My dogs my teachers.

When I became a member of a dog training club with my first Labrador I had no experience whatsoever in what was called "dog training".
As best as I could I imitated what the amateur-trainers showed me. Immediately I did not like their brutal use of choke chains. But I had to use it too because...well, the ones that knew more than me, told me it was the correct way to "train" a dog. I still feel bad when I think about how my first beautiful female canine companion must have suffered from the violent use of the chain around her neck.
It took me many years to discover that understanding how dogs behave in nature was my first step on the road leading to a fullfilling and harmonious relationship with my dogs. Meantime I had to unlearn almost everything I had been taught in "dog training" clubs. I started learning how the members of my own pack behaved and communicated. No wonder I began to look at them as my teachers. After the success of the movie "The Horse Whisperer", many dog trainers started calling themselves "dog whisperers".
I have never done that.
What could I possibly whisper (!) in the ears of my teachers, except "I love you the way you are"?
My second important step took place when I discovered how my dogs offered me a direct link to mother nature. They live in harmony with Mother Nature. They live in the Now without any reminiscing about the past or worrying about the future. Their way of life does not destroy our planet, while that is exactly what we are doing with our way of life. They never judge, condemn or blame. We do it all the time.
Dogs live in a world were to have means nothing compared to TO BE.
And what are we? Are we human havings or human beings?
If you do not agree with what I am writing I do not care.
My next step was that I began to see how natural it felt to consider the dogs who live with me as my brothers and sisters and even as spiritual teachers. During my initiation as New Warrior in the ManKindProject (2006) there was no doubt about the animal name I choose: Honouring my then canine pack leader I called myself "Black Dog".
And look what I found, many years later, on page 78 of the book "The Flying Boy. Healing the wounded man" written by John Lee:

"According to the Indian creating story, animals were created before human beings, so they have a certain proximity to the Great Spirit. In them the Indian sees actual reflections of the qualities of the Great Spirit, which serve the same function as revealed scriptures in other religions. They are intermediaries or links between humans and God."

This is so clear to me now that I am amazed how many people are still talking about "bad dogs". Well, it is not the first time you hear me say this but I am going to repeat it once more: bad dogs do not exist, except in the mind of unconscious people.

DOG WALKING CLASSES
This coming Sunday 21.04.2013 we will walk from Alcalalí to Parcent and back and enjoy the beauty of the many flowers in this Springtime. Let's meet at 9.45 for 10.00 at the library in Jalón. By the way: Do not enter the barn of our neighbours. They have a new dog. 

Love

Bruno