Not so relaxing holiday (Warning long thread)

Glad to hear things are progressing with Mabel...she sounds like she's doing pretty good! And ah, Tenby!! I had the privilege of going there on my last UK visit many moons ago...so gorgeous!!

 

Thank you you @Rosie I'll check with OH as he is back at work now and traveling down to Wales at the weekends. He may wish to get back home quickly. I came here for a break as I couldn't stand living in a building site any longer (very long boring story, not at all glamorous and now rather tedious). Mabel would love a run in a big garden as we have a very tiny one. @Debs thank you I feel so much better I really did feel in the beginning I was the only one. . She has settled down so much only two episodes today. We went for coffee in the little cafe, she saw a toddler, barked and this poor little boy really really cried. I felt horrendous, but why did the mum allow this baby to run at Mabel from round a corner straight at her!!!!! I didn't see the child until it was too late. The second time was growling at a dustbin, but the wind had seriously picked up near the cliff top and it was quite cold .

 

Mabel was an absolute star today, we were walking along on one of the many narrow winding paths that lead from the beach. The path was steep, had a sharp bend and visibility ahead was nil. I'm avoiding these paths as much as possible but it's the only route off the beach unless I do a 30 mins detour and her legs can't manage that. From no where rushes an enormous dog as big as a bear bounding at her full speed. Knocks her flying in the sand. She dusts herself down, shows all the calming signals. Head turning, lick of lips etc then runs and plays. No fear or barking. So proud of my gorgeous girl.

 

Good girl, Mabel

 

I've got 3 weeks in Cornwall in July with Mole who will be a 9 month teenager by then ... Wish me luck!!!!!!!!

 

Mabel sounds very much like my two, who bark through fear. They are very nervous of children, and I've been working hard on that for ages now, with the limited opportunities we have. I find putting them in situations where there are lots of children doesn't actually help - they look like they're coping, but they're actually flooded. We're far better to train in situations where there are only a couple at max. It's just a case of lots of "look at that" (from Control Unleashed) at a distance they can manage with and gradually getting closer. This tends to be something I do whenever an opportunity presents, which isn't very often, and the parents probably don't even know that their child is being "used" as a training prop!

Their reaction now depends heavily on their state of mind at the time we see the children. If it's at the beginning of a walk, and they're excited to be going out, or if they are on edge for some reason, I stay well back and call out to parents when I have to to keep their kids away while I click frantically. If they're relaxed, however, we can have kids approach and pet them. I just have to ensure I'm in tune with their emotional state all the time there are kids around. I failed this morning when we went to a local town for a mooch around (we're on holiday, too) - Willow was having a good sniff in a bush and I was just looking at her. Without me noticing, a young kid had approached us from behind and went straight to her and stroked her side. Willow jumped a mile and barked at him, scaring him off. The parents just laughed. I felt awful that I'd not been more observant about the kid, otherwise I'd have stopped him before he got to her. I was just off in my little happy holiday bubble.

We've been through lots of the other things you mention, too, at home. People running through the woods used to cause us issues, because they really do appear from nowhere, but now the dogs don't flinch. Other walkers are also no longer a problem now, unless they just suddenly come round a corner, in which case they may get barked at. Again, if my two are relaxed, it won't be a problem, but if they are aroused in any other way, they'll bark. It's getting better and better all the time, so I'm sure you'll get there with Mabel, too. You're certainly heading in the right direction

 

Thank you @snowbunny, I actually remembered about Willow and Shadow when we arrived, I had read some of your previous threads. I knew I wasn't really alone it just felt like it . I'm definitely able to tune into her state of mind much better these days. I also use situations that arise as training aids. In Saundersfoot there was a child in a pushchair absolutely screaming while the parents argued. Everyone looked so fraught and tired. I walked by, Mabel didn't so much as bat an eye lid and then back again. Trusty clicker in hand. (Do you ever feel half dressed if you accidentally forget your clicker?I have 6 now just in case ) I've just over a week left here then I'm home for two weeks, before heading off again for a week. That will be the next challenge ramblers in the countryside. Also when she arrives home, it won't be as she knows it. We have had an extension and the downstairs layout reconfigurated. Poor girl, extra shopping is in order for little presents I think.

 

Oh yes! J forgot to bring his clicker on holiday with us, and I hadn't had time to pack "properly", so we just had my one that lives in my treat bag. Fine, until we got to France and, PANIC, I couldn't find it! I was frantic, assuming that it had fallen out of my bag at some point during the journey from the UK - I usually seal it in the velcro front pocket of my treat bag, but sometimes just chuck it in the top and it could easily fall out.

I searched high and low, unearthing one in a "secret" pocket in my handbag, one in the back pocket of J's treat bag and then, eventually, my everyday one in my jacket pocket.

I hate not having a clicker with me! They have a pretty good event marker word, but it's nowhere near as powerful as the clicker.

On a similar note, as I was walking earlier, practicing LLW and heel work in a very stimulating environment (along a river), I noticed that every time I praised either one of them vocally with a "good boy!" or "good girl!" in a particular tone, they licked their lips. Pavlov in action

 

@snowbunny, phew thank goodness you found them. OH isn't allowed a clicker or whistle. Especially my whistle when I had my hip replacement I threatened to take them with me into hospital. Shall we just say when the two of them get together he's not in charge. He loves here and keeps her safe, when I couldn't, that's all that mattered .