  So they were finally leaving…whoever they were.  He didn’t like the way that guy had looked him over.  That had been not only embarrassing, but troubling. 

     He heard the back door opening and got to his feet.  Dinner time!  Finally!  But instead of Rosa letting him and Wolfie in, he saw her and Connie…and both the guy and his wife coming out.  Now what?  He saw the woman go straight up to Wolfie and pet his head.  Then he saw her slipping a chain loop over Wolf’s head and pulling it tight – some kind of leash. 

      “Come Wolf,” Isabelle said as she pulled up on the leash and turned toward the porch steps. 

     Bobo didn’t see anymore since the guy was now standing right over him.  He looked up and saw the same kind of chain and leash in his hand.  And…oh no!  He was bringing that chain right down towards his head!  And…  Bobo cringed as the man had to fight a bit to get the loop of the chain all the way over his head.  The loop wasn’t made for a head like he had.  It was made for a dog.  A real dog.  But before he knew it, the chain was over his head…and around his neck.  He felt the immediate upward jerk of the chain trying to strangle him. 

      “Come!” Jose commanded.

     Bobo had no choice but to stand up and follow him.  It was either that or be choked to death.  Down the steps and out into the yard, where out of the corner of his eye he could see Wolf walking alongside that woman. 

      “Bobo…move faster!” Jose commanded as he moved and pulled on the leash. 

     Bobo tried to move faster, but the darn guy was walking too quickly.  The choking leash pulled harder and harder as he tried to keep up.  The guy finally stopped and stood over him.  Bobo grabbed a few quick breaths as the leash stopped restricting his throat.

      “Hm…” Jose said, not at all pleased.  “You certainly don’t move very fast, do you.  Don’t worry Bobo, we’ll work on that.  “Come, let’s try it again, and this time, keep up!  Come!”

     The guy pulled on his leash again and started walking, but again he was going too fast for Bobo, but he did his best to try and keep up with him.  It was either that or have his neck broken by that leash.

     Jose led Bobo around and then stopped alongside the bushes that bordered the porch.  Just in the bushes he saw an old worn tennis ball.  He picked it up.  “Bobo.  Catch!”  He tossed the ball at Bobo, who only ducked his head aside.  Jose nodded something else to work on.  And he was betting there were a number of things that Bobo should be doing with his mouth that he wasn’t.  “Stay!” he ordered.  He dropped the leash and went to pick up the ball.  He rolled it toward Bobo.  “Bobo…get it!”  He watched as Bobo looked at the ball, then tried to stop it with one of his paws, except that it missed and Bobo had to turn around to finally get the ball…with his paw.  No, there was work to be done there for sure.  Again he grabbed the ball, then moved away from Bobo.  “Catch it in your mouth this time,” he ordered.  He rolled the ball toward Bobo again…and heard Wolf barking a short distance away.  He turned and saw his wife trying to get Wolf’s attention away from the ball and back toward what they were doing.  More training for that dog too.  He noticed that the ball had gone right past Bobo when Wolf had barked.  He didn’t bother picking it up again.  That was work for another day.

     He had seen all he needed to see for now.  Removing the choker collar from Bobo’s head was a bit more difficult than getting it on him.  Next time he would bring a bigger one.  Most dogs didn’t have a head that big.  He climbed the steps as his wife Isabelle removed the collar and leash from Wolf.  He waited until his wife had joined him on the porch, then he turned to Rosa.  “Have you socialized Wolf?”

      “Socialized?” Rosa asked.  “What do you mean?”

      “Had him around other dogs.  How does he behave around other dogs?”

      “Oh.  No.  I’ve never had Wolf anywhere except here at the house…and the vets office of course.  He doesn’t like it there, but he doesn’t really give me any trouble.”

      “That’s something else we should consider for him,” Jose told her.  “Making him behave himself in the company of other dogs could be important in the future.  You never know what may come up where you have to move him.”

      “I’m sure you’re right,” Rosa replied.  “The opportunity…or reason never came up.  He’s always been just fine back here.”

     Jose nodded.  “We’ll see what we can do.  And Madam Rosa, please don’t misunderstand, training Wolf, and also Bobo, will also mean a lot of work for you as well.   Some of which I’m afraid you’re going to need to practice with him every day until he gets it right.”

      “Like what?” Rosa asked.

      “Like the way he behaves when someone comes to your front door.”

     Rosa nodded.  “I can certainly work on that one.  And as for anything else…”  Her smile turned cruel.  “I’ve rather enjoyed training both Wolfie and Bobo together for some time now, to be honest, I’m looking forward to continuing the process…especially with Bobo.”

      “I was sure you would feel that way,” Jose replied.

--- §§§§§§§§§§ ---

     Bobo sat expectantly on the kitchen floor, staring desperately up at the kitchen counter where Rosa was working.  Connie was removing the plates from the table.  Finally, Rosa turned around and set Wolf’s dinner on the floor for him.  As always, Wolf attacked it greedily.  He watched as Rosa took his bowl down from the counter and set it in its usual spot.  Dog food!  Maybe starving would be better.  But he was starving, and Rosa was staring down at him.  He knew she was going to force him to eat it.  All of it!  Ugh!  He bent his head to the bowl and took a bite.  Ugh!  Dog food again.