faith·ful [feyth-fuhl]; adjective; 
1250–1300; Middle English

MY faithful friends, Tess & Ruby

1. Adhering firmly and devotedly, as to a person, cause, or idea.
2. Worthy of trust or belief; reliable; loyal.
3. Kemosabe; (pronoun)
4. Dog; (noun)

Several years ago, while studying to become a professional dog trainer, I picked up a copy of Sharon Salzberg's book, Faith. Not being particularly faithful in the sense of organized religion, I was skeptical about delving into pages that would remind (scold?) me that faith was not in the forefront of my modus operandi. And at the time, I was trying to get my head wrapped around learning theory - Pavlovian this; Skinner that. But my brain was becoming saturated, so I decided to peruse just a few pages. So I thought...

From Salzberg's Faith: "In Pali, the language of the original Buddhist texts, the work usually translated as faith, confidence, or trust is saddha. Saddha literally means "to place the heart upon." To have faith is to offer one's heart or give over one's heart. In Pali, faith is a verb, an action, as it is also in Latin and Hebrew. Faith is not a singular state that we either have or don't have, but it is something that we do. Saddha is the willingness to take the next step, to see the unknown as an adventure, to launch a journey."

You know that feeling you get when seemingly out of nowhere, "everything" suddenly makes sense? You cannot put words to it; you just feel it in your core. That's what I experienced after reading those epiphanius words. I dropped the book gently to my lap and gazed at my heart and soul dog Gabby sleeping in a pool of sun by the door. Breathe in; breathe out. I found myself mimicking her breathing pattern; slowing down my thoughts; so mindful of the moment. I knew right then that my dog training business would be Faithful Friends Dog Training. The trust; the faith that I had in Gabby; the connection that we shared is a testament to the the work I do helping other dogs - training from the heart. I was launching my journey, taking the next step to see the unknown as an adventure. It all made sense.

I picked Faith up again, not ready to tackle the Premack Principal and the four quadrants of operant learning just yet. Off to the side lay Steven R. Lindsay's, Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vol. 1: Adaptation and Learning; itself a brilliant marriage of science and literature. But for now, I would let sleeping dogs lie. 

Mr. Lindsay would understand.

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Home Is Where The Heart - and Dog - Is!

Brownie at Espanola Valley Humane Society

Hi! I'm Danny!
 
Big and handsome this dude's personality makes him even more attractive than he already is. Goofy and affectionate he wants nothing more than to be the best friend to a lucky soul. Stop by to meet this hunk today!

Male Mixed Breed
Color: Brindle
Approximate Age: 2 years
Weight: 76 pounds

Visit the EVHS web site, or call 505-753-8662

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