Karran
Well-Known Member
I feel this may jinx it, but we have had a week of good walks! To quote someone from another thread, walking her off-lead always feels like "going into battle". I'm prepared with ball, tuggies, treats. Constantly on the scout out for bikes/small children/joggers that may incite a chase meltdown session.
Over the last week, we've been slowly losing the need for the emergency recall word "Ball!" and she's coming back just for a treat and on the verbal command. On Saturday we had possibly our best ever walks, in the morning we passed a pack of 6 joggers (i know!) on our morning walk, we accidentally met a woman on a lovely dun cob, each time she recalled to me. I only got the ball out for fun times and not emergencies.
We went out Saturday evening and again she was paw perfect. Our nearest local park is just a small rectangle with tennis courts at one end, a BMX track at the other and a loop around three 5 a side pitches in the middle.
It was a lovely day and so the park was heaving! Did she take any notice of the kids whizzing about on bikes? Did she notice the joggers that lapped us? The kids on rollerblades got some funny looks but each time she disengaged before chasing and came back to me.
Sunday she was a bit more on edge after bumping into two muzzled malamutes (she has a thing about fluffy big dogs currently as there is a man who walks in that little park with a longhaired GSD who apparently doesn't need to be on a lead and therefore it rushes any dog snarling and barking. We now abort all walks as soon as it appears, but the damage has been done!) so it took her a long while to settle down but she did towards the end of our walk.
Went out today, usual array of morning walkers and joggers and she's still paying attention and focussing on me. The ball is only coming out for fun times and training to retrieve to hand.
Dare I whisper that she may be finally growing up and learning to behave in public?!
Over the last week, we've been slowly losing the need for the emergency recall word "Ball!" and she's coming back just for a treat and on the verbal command. On Saturday we had possibly our best ever walks, in the morning we passed a pack of 6 joggers (i know!) on our morning walk, we accidentally met a woman on a lovely dun cob, each time she recalled to me. I only got the ball out for fun times and not emergencies.
We went out Saturday evening and again she was paw perfect. Our nearest local park is just a small rectangle with tennis courts at one end, a BMX track at the other and a loop around three 5 a side pitches in the middle.
It was a lovely day and so the park was heaving! Did she take any notice of the kids whizzing about on bikes? Did she notice the joggers that lapped us? The kids on rollerblades got some funny looks but each time she disengaged before chasing and came back to me.
Sunday she was a bit more on edge after bumping into two muzzled malamutes (she has a thing about fluffy big dogs currently as there is a man who walks in that little park with a longhaired GSD who apparently doesn't need to be on a lead and therefore it rushes any dog snarling and barking. We now abort all walks as soon as it appears, but the damage has been done!) so it took her a long while to settle down but she did towards the end of our walk.
Went out today, usual array of morning walkers and joggers and she's still paying attention and focussing on me. The ball is only coming out for fun times and training to retrieve to hand.
Dare I whisper that she may be finally growing up and learning to behave in public?!
)
