Whenever we get a real success story, we love to shout it from the rooftops. This month’s feature is just one of those stories.
Heidi is a two year old German Shepherd who was part of a large seizure of kennel dogs in northern BC last summer. Many of the dogs seized were in very rough shape and sadly neglected before being adopted out through the SPCA. A beautiful West German show-line German Shepherd, Heidi won the lottery when she found her permanent home in Vancouver with someone devoted to her care and training.
In her new home Heidi has blossomed into a true ambassador for the breed. Her transition from being a kennel dog with a lack of socialization into a well adjusted urban dog has inspired Heidi’s human to reach for big goals.
This summer Heidi will go for her Canine Good Neighbour certification. The CGN designation is an important stepping stone toward Heidi and her person volunteering at BC Children’s Hospital. Heidi’s outstanding temperament and training make her a wonderful candidate for this special job.
Her biggest hurdle in the CGN test will be to remain calm during the supervised isolation exercise where Heidi’s owner has to step away from her dog and out of sight for three minutes. True to the German Shepherd breed, being apart from her human is a difficult ask of Heidi. The two are hard at work on this exercise, breaking this down into small steps, building Heidi’s confidence.
Outside of preparing for the CGN, Heidi is living the life as a beloved companion, hiking the trails of Pacific Spirit Park, playing in the ocean and attending the “big kids” class on Saturdays – Skills N Drills. Her favourite training treat is cooked chicken and she is also learning her Rally Obedience signs (I see another goal down the road for Heidi).
We love seeing Heidi in our obedience classes and the progress she has made in the short time she’s been with us. It is a testament both to the hard work Heidi’s person has put into her new dog, and also to Heidi’s fantastic temperament. We see really great things for the future of this team and believe the CGN certification is only going to be the beginning!
