Re: Horrible Walk.. Well the reason for Benson running off has been become clear...one of the setters was in season. Took him out on his own for a quick training walk and met up with another walker who told me. My jaw just dropped I was absolutely speechless! To cap it all, took them both out later, just as I got them both the back of my car...boot still open she walked past, with her 3 dogs. Just managed to slam the boot down before Benson went crazy in the back. We park our cars on a roundabout that has parking area..not ideal but just a few metres from the common entrance. She could've waited just 3 seconds for me to close the boot before walking past my car....I swear one of these days..... :-X Interestingly one of the gun dog guys was out with his labs, this was about 20 mins before I got back to my car, and said he couldn't do to do anything with his two, they were both acting up... he was fairly sure there was a bitch in season out and about. This reassured me somewhat, as his dogs are super well trained. His dogs are entire so naturally the topic of castration came up, he watched Benson for a bit, and commented that in his opinion Benson was too young to castrate, he also felt that with more training I had a perfectly good working dog there, he retrieved and got a perfect recall from Benson...obviously I am doing something wrong...sigh...
Re: Horrible Walk.. But that's GOOD, Kate. Benson is obviously a super young dog! Keep on with the training - you'll get there.
Re: Horrible Walk.. Not necesarily! Someone "borrowed" Riley to show me what he would do on a day he was really playing me up. They totally had a point and I was miserable. Then, completely unconnected, I "borrowed" someone elses dog who behaved immaculately for me! I think a combination of the dog not knowing me plus the fact I probably tried really hard with someone elses dog produced a great result. I think it's something good, experienced people do as easily as breathing which is to really focus on the dog and get the dog to focus on them in return. They never take that for granted and are prepared to work at it if it fades even slightly. I'm more and more convinced focus on the handler is everything - anything else can be taught once you have that. And that's hard when they're going through independence, hang in there though and you'll get there ;D
Re: Horrible Walk.. Oh and people walking off with your dog still with them is a massive pet peeve of mine too! Someone did that to me when Riley was younger and I had Lizzie in a buggy so was struggling to find them. Luckily a passing jogger brought him back to me :-\
Re: Horrible Walk.. Many, many sympathies with the unhelpful other walker, Kate. Really, what planet are some people on? Beggars belief On a number of occasions before Merla was spayed, I ended up taking her out of a training session because I though she might possibly be coming into season because she was winding up male dogs. She never was though - turnd out she just had a talent for attracting attention ;D ;D But, if you have a consience, you don't want to be 'that owner'! However, interestingly she resolutely refuses to work for anyone outside the faimily!! I've had a few trainers 'borrow' her for a couple of minutes. With heelwork she'll walk with them whilst keeping her eyes firmly on me (which would be really funny if I didn't suspect this was because it stressed her out) and I had someone try a retrieve with her and she just looked at the dummy blankly as if she'd never done a retrieve in her life. I probably shouldn't be pleased about this, as a well-balanced dog wouldn't behave like that, but I do get a little naughty feeling of smugness. I'm reserving the opinion that a trainer who can get her trust, gets mine too.
Re: Horrible Walk.. [quote author=bbrown link=topic=8667.msg123102#msg123102 date=1415716363] I'm more and more convinced focus on the handler is everything - anything else can be taught once you have that. [/quote] I have a delicate balance with Gypsy - Guide Dog Puppy. Her focus (ears) must be on me and my commands, but her focus (eyes) must be ahead. She must walk 3/4 of a dog ahead of me but not pull. A real challenge! We are getting there, but it's been hard work getting her walking ahead yet not sniffing the ground, she's a real sniffer! Luckily, she's not a puller
