Before we made the plunge and brought home a puppy, I did some reasearch on the various breeds. I spent two years reading and learning until we narrowed the options to a few dogs. Eventually, availability helped to narrow the search even more, and we found a puppy. Her name is "Sasha", and she is purebred Smooth Collie. Sasha is a fun addition to our family. She is still a puppy and we will have the usual puppy related adventures to share with her as she grows and takes her place in our family.
One thing the various books mentioned about some breeds is the natural instinct to want to please its owner. I challenge that view. I don't think dogs have a natural desire to learn what its master likes, so it can please good old master. I think dogs are pretty much interested in pleasing themselves, and in that way, they seem a lot like us humans.
I have a Master, too. Do I have a natural desire to know what He wants, and then dedicate myself to doing those things? Occasionaly, that is the case, but the honest answer is I find myself all too often interested in pleasing myself most of the time, and pleasing God with left overs.
One of the challenges I have with Sasha is to help her change her values. Her current value of pleasing herself needs to change to finding her happiness linked to what pleases Jannie and myself. We do that with training, using positive and occasionally, negative re-enforcement. Sasha needs to learn to stay close to home. She needs to learn what things are dangerous to her, and what things are good for her.
My Heavenly Father is also interested in me staying close to "home", and avoiding things and habits that can be dangerous for my spiritual health. My Heavenly Father is loving and patient with me, and so instructs me how to teach one of His creatures, our Sasha.
I hope I become a good owner for Sasha, and I hope I learn to love what my Father in Heaven likes, too.
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