I have been leaving Amy off lead when we meet dogs I know, and just walking past them after a quick hello. Today I heard someone coming and as she was already a bit excited I put her on the lead. The couple stopped to talk as they're collie was only young too. But she slipped off the lead and both off them galloped of into the woods. Amy must have been a bad influence as the collie normally comes back when they shout for him. Just happened loads of people csme as they went off too. :-[. Off to buy her a harness now.
Re: when walks go wrong. She came back after a while but not to me. Was in full galloping mode still! I kind off jumped on her when she sat.
Re: when walks go wrong. You see I can laugh now at that image but so scarey at the time bet you got a fright....gallop is the right word....when they go they just go and in the right circumstances I love seeing Dex fly off...but only within my comfort zone! A harness will keep her with you x
Re: when walks go wrong. Wouldn't have been so bad apart from all the people that appeared! Was worried what they would think! And as it was woods I lost sight off them.
Re: when walks go wrong. I reckon most of us have experienced this Jade so dont feel too bad, just work like mad on the recall , make yourself far more interesting than anything else on earth by using bribery ( tasty and smelly food )
Re: when walks go wrong. Really, Jade, this happens to everyone, dont feel bad... Just roll with the punches, and move on to the next recall opportunity...
Re: when walks go wrong. Yes, it always seems to be that the worst behaviour/most embarrassing thing happens when there's someone around to see. Perils of dog ownership, I'm afraid.
Re: when walks go wrong. I could write a book on the 'When walks go wrong', please don't worry