The Road Less Traveled - Dog Trainer Edition

I think I have started this blog post about a dozen times now, and it always goes the same way. I begin typing, stop, get stuck, hit the backspace until nothing is left, and start the process over again. I typically have no trouble putting pen to paper or, in this case, fingers to keyboard. But this is a little different. This post marks my first ever blog post. Scary, right?

Is there a specific way a first blog post is supposed to go? Are there particular words or rules that are involved? I'm not sure that matters for me, though. I have never done anything like anyone else. In today's blog, I will be sharing my story of taking The Road Less Traveled.

When I was ten years old, I got my very own dog. Little did I know, this dog would be one of the significant factors of who I am today. Before I got my puppy, my parents had me research to pick out a breed and read up on that breed. This whole process started when I was eight. However, two years later, after I decided on the border collie as my breed, my parents decided I was ready, and we found a breeder where I picked out my first puppy. This little red merle border collie had my heart from the start. We were pals from day one, except for when we weren't.

Ruby is a great dog; however, she was headstrong and was not motivated to be kind to other dogs in her younger years. But despite that fact, I was set on showing her at the 4-h fair. We showed almost entirely through our 4-h career. But it was not a good experience. From day one, our leader was rude to all the kids and parents. There was also no sign of knowledge about dogs. I was near entirely self-taught. I was determined to do well. Ruby and I butted heads quite a bit, but we did very well for the little I knew. We won almost everything we entered in on the county level and did exceptionally well at the state level. We placed in the top 10 of our classes of 100+ ninety percent of the time, and we even won our classes a time or two.

Even though I have countless stories about our less than enjoyable experience with the dog club, I cannot be more thankful for those experiences. It is just a piece of my dog training adventures. Most people would have quit on day one. Instead, I made it through seven hard years. However, if Ruby taught me anything, it is persistence and perseverance.

The bad experiences I had in the dog training world pushed me to seek out real dog trainers. At first, I went to YouTube, like many people do when they are stuck. Then, God began placing people in my life that would later go on to help me. As much as YouTube and a few experienced people here and there helped, it wasn't enough for me. So, I did my research and went to the best school for dog trainers out there. Two short months after graduating high school, I found myself driving to Harmony, North Carolina, to attend Highland Canine's School for Dog Trainers. It was a six-month program that gave me the best experience I could have asked for.

Along with learning how to train dogs from a young age, I began breeding my quickly growing pack of Border Collies. Running Dreams Come True Farms was such a fantastic experience. It taught me how to run a business, communicate with customers, and work better with dogs. I learned so much about dogs and the whole dog reproduction process.

Without my struggles through dog training, I probably wouldn't be a dog trainer. Each battle has pushed me further and further. One thing that always encourages me in my personal goal to walk The Road Less Traveled is when I am talking to a customer, and they find out how old I am. Their reactions are always priceless. Nobody ever believes they just bought a puppy or signed up for a training program from an eighteen-year-old. Often, I fear that people will look down on me because of my age, and some do. However, many times I am more respected because of it. The Road Less Traveled isn't easy, it's a rugged trail that many people scoff at, but it is worth it.

Thank you for taking the time to read Caspian Canine's very first blog post! If you liked it, make sure and let everyone know! Keep your eyes peeled for our next post! Have a blessed day.

~Sophia~