Darkest Before the Dawn

I believe this. In life, In potty training. In child rearing. In general.

Just about the time you're ready to wave the white flag and surrender, you get a break. The tides turn and you get a chance to catch your breath. I realize this was my fault. I left him unsupervised and ultimately that is my job. I also understand that sometimes you need to do laundry and that at some point, Toad needs to learn to behave in my absence.

Families of my adopted puppies often write when they are frustrated with teaching potty training, when the mouthing is pushing their buttons, or the puppy conveniently has forgotten how to "sit". My advise is always "stay the course". I promise them that it will soon be over, to just be patient for a little more. Typically within a few days they contact me again, crisis has past.

Toad and I were getting to that point. I hadn't realized how close to the edge I was until this "explosion" of stuffing and the chunks of foam from his crate pad "just happened".  My legs were tired from being in unnatural positions trying to block his pumpkin head from getting in and around me. My hands were signalling instructions that my mouth was just too tired to say anymore. My body was a beacon of information that Toad was learning to read without my conscious effort.

Somehow in the falling apart, it comes together. I think we become more focused on the end goal. We firm up with the Universe what we want. We change the energy that surrounds the goal. And magically, with this new untapped zest, it comes together.

While I was cleaning this mess, I thought about the need for him to learn "back up" and "wait". I realized he was asking for some good old chewing/destruction. He got new tartar buster bones and cow hoofs. I re-started the training for wait and back up. And.... it clicked. He was backing up and looking at me as if to say "well why didn't you just ask?" Getting in and out of cupboards or the fridge is a breeze. He's learned a bunch of new words, like go around and roll over. He can pick a hand and is getting pretty darned good at waiting. Leave it is now in there, and we need to proof it.

In life, the same thing happens. Something happens that pushes you to the brink, and while you're standing there on the edge, the view becomes so clear. Your intent solidifies and you energize. You find the support and the ways to get through the challenge. All you have to do is "Stay the Course"