I was continuing and updating my training in Wisconsin last week. I slept, 10 min away and a bridge ride over the Mississippi River in Dubuque, Iowa. I don't know how many of you have been to Wisconsin or Iowa for that matter, but there isn't much to do there when you're not active in whatever brought you there in the first place.
I was reading my Welcome to Dubuque magazine, and saw a little ad for Field of Dreams. It was only 30 min away, and I'd get to see the house, baseball field and lots of corn from the Kevin Costner movie. I wasn't going to go, it's just a movie set, and then I saw the interview.
Kevin Costner and Phil Robinson were being interviewed about making the movie and what is has meant to people. Of course, they started showing clips from the movie, and I couldn't move. I know it would never have been promoted this way, but combine Baseball, a Father/Son reunion and an all star cast; Field of Dreams was a tear jerker for men. It also played an emotional part (to me) in every step of building Best Friend's Dog Training.
"If You Build it, They Will Come"
When I started the company, I think every rational person I knew thought I was nuts. If they didn't think I was serious about Dog Training, they thought it was a cute little idea. I spent a few thousand dollars I could not afford, and countless hours learning this trade before I was able to start earning a penny. I didn't hear whispers in the corn, Shoeless Joe and the Chicago Black Socks have not come for a visit, but "If You Build it, They Will Come" has echoed in my mind every step of the way.
When I showed up Sunday Morning, some unexplained water works showed up in my eyes. Fathers and Sons were playing baseball. Some old enough to understand, others, well the kids will get it in about 10 years. My father was home, and I'll get to see him today, Fathers Day.
I had Trinity my Belgian Malinois and Pyro my German Shepard with me. We got out, watched everyone, and climbed the little bleachers that the cast of Field of Dreams sat on. I had just spent several days teaching them to "Place" on all kinds of strange objects, big and small, even and uneven. I "Placed" the dogs and sat between them while a Newlywed couple took a picture for me.
I drove 21 hours to get home for yesterdays company picnic. Admittedly, I had nothing to do with the planning. Several clients were kind enough to come up with the idea, spend hours and hours planning for the First Annual Best Friend's Dog Training Picnic. I showed up to my training field which had 35 dogs playing off leash and about 60 people. We had plenty of food for us and the dogs, Frosty Paws, and games like the "my dog will eat anything" contest and agility baseball. I was moved that so many people came out to spend a day with their dogs and the friends they made in our weekly group class.
Field of Dreams? It was for me.