As I've mentioned in a few posts Juno has been a bit of a problem since our move when she sees another dog. Instead of walking past as she always has done she has been going right down, bum and tail wagging madly and then lunging towards the other dog as it gets closer . Well as I thought it's Juno just being ultra keen to say hello and play with another dog. Using a stooge dog she can get to around 10 feet and remain calm while on lead. We also tried her off lead at which point she ran straight to the stooge dog but came back when I whistled her recall - well on the second whistle but that was pretty good as far as I was concerned. Although a work in progress I'm relieved to know we will come out the other side without too many problems. We think much of the problem arises from the change of environment and the lack of off lead play/walking with other dogs we have been used to weekly. The trainer and I were discussing the difficulty in finding "nice" dogs to walk and play with, and she admitted that she struggles to socialise her dogs as much as she would like for that very reason. Anyway, she thought Juno was a lovely girl and suggested, if I was interested, at the end of the lesson she would collect 2 of her dogs from home (5 minutes away) and bring them to the playing field and they could have a good run and play together. Needless to say I jumped at the chance . Juno is now crashed out by my feet after running, chasing and playing fetch with a Greyhound and a Saluki. The plan is for us to meet weekly for the dogs to have a play which I'm really pleased about as Susan only walks her dogs with other trainers or with people with good handling skills - oh and dogs with a nice manners
Aw, that's lovely. My two adore greyhounds, lurchers, whippets - anything of that ilk that runs FAST! We've never met a Saluki, but I'm sure it would be just the same. I'm not surprised Juno is shattered
HA, you're doing well if that's the only dogs they adore, with Juno it's been pretty much any dog . It's the first time we've met a greyhound or a saluki but Juno was perfectly happy to just go run and play. Chasing for the ball was fun as a couple of times the greyhound, Ava, missed picking up so Juno was able to get the ball instead, going to prove speed isn't everything
Yes it was, she's actually got 3 different ones so can experiment if necessary to see what reactions change. Very useful tools as they are very realistic, apart from the lack of movement, but enabled us to really identify Juno's threshold. She also uses her elderly greyhound as a stooge but prefers not to in the cold wintry days and also more to encourage quiet, polite greeting.
Reminder to self from yesterdays training, get dog on lead when she sees a dog she likes. We were returning from our walk at lunchtime when we spotted Duke on is walk. Juno really likes Duke so I was trying to get Juno to come to me to slip her lead on and practice our new training and OH is telling her something completely different . I never did get to slip her lead back on and Juno got to greet Duke, albeit with some stops when I called her so at least she wasn't completely deaf. What annoyed me was that without OH I would have been able to get her on lead and practiced yesterday's lesson and Duke would not have come to the point on the path where we were as he doesn't walk that far. Oh well there's always tomorrow when OH is in Scotland. Little Miss Innocent WIN_20160126_153910 by Rosemary McDonagh, on Flickr
Big bug bear of mine - OH and his version of training - say something over and over and over again without waiting for Ripple to comply then complain to me that Ripple isn't listening and give up. Or contradicting what I've asked Ripple to do. Or moaning about Ripple pulling but not rewarding him when he comes back to a heel. I could go on .
Yup, totally true . Love your new avatar, Poppy looking gorgeous (as always) but such a beautiful colour against the snow
Great that you and Juno get to have a weekly walk and play with the trainer and her dogs. I only have one other friend who is actually doing training with her dog and we meet up once a week if we can.
Don't get me started on OH!! Repetitive commands (SteffiS), allowing Coco to pull, yanking on his lead - really! Expecting Coco to read minds. Etc. I'm so grateful that Coco can tell the difference between handlers. We have a stuffed dog at our training class. Sometimes it is brought out, on a lead, and approaches the dogs. Coco is the only one that ignores it. BUT I have learned that Coco attacked it before we got him, and the scars it bears are down to him - oops! At least he's learned. Sounds like an amazing opportunity to play with the trainer's dogs - make the most & enjoy.
Snap, edzbird repetitive commands, for poor Fred. OH does not give him time to sit. Lovely photo of Juno Rosemary
Don't you just love repetitive commands! I wouldn't mind but at least give the poor dog a chance to sit . Interestingly I've noticed in the last few days, OH is in Scotland on business, on our off lead walks that Juno is never too far away from me and comes running back to me with just a feeble little whistle from me and yet when OH is around she will allow the distance to become much greater. Suggestions why?
We also managed some good self control when we saw another dog as we went out for our walk with some click and treat. So much easier when OH isn't around
