RIP Venom | Blog by K9 Pro and Steve Courtney Dog Training

My canine, Venom handed away final weekend. It was probably not a shock, age had caught up with him and though glad day-after-day, the final week we observed his zest for all times was simply not there.

I might hate to see him lose his dignity simply to present me extra time to get used to dropping him.

I obtained Venom as a pet, 8 weeks of age and coaching begun that second.

Him coaching me and me coaching him.

I believe he taught me greater than I ever taught him.

Beneath is an unedited video I shot as a seminar complement. It’s Venom and I demonstrating MY coaching system, or, Venom displaying off, you determine.

I believe he had come to phrases together with his age and being such an agile, quick and highly effective canine his entire life, I do know him slowing up would have been irritating to him.

He excelled in chunk work, scent detection, obedience and just about something I pointed him at.

He was very clever and motivated, and he was a really self assured, dominant canine. I selected him for these qualities.

I labored very arduous day-after-day when he was a pet to develop our bond that included communication, motivation and training and RESPECT for each other.

After I was educating and coaching him, I ready to face robust components of his improvement, the place his self assured and dominant temperament would ignore me or select one thing over me.

I fitted coaching instruments in anticipation of that pending occasion at 5 months of age.

I continued working with him as I had and he stored giving me his greatest.

Earlier than I may blink, he was 14 months of age, and had not ever failed to answer me, in each distracting scenario I may put him in.

I by no means obtained to or had to make use of any correction software to convey him into line, he held the road.

For some canines this isn’t a serious deal, however for a Working Line, Male Socially Dominant, Excessive Prey drive Malinois, I believe it’s.

He helped make me stronger as I by no means noticed weak point in him.

He liked me unconditionally, typically very light, different instances his “love” was extra “bodily”.

I’ve a thousand tales about his chunk work however I’ve to confess, the issues that stand out about him usually are not issues I educated him, however issues he simply did.

No thought how he realized them, nobody taught him, usually I by no means even requested him, he simply appeared to know what I wanted and obtained it finished.

I used to be constructing some shelving exterior my storage and when it got here to hammering the cabinets collectively, I used to be utilizing my hand.

After some time, this wasn’t going to work, I circled to get a scrap piece of wooden and Venom was standing there with one in his mouth, like “right here, use this as a substitute of your hand dummy”.

Every time I might drop it on the bottom after the shelf was collectively, he would decide it up simply earlier than I wanted it for subsequent shelf, and push it into my leg.

My daughters have “blankies” and naturally, they at all times lose them someplace. After coaching one Saturday, I laid down on the sofa with Venom when blankie had gone lacking and I used to be summoned to assist.

I mentioned “Venom, go discover the blankie”. My spouse mentioned, “he doesn’t know the way to try this”.

However he then confirmed up with Blankie in his mouth, then obtained again on the sofa with me.

After we have been rest room coaching our children, we had a seat factor that sits on the bathroom that makes the outlet smaller for little children.

It lived in our rest room.

I walked into the coaching room in Kurrajong that was down stairs and that rest room seat was within the nook.

Venom spots it and goes and picks it up, and takes it upstairs and leaves it within the rest room.

I assume he thought the coaching room is for critical enterprise.

These tales have been my Venom.

As he obtained older I used to be amazed that he simply by no means appeared to decelerate, in contrast to me and each one round him.

The household joke is that he would outlive us all.

Adopted by, who may or would (have the ability to) stay with him, he was loads of (critical) canine.

Within the above image, Venom is 13 years previous. Maree, a very long time buddy of mine requested to meet one thing on her bucket listing. To put on the chunk go well with.

I requested “which canine?” she mentioned “Venom as you might have probably the most management.”

Venom helped her out, at 13 years previous. 

Beneath is his work, via a Demanet Coaching stage Chunk go well with

He was by no means sick a day in his life, by no means refused a meal or a bit of meals, by no means discovered a toy or tug he wouldn’t play with, by no means noticed a sleeve or go well with he wouldn’t assault, by no means confirmed me something however love.

He was at all times good and (largely) light with my household, however everybody new, I used to be his particular person.

Folks usually commented on how a lot he liked a shower, or being brushed, in actuality he simply liked my consideration, it was like crack to him.

I’ve a workshop the place I construct and restore issues for our property and K9Pro. He LOVED simply him and I working in there. I labored; he sharked round on the lookout for one thing to curiosity him.

He would take himself for a swim within the pool on hotter days and leap up on my workbench to stay his face in mine so I might take a break from working.

If he wasn’t doing that he would discover one thing he felt can be a great toy and produce it to me, shoving it at me and re biting it, regularly “accidently” catching me with a tooth, normally leading to my response and his win.

It was an ideal relationship between coach and pupil, Venom the coach, me the scholar.

His first actual girlfriend was Knowledge, my feminine Malinois. They mated twice when he was about 2 and he spent his life hoping for an additional go along with her.

Knowledge was not so eager on one other spherical, giving him a stern no, and true to his nature he would settle for that no. Additionally true to his nature he was strategy her once more 1 minute later and requested, “what about now?”, and each minute after that he would ask once more, each time he noticed her, for 12 years…

They collectively produced the Herzhund “A” litter, 4 tremendous pups which have had superb lives in their very own proper.

Few Malinois are massive on self preservation, Venom was no totally different, he would climb and scale something in his manner and each hit up on a go well with was arduous AF.

He taught me loads, he impressed me extra, he made me snicker, he stored me humble and completed by making me cry.

He did every part to the max, together with taking me via each emotion.

His physique within the final 12 months or so was failing him, I assume no canines physique may take what he did to his for ever.

I started to see the long run and knew he gained’t be in far more if it.

I attempted to play slightly sport with him each morning which he liked and completed it with a bit of bacon.

You need to surprise what they’re considering and he wished to do loads of resting his head on me on this final 12 months.

It is a boy who didn’t want me as a lot as I wanted him and I believe he hoped I might be okay with out him.

Its solely been per week and I’m not but, don’t anticipate to be for a very long time.

He made a giant entrance, massive distinction, left a giant gap.

So many individuals have messaged me telling me what an affect he had on them. 

I’ve barely mentioned greater than thanks. I imply extra, however not there but.

However actually, thanks every considered one of you to your type phrases and help.

These are some highlights for all of the Venom lovers that they might not know. His work on the coaching discipline was revered by many, however not as many knew my boy, Venom.