Caspian has accomplished a variety of wonderful things of late... He just completed his 6 week basic obedience course at Great Dog. He earned his first diploma last Monday! In addition he was the winner of the "longest down" contest meaning that he maintained his "down-stay" longer than the other dogs in class. Caspian is a star.
Caspian has shown great interest in children and has accompanied me to several humane education program sessions. Last week he was the featured dog in a summer program for youth in grades 4 & 5 in the Seatac area. The lesson for the children centered on understanding the negative impact of bullies and how to deal with bullies in their own lives. Caspian, being a bully breed dog was the perfect role model for the kids. He entered the room with complete finesse-he was calm, happy and eager to make new friends. He did not jump on anyone, responded immediately to any obedience requests and charmed the kids and staff.
Initially I could tell that several of the kids were visibly concerned by the presence of a pit bull. One child stated that she was afraid of all pit bulls because her mom told her that they all were vicious. I explained that Caspian was kind, well-behaved and well-trained. He had been tested for his ability to come and be a member of the classroom. He showed how well he was trained, did his tricks, and won the heart of everyone there. He was an ambassador for his breed and a learning tool to help the kids understand the belief "It's the DEED NOT the BREED" We discussed how sometimes the kids are misjudged for how they look, the neighborhood they live in, their family, the color of their skin, the school they attend-and we discussed how the same thing happens to Caspian. There was a real sense of identification with him, and he in turn gave love and support to every child there...unconditional love. Caspian made a positive impact on the kids and for his breed. It was a gift to be part of the experience.
He is one truly wonderful dog who is still looking for his forever home-would you like to get involved in humane education or therapy dog work? Caspian would be the perfect partner for you!
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I learned about Caspian through Great Dog and only just found Caspian's blog today by accident. I was amazed at reading all the wonderful things you and Caspian are doing for the breed. Thank you for changing so many minds and inspiring so many people!
Faith
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