# Making Everyone's Day Better



## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

Especially my daughter's. Valor is doing so awesome. Recall is fantastic, nothing has been able to pull him off. He has his hand signals down too. Can drop him into a platz during recall on his way back to me and have him stay another good stretch of time before recalling him. He did a 1 hour walk through the busy town last night with me and my 11 year old and he did an awesome heel the whole time, observed passerbys but otherwise no distraction. We have the e collar on him this week, but off. Will be using it with trainer's guidance for proofing soon. 

I knew my daughter was having a tough day at school..rough morning due to boys' special needs transport getting messed up which messed up things altogether, and she had to do for her school preparation in a hurry and half butted. She looked down when I dropped her off... .so I knocked off early and surprised her with Valor when she got out of band practice at 4. He sat so nicely across the street from the school (no dogs allowed on grounds). She saw him and started telling all the kids there is my dog! She crossed and he did not break sit, even though he was positively tensile at her impending approach. Nothing like a dog whining and making a moon face because he sees you. Then I gave the lead to her and he did a lovely fuss for her up and down the block, nice sits, and when I opened the truck hatch he sat for her and waited to be released to jump in. All her friends were watching and it really made her day. She claims for the last 2 years to want to be an FBI K9 handler.

She does not get to do a lot of casual things that most kids take for granted, because I am on my own during my parenting time (joint custody) and need an extra set of hands to do normal things like go to a park or crafts store. She handles having 6 and 9 year old specials needs brothers like a champ, but sometimes kids are jerks and she recently heard one saying to another that she could not do a lot because of her brothers' "stupid broken brains". She has also seen them walking like my youngest and going "eeeeeee" imitating him. He does not speak and has a stiff gait. 

So when a dog makes her feel this way, and puts her in a position where kids look at her and admire..well, it makes me burst with dog pride and kid pride. Being the envy should never be a goal, but she gets enough of the other end of it to get to show off something different but positive too, at least sometimes  . Like a big kick butt pup that all the other kids wish they were allowed to have  Then my other dog (who hates people he doesn't know..work in progress) hung out with her while she did her homework. Thanks dogs, for being in our family <3


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

As a side note, that **** big pimple thing is back in one of his ..whisker holes, I guess you'd call it. May have the vet check it tomorrow. He will be 8 months old in 4 days!


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## KaiserAus (Dec 16, 2016)

Awesome!! Well done Valor!!


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## tim_s_adams (Aug 9, 2017)

Very heartwarming tale! Thanks for sharing it!


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## newlie (Feb 12, 2013)

Good for Valor and good for your little girl, too! 

(Little weasels, I wish could have been there to jerk a knot in their tails.)


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Good on you for taking time off and boosting your little girls spirits. There is a whole lot of meaning to the name Valor and it looks like your boy is appropriately named. It sounds like you have a very loving family.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

What a wonderful dog and daughter! You must be proud! I love GSD and kid stories. Even my 8-month-old lights up and grins when the dogs come into the room. It will be so much fun when my boys are older and able to interact with the dogs in a more meaningful way.


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

Thank you all! We also lost our other GSD over the summer, her heart dog. He is beautifully filling a hole in our hearts. His OB is so point on..and I keep reminding myself and my daughter we have the rebellious stage to most likely go through still. He has the makings of one of the great though He has such a fine tuned off switch, which is great for family life. I work him at the least an hour a day during the work week...more on my kid free weeks. And I feel guilty leaving my other dog behind. I am working with a different trainer for him. A 100% positive trainer (which I would not use for a GSD). Any corrections shut him down and undo weeks. He is scared out of his wits and exposing him to things like school pick up would be flooding him. He is a rescue and I will always stand by him, but I also have this strong pedigree that I have to keep in physical and mental trim, and I don;t want to hold him back. A weeee bit of guilt skipping out the door everywhere with him. They are like kids though, each one often needs something different.


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## Daisy&Lucky's Mom (Apr 24, 2011)

Your daughter and Valor rock. You and your family should be very proud of all you do.


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

CometDog said:


> As a side note, that **** big pimple thing is back in one of his ..whisker holes, I guess you'd call it. May have the vet check it tomorrow. He will be 8 months old in 4 days!


Remember the thread you made about it? Just a skin tag and nothing to worry about :wink2:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/health-issues/727218-growth-whisker-hole.html


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## CometDog (Aug 22, 2017)

It looks...different this time. It was crusty. It is gone now again. Will just keep an eye on it. Glad it is gone..could not stop looking it like that character in Austin powers lol


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## Armistice (Oct 12, 2017)

CometDog said:


> It looks...different this time. It was crusty. It is gone now again. Will just keep an eye on it. Glad it is gone..could not stop looking it like that character in Austin powers lol


MOLE!!! :grin2:

(Well, posted the gif, but it won't show up... Here's the link, lol)

https://media.giphy.com/media/Vis2b1T3XcUwM/giphy.gif


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