HUN Chapter 138: Ryan's Shocking Discovery of Talent

Inside the training field, A-frame obstacles, balance beams, jumping hurdles, and tunnels and platforms simulating various complex environments were arranged in an orderly fashion.

A agile figure was commanding a black and brown dog that moved like lightning through these obstacles.

It was a Belgian Malinois, commonly called a Mal, with distinct muscle definition and explosive power. Every movement was precise and full of strength.

The man commanding it was Ryan Anderson.

Lin Yu'an parked his car outside the training field and got out, holding the still-curious Whiskey and Honey.

He didn't immediately approach but stood quietly in the distance, watching what could be called an artistic training performance.

Ryan didn't shout loudly. His commands were short and powerful. More often, he used only a hand gesture or even just a slight shift in his body weight.

The Mal would understand immediately and respond with perfect precision. This was no longer simple command and obedience, but a deep-rooted understanding.

When the final command was completed and the Mal sat steadily beside Ryan's feet, looking up at him with eyes full of focus and devotion, Ryan finally seemed to notice the distant visitor.

He didn't walk over immediately but calmly looked at Lin Yu'an, as if wanting to see through him completely.

Meanwhile, the Mal beside his feet slowly stood up, emitting a low, engine-like rumbling warning from its throat.

Its body leaned slightly forward, muscles tense, entering a state of alertness ready to attack at any moment.

The air seemed to freeze instantly.

Lin Yu'an knew this was his first test.

A normal person facing such a professionally trained working dog radiating danger would instinctively retreat, panic, or even turn and run.

But Lin Yu'an didn't. His enhanced sixth sense allowed him to clearly perceive the emotions coming from the other party.

He could feel that although the Mal was full of vigilance, its emotions were stable, without genuine attack intent.

It was just faithfully performing its guard duty, waiting for its master's next command.

Lin Yu'an simply stood still, body relaxed, arms holding Whiskey and Honey. His gaze didn't make direct eye contact with the Mal but looked toward Ryan beside it.

This was a posture in animal behavioral science indicating "I have no hostility, I respect your territory."

Whiskey and Honey in his arms seemed to sense that pressure too. The two little ones whimpered uneasily, trying to burrow deeper into his embrace.

A few seconds of confrontation felt as long as a century.

Finally, Ryan seemed to approve of Lin Yu'an's performance.

He gently patted the Mal's neck and said quietly, “Alright, Kane, relax."

The warning rumble from the Mal named Kane instantly disappeared, its tense body relaxed, but its eyes remained vigilantly locked on Lin Yu'an.

Only then did Ryan stride over with his long legs. He was about thirty-five or thirty-six, tall and well-proportioned.

He wore faded Carhartt work pants and a dark gray tactical fleece.

His short hair was meticulously trimmed, his features sharp, and though his face showed no expression, his eyes were unusually bright, as if they could see into one's heart.

"You're Lin?" His voice was deep and steady, carrying the distinctive quality of a police officer.

"Yes, Ryan, hello." Lin Yu'an extended his hand.

Ryan shook hands with him. His palm was dry and powerful, covered in thick calluses.

"George praised you to the skies on the phone."

He glanced at the two fluffy little ones in Lin Yu'an's arms, “These are the two little troublemakers you need help with?"

"Yes, this is Whiskey, and this is Honey." Lin Yu'an put the two puppies on the ground.

The two little ones immediately began curiously sniffing this strange territory but never dared stray too far from Lin Yu'an's feet.

Ryan crouched down, carefully observing Whiskey and Honey.

His gaze was very professional, checking their bones, gait, and reactions to the new environment.

Kane also approached, curiously sniffing the two little ones with its nose, then emitting a disdainful snort, as if saying "two wet-behind-the-ears little brats."

"Bernese Mountain Dogs, good choice."

Ryan stood up, brushing dirt off his hands, “Good bloodlines, excellent bone structure. But what do you want them to become?"

This question was direct and profound.

"I want them to be my companions and family members."

Lin Yu'an answered seriously, “At the same time, I hope they can protect my family and property when I'm away. I need them to be brave, but never have unprovoked aggression."

Ryan nodded, seeming fairly satisfied with this answer. "Companions, family, guardians, very good."

"But to achieve this goal, you first need to understand: do you want a dog, a tool, or a soldier?"

"Is there a difference?"

"Of course there is."

Ryan's gaze became sharp, “If you treat it as a dog, you'll spoil it and end up with a pampered, disobedient troublemaker."

"If you treat it as a tool, you'll use harsh methods to control it and end up with an obedient but soulless machine."

"Only when you treat it as a soldier that needs your guidance, trust, and partnership in battle will you get a truly trustworthy companion."

This speech deeply moved Lin Yu'an, and he nodded solemnly, “I understand. I need companions."

"Very good."

Ryan's face showed its first hint of a smile, though faint, it was enough to melt the coldness on his face.

"Then welcome to the first and most important lesson in dog training: establishing rules and trust."

