When I was 12 years old, I experienced the most humiliating event of my young life with a doctor who was trying to be helpful. That event changed who I was and how I processed information and led me to become the dog trainer that I am today. What if the things that we look at as our greatest challenges are actually our biggest blessings? And how could that help our dogs?
In the episode you'll hear:
- About my family and my introduction to riding a bike.
- Why my brothers talked about my determination as if I were an alien.
- My love of Nancy Drew books as a child.
- How an ophthalmologist changed my young life forever.
- Why I thought I was weird and how I just tried to figure things out.
- My experience at University in an English course and why I stopped reading.
- The years I spent with undiagnosed dyslexia and how that shaped me.
- What I want you to know about answers existing.
- About not giving anyone the power to make you feel less than.
- How there are dogs out there who need us.
I cried through this one, Susan. Thanks for being vulnerable and sharing the difficult things in your life. You are an inspiration to so many people!
(After dealing with my daughter’s Tourette’s from ages 3-16, and being told by doctors that it was nothing, we also figured it out from a 60 Minutes episode. We both turned and looked at each other with jaws dropped.)
This episode was so inspiring for me as are most of your episodes for various different reasons! As someone in your previous episodes commented, I too feel you are also my life coach! I struggle with Celiac Disease as well as multiple food sensitivities and this too can be a unique challenge in many different ways. Thank you to you and your staff for your incredible dog training programs and well thought out ideas. Training dogs gives me a sense of belonging and purpose in my senior years. Thank you again!
Oh Susan! I have been a primary teacher for almost 30 years and a teacher of children with Dyslexia for 12 years. It makes me so mad when children (and adults) are made to feel less in some way! It has always been the confidence of my students which is the paramount focus for me and then all the skills to build it. I wanted to yell and cry at the same time listening to you – and to say – look at the success you have made for yourself, others and SO MANY dogs! I only wish that I can do this for my dog too, for some reason I lack so much when it comes to training him. However, after immersing myself in all your podcasts, HSTD and all the other videos I have found from you, I must be gaining from your wisdom! I love Ozzie, my Border Collie and I absolutely want the best life for him, despite my many mistakes. Thank you for being you and sharing so much of youself and your knowledge 🙂
Hi Susan, I’ve just found you and wished I had found you a year ago. I’m sure you’ve heard it all but when we got our puppy some of the things we were told was horrible because of her mannerism and she different and also a high anxiety pup and I should get my money back and get another one.
We didn’t want her to go on drugs as we believed it was not necessary so I went to 4 different trainers, small results but I didn’t want to have to force her to do things she wasn’t comfortable with. The thing I really didn’t like to hear was when people would say to me You know she’s a dog and not human right!!
Then I found YOU!!
I joined Recallers and Home School the dog and have only been doing this for 3 weeks and the change in our Lilly is amazing!
I loved this podcast so much and cried through it as well as I know the challenges both Lilly and I have been through. I truly didn’t want to believe what I was being told about her being weird/different like it was a disease but have to say there have been times I thought it to be true and that she didn’t love or want me.
I’ve never had children and all my other dogs before Lilly were so quite, but as I said to my husband if someone had a child that was different they don’t hand it back and say that’s not what I ordered, hand it back and get a better one and that’s how I felt with Lilly.
You’re far from weird I find you to be an amazing woman with such a great heart and I’m grateful you are now in my life.
I am a bit time poor when it comes to training as I work full time and also take care of my elderly mum, but I make the effort to walk Lilly everyday and to add 15 minutes of training, which unfortunately is always late at night but I believe anything is better than nothing.
My greatest reward came yesterday when Lilly for the first time in a year of owning her wanted me to hold her and give her a cuddle without her biting me!
I can’t thank you enough for being such a strong, loving woman that is sharing her love for dogs and people that are fortunate to own one to understand dog language, because we expect them to understand ours.
I’m excited to hear the rest of your podcasts and wish you were in Australia, but hey I’m grateful for the videos you’ve put together and all the assistance on the site as well.
This is the first time I’ve ever left a comment on a podcast and I’m sorry it’s so long.
All our love from Lilly who is a 14 month moodle and myself.
WOW what a powerful podcast! This podcast is more than dealing with being dyslexic or having a disability, it’s message is something we all can relate to in everyday life. Thank you for sharing.
Susan I can relate to your story to identify your dyslexia! When I was it the 8th/9th grade we were given an IQ test. I knew that I had issue but didn’t know why. They wouldn’t give me the results so I asked my mom to call and find out. After several weeks. Mom told me that she hadn’t call them. In my young mind I thought “they told her that I was dumb and mom didn’t want to tell me that”. I was an avg student going toward. Then when I was in my 2nd year in college in an educational class, we were studying about learn disabilities- and there it was —I had dyslexia! I graduate with high grades from college. AND both my sons have it! I told my sons everyone has something they can’t do—some can’t run, some can’t ride horses etc. they got special training and it didn’t effect they abilities to do great. Dog are the same way. Some dogs can’t do one thing but are great at everything else. Thanks for sharing!
Great Podcast! I also know this to be true. Weirdos unite!
I am weird too…..and struggle with my weirdness daily. I’m very glad you shared your story as you show us that, no matter who we are, how we are made, we can still achieve great things if we persevere and don’t give up. Thank you for your honesty and gifted teaching.
Love this! I am an educator, taught public school for 17 years, I taught many dyslexic children. My husband is dyslexic. I now own a dog boarding, grooming and training business. Since meeting you in 2019 in Hot Springs, I have enrolled in your on line coaurses. I am using your programs to train my dogs as well as my clients. You and Bob Bailey have made difference for me, my dogs and my clients. Thank you!