Several weeks ago, I wrote that problems might arise with the discipline methods that I use with Decker. Well that problem happened. I ran my truck in to the local oil change place. I was going to leave Decker inside the back of the truck, but changed my mind. I thought that he might not be so comfortable around the guys, as they worked on changing the oil. When I opened up the back of the truck to take him out, I asked the service man not to look at him as this was a challenge to the dog. I told him about Decker's past, as Decker wiggled in elation about getting out of the truck. The service man said that he seemed like a real nice dog. I brought him inside the lobby with the girls to wait with me.

Right away, he acted up a bit. I heard a growl when a gentleman walked in to also wait for his oil change. He got corrected, and then it was all over. He settled down until one of the workers walked in to show me my air filter. Decker growled again, and got in trouble for that too.

After about 10 minutes, of which he was fine, a lady walked in. He promptly growled at her and I promptly "touched" him on his side with my foot. Well, that move opened up a can of worms. By the way, that really was a touch, a "snap out of it" touch to his side.

The lady came unglued! She was all over me, telling me that there were other ways to correct his behavior. I don't take kindly to nosey people telling me how to deal with a potential liability. I did not act as nice as I should of, and let her know just how hard that I touched him. I touched her on her shoulder with the same force that I touched Decker.

That was not good enough. She obviously knew much more that I did at handling aggressive dogs. I told her about his past, and that he had bitten twice before. I let her know that I had rescued him so he would not be put down. All of that was not good enough for this lady, as she was the expert.

Decker growled at her again. This time his discipline for that behavior was to be "bit" with my hand on his neck. I held him down on the ground until he had relaxed, then I released him and he remained laying on the ground, just like any normal dog.

The lady was super emotional, and upset with how he was being treated (which in my opinion, was swift, to the point, then over). I again, not very nicely, told her that maybe I should just kill him right now, and not give him a chance at a normal life. She insisted that there were "better" ways to change a dog. I wish that she would write a book on that, so I could study it. She told me that she had a mind to report me to the SPCA. I told her to go ahead! (Little did she know, that they have no authority here in this county)

After my truck was done with the oil change, we all went outside to leave. The lady was out there crying! Crying? Man, what a baby! We again got into it, right outside the oil change store. My truck was pulled up to the front of the store, so the dogs and I walked through the working end of the oil change store, to get to the truck. The two guys working there asked me what was going on. I promptly told them that there was some bleeding heart out there that knows more than any one else in the world, how to deal with an aggressive dog.

Then I loaded up the dogs and left.

Upon arriving at Sandy's, for dog day, I was early. I unloaded everything to her. It sure makes one "feel guilty" and second-guess oneself. And ruins your whole day.

It's funny though. Jim, Sandy's husband told me that afternoon, "Decker is sure not the dog that you brought over here two months ago. He is a changed dog".

Jim didn't know what had gone on earlier that day, so it was an honest opinion of Decker. My methods stand, time tested by Cesar Milan.