He led Lin Yu'an into his cabin. The interior was extremely simple, with only necessary living supplies and mostly books about canine behavioral science, nutrition, and tactical training.

Several photos hung on the wall, one of him in Los Angeles Police K-9 uniform with a majestic German Shepherd, another of Kane sleeping peacefully at his feet.

Ryan retrieved a small plastic device like a lighter and a waist pack full of meat treats from a cabinet.

"Before starting any training, you need to understand two things: the dog's language and how to make a contract with it."

He handed the plastic device to Lin Yu'an, “This is called a clicker. Its function is a 'marker.' When you press it and make a 'click' sound."

"You're telling your dog: that's the action! You did it right! Reward is coming!"

"Dogs can't understand complex language, but they can understand the most direct cause-and-effect relationship, the 'click' sound."

"This represents the first contract between you and it: 'click' equals good things happening. This is called positive reinforcement, the foundation of all modern scientific dog training."

He looked at Lin Yu'an and asked, “What do you think should be the first command to teach these two little ones?"

Lin Yu'an thought for a moment and said, “Sit?"

Ryan shook his head, “Wrong. For puppies, the most basic commands are always 'attention' and 'come.'"

"Attention means that in any situation, when it hears its name, its attention must immediately return to you. This is the foundation for all subsequent training."

"Come means that no matter what it's doing, as soon as you call, it must return to your side. This can save its life in dangerous moments."

For the next hour, Ryan began demonstrating to Lin Yu'an how to conduct the most basic "attention" training.

He had Lin Yu'an work with Whiskey while he handled Honey himself.

He first patiently waited for Honey's attention to wander slightly, then clearly and cheerfully called, “Honey!"

The little one instinctively looked back, and the instant it turned its head, Ryan immediately pressed the clicker, “Click!"

Then quickly retrieved a small piece of meat from his waist pack and offered it to Honey's mouth.

"Very good! Good girl!" he praised in an exaggerated tone.

The entire process flowed like water, fast as lightning.

Ryan said to Lin Yu'an, “See that? Timing is everything. You must mark it within 0.5 seconds of its correct response, then immediately give the reward."

"Repeat this process. Don't worry about wasting treats. You need to carve the neural pathway of 'hearing name - looking at me - getting reward' into its brain as solid as rock."

Lin Yu'an began imitating Ryan's actions, training Whiskey.

Initially, he was somewhat flustered. Whiskey, being energetic, was curious about everything around him and had difficulty focusing.

When Lin Yu'an called his name, the puppy might still be sniffing a grass root.

But soon, Lin Yu'an's golden finger began to take effect.

His extraordinary sixth sense allowed him to capture with unusual sensitivity every tiny change in Whiskey's attention.

He could even sense half a second in advance when the little one was about to lift his head or when his ears were about to turn his direction.

This incredible predictive ability made his "marking" timing impeccably precise.

"Whiskey!"

The little one's ears twitched slightly.

"Click!"

Lin Yu'an pressed the clicker almost simultaneously, with a meat treat already at its mouth.

After just a few repetitions, Whiskey understood the mystery.

He discovered that as long as he heard that sound and looked at this two-legged creature, delicious things would appear in his mouth. This was the best deal in the world!

His attention became highly focused on Lin Yu'an.

As soon as Lin Yu'an spoke, he would immediately lift his head, looking at him with bright, expectant black eyes, tail wagging like a rattle drum.

In just twenty minutes, Whiskey had perfectly mastered the "attention" training.

He could even manage to immediately refocus his attention on Lin Yu'an when called, even when Honey ran over trying to play with him.

Ryan, watching from the side, was stunned.

The calm expression on his face had long disappeared, replaced by a complex mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief.

He had trained hundreds of dogs himself, including many elite police dogs with excellent bloodlines and superior intelligence.

But he had never seen, nor heard of, any puppy that could establish such solid command connections in such a short time.

This was no longer simply learning quickly, it was as if Lin Yu'an could directly write commands into the dog's brain.

"Have you... have you studied dog training before?" Ryan's voice was somewhat hoarse.

"No, this is my first time," Lin Yu'an answered honestly.

Ryan stared intently at Lin Yu'an, then looked at Whiskey at his feet, who was eagerly waiting for the next "click" sound. He fell silent.

He knew that Old George hadn't exaggerated. This young man before him truly possessed a talent that ordinary people couldn't understand.

This talent might not only manifest in hunting but also in communicating with animals.

He had thought himself a dog training expert, but today, he felt his professional knowledge seemed pale compared to Lin Yu'an's almost magical talent display.

"Well..." Ryan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart.

"It seems I have nothing basic to teach you. Let's move directly to the next stage."

"Within one week, I want to see Whiskey able to hear your call from fifty meters away and immediately return to your side, ignoring any distractions. Can you do it?"

This was a task that would be almost impossible for an ordinary person to complete within a week.

But Lin Yu'an just looked at the trusting Whiskey at his feet and smiled confidently.

"No problem, I'm willing to try."

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