Liesel Weapon is destined to be a ‘super dog’. I suppose that term could mean a lot of different things to different people so let me start by defining what a Run Your Pack ‘super dog’ is…
Liesel is currently 17 weeks old. She is obedient, confident, has manners and LOVES to train. She has been exposed to numerous environments, strangers and scenarios. As her training progresses she will continue developing the following skills:
Tracking
Protection
Scent Detection
Retrieve
Advanced Obedience
You can train a dog to do a lot of things but Liesel’s focus is practical application as a well-balanced working dog, a survival dog…a super dog. She will live calmly in my home with the rest of the pack and go with me wherever dogs are allowed.
The initial common reaction to those that hear Liesel’s training trajectory always say the same thing. ‘OHHH She is going to work for the police?’ Not an unfounded question. I would be happy to train dogs like this for the police but why stop there? How many individuals out there right now would live a more peaceful life knowing they had a dog like this by their side 24/7?
I am a huge MacGyver fan. So to illustrate Liesel’s badass factor, lets play out a MacGyver-esque scenario and see how having a super dog could be handy…
SCENE : IN DARK WAREHOUSE
CUE: ALL IS LOST MUSIC
Bad guys just caught me and they have me handcuffed to a chair. I have been told there is a bomb in the building and I only have minutes to live. Because this is a TV type scenario, they also left Liesel with me in the room. I’m sure the antagonist would have said something like ‘I’ll leave you 2 to comfort each other during your final hours MUHAHAHA’ to justify the convenient plot arrangement, but hey that’s TV…
Its not looking good for this duo…that is until the bite command is given…Striking like a fur missile, Liesel attacks and a melee ensues. Screams can be heard from down the block as Liesel locks on to the captor’s arm taking him to the ground refusing to let go despite the man’s desperate pleas for mercy…During the struggle I notice the man’s keys have fallen out of his pocket... I call off Liesel allowing the man to break free and run. The captor’s cackles can be heard echoing off the walls as he runs out of the building. He has a momentary feeling of victory despite the extreme trauma his arm has suffered.
Back in the room the clock is ticking. I give Liesel the retrieve command and she grabs the keys and brings them to me. Good dog. Now, free from the chair, we quickly flee the building. BUT as we get outside we notice a large group of families start to gather just outside in the street. OH NO! It’s a bake sale and auction to benefit the local little league teams. They are all in grave danger!
Valiantly (and because it is TV), we head back into the building in search of the bomb. I give the search command and Liesel’s head snaps back and forth in search of the scent. She moves swiftly and with purpose and in no time we find the bomb. For the expediency of the story lets say I am a bomb diffuser and masterfully cut the right color wire…Bomb diffused. Now to catch that perp…
Back outside we move past the bake sale horde. Spots of blood on the pavement show us the direction the man fled. I give Liesel the track command and she eagerly gets to it. She takes me on a windy trail through alleyways and backyards and eventually to a park where we see our captor sitting on a park bench. He is addressing his wounds and checking his watch with a perplexed look on his face. ‘Shouldn’t that bomb have gone off’ was the last thought he had before a flash of fur hits him like a freight train…
CUE BADASS MUSIC AND ARREST MONTAGE
END SCENE Ok, so that is a touch on the dramatic side but you get the idea. Liesel weapon will be a handy companion to have around my family regardless of whether she ever gets called to action. Now, chances are I would never get myself into a jam like this but it’s a nice feeling knowing the ability and security is there.
A key factor in super dog development is imprinting them as a puppy. From day 1 (8 weeks old) Liesel has been exposed to exercises and training geared towards these working disciplines. During this time she was also carefully socialized around people, dogs and the modern world.
This combination of imprinting and socialization is KEY for a developing a super dog. Liesel will not only have these skills, she will be a levelheaded pack member that can be downtown, at the park, and around kids. To anyone that meets her she will just seem like an extremely well behaved friendly shepherd. Should the need arise however; she will have a quiver of skills ready for deployment.
Seeing Liesel take shape gets me excited about the pet/working dog industry. Why have a pet when you can also have a pet that protects your home and family? Why have a pet when that pet can also sweep for bombs, guns, narcotics you name it. Want a survival dog that will protect you in the backcountry, track lost hikers, collect firewood and seek out dry tinder? It’s totally possible.
Self-reliance is a hypnotic concept…as it should be. As a means of security EVERYONE talks about guns. Guns, guns, guns. And that is totally fine. I like guns and responsibly own them and know how to use them. But that is me…how many people out there right now (gun owners or not) would love to have a means of personal security that was much more dynamic. Seems like every day I ‘m hearing about scenarios where a highly trained K-9 would be such a magical solution for the individual to feel safe and secure. I mean just think:
Lawyers concerned about volatile clients
Teachers worried about classroom safety
Those recently divorced, now alone
Bank tellers
Anyone suffering from PTSD
The police and military do not have to be the only ones with the cool dogs. One of the goals I have for Run Your Pack is to cater to the individual interested becoming a handler of a super dog. I say ‘handler’ and not ‘owner’ as a dog of this caliber comes with tremendous responsibility. But I mean come on, how fun would it be to learn how to upkeep and handle a dog that can get you out of a jam like the MacGyver scenario above.
To those who took the time to read all the way through this, take a moment to look at an empty spot on the floor nearby. Imagine a sleek German Shepherd calmly laying there staring at you. She walks with you everywhere you go. She politely interacts with those in your environment. She draws ooos and ahhhs from passerby’s impressed by the level of control and obedience…All the while only YOU know that she is ready and able to be called upon if need be. Leave the swiss army knife at home MacGyver…You need a super dog.