I need to let it out - Coco was great at dog school last night. Social play, reasonable on lead exercises - happy evening. This morning I took him for a lead walk - I left early hoping to miss the school-run. First thing we see is mum & 2 small children with a JRT-type pup called Pippa (I think) - must be new, never seen them with a dog before. I didn't want to pass them, Coco would lunge & bark. We kept our distance, but BOY! did they walk slowly. And kept stopping for photos! We get to the main road, they turn right towards the school. Coco's arch nemesis Teddy the grumpy Yorkie is pootling around to the left (he lives that way) - Teddy also walks very slowly. We loitered for ages, Teddy kept on pootling so we followed the school children. On the way back along the main road, a lady with an elderly Lab-like dog came out of her house across the road. Coco sat, but was getting more and more excited. He lunged into the road (it's "busy" at this time), I got him back, he's now twirling around me and pulled/tripped me over. A cyclist arrived to see I was OK. He kindly stayed and blocked Coco's view with his bike while the other dog carried on. Back into our road, we came upon a cat sunning itself in a drive way - lunge lunge, I'm yelling "COCO LEAVE". Coco lunged to within a yard of the cat who just lay there. I was feeling wobbly after my earlier tumble and it took all my strength and resolve to get him past that cat. I got home and just sat on the back step, in the cool shade. I managed to not let it affect my relationship with Coco - I was cross on the inside, but kept cheerful chatter with him. There were positives - after the cat incident we passed 2 more houses with small dogs inside, barking and jumping - Coco ignored them. Thanks - feel better now that's out.
Oh, I feel your pain. I've been there myself. It's HARD to stay upbeat with your dog when you're screaming inside, so well done you. You know it's not his fault, it's just that you haven't quite got to that point in your training with him, and sometimes life gets in the way. But you do an excellent job with him and you will get there, in time. Big hugs.
Sounds like you really ran the gauntlet this morning and did pretty well all things considered. Just one of those days where the universe conspires against you (not one but two dawdlers?!) but it came together in the end. I hope to be as calm as you in a similar situation - I've burst into tears (over the dog) for a lot less.
Ah I've been there too,it can be exhausting sometimes when all the excitement comes together....lets go back to the beginning of your post and shout 'Yay' for your great class last night and I'm glad you got help from a kindly cyclist .....bet he /she was a dog owner ! X
I know! Hope you're ok! I'm so impressed you managed to stay calm, I've lost my cool with Stanley for a lot less. Poor little things just want to have fun and play and we restrict that don't we.. Mean mums!
What a rough day! Good for you for keeping your cool under considerable pressure. I agree with Snowbunny/Fiona - it's so hard to stay on an even keel and upbeat under such circumstances. My Brogan was very on-leash dog reactive for the first three years of his life. I honestly sometimes felt like I hated him, which seems so...well, "alien" now as I would give anything to have him back with me. And even then of course I loved him as he was a good dog with one very specific behavioural problem, but the frustration of it all just gets to you. Sometimes I just needed to admit defeat for a particular day, clench my jaw, get him home, take a break and start again the next day with a better attitude (mine and his). As others have said, it WILL get better... hang in there!
Sorry you had a bad morning Sue. Tomorrow will be better - and yesterday's class was obviously a big success!
Oh poor you. Hope you're OK after your fall. Write it off as a one-off bad walk and know things will get better.
Aww gee whiz. Are you ok, no bruises, besides your ego? Don't know how many times I've been told, read that your expectation pup will behave can go a long way to producing good behaviour. But it seems no one told our pups that. After a good class, when we might finally think, "Ah Ha, he's got it." and thus expect more good behaviour, they conspire to prove us wrong. You taught me something that I Will remember. Pootling. What a neat word. Even better said out loud.
I love the word "pootling"!! You guys have the greatest words!!! Sue, I think you did GREAT. Sorry you fell, though. Nice of the bicyclist. Just to make you feel a bit better, if I had been walking Cooper and he had seen the cat, I would have had my arm wrenched out of my shoulder, and Cooper would have chased that cat to the ends of the earth. You were able to hang on! Good for you!
Well that was a tough walk! With you every step of the way! With Casper in the early days it was so tough...I would end up with my shoulders hunched to my ears with tension.
A trial by fire for sure. Think I would have cried to be honest so well done you. Think a G&T would be a good reward
You done wonderfully well considering everything that you came up against! Well done for last night too x
I landed on my botty first, so no damage. Tomorrow's another day, and Coco is full of love & joy so it was easy to forget the whole sorry lot of incidents. It was too early for alcohol...just having a sneaky red now I'm in from work. Thing is, though, we're ready for another rescue, but I really can't while Coco is still not calm. Frustrating. ManxSPCA have a lovely greyhound x collie...
How old is Coco? I think you have to sort of get him under control first re rescue! Reason I say this: I've been thinking of the same thing....getting a rescue.....don't know if it makes sense but I would like to. Still, would have to make sure Cooper gets along with whoever I bring home!! And he thinks he is KING so it might not go over too well! Either way, Sue, good luck! And glad you are OK.
Coco is 2 and a bit. When we got him, we made sure he'd be OK with Belle (and more importantly, she with him), having 3-4 weeks of meeting up for walks/play on a field. We will do the same for our next rescue, when the time is right. Part of me says another dog to play with will help calm him down, and I'm sure it will, but I couldn't walk 2 together the way he currently is and I don't have time for 2 long walks.
Years ago me and few dog walking friends used To have a bit of a drink on the day the kids went back to school. We felt really naughty. Not had a drink for so long I would love a pint of captain smiths or bad king John . I think you're probably right about another dog, but you and Coco have come such a long way. He really is a lovely dog, so handsome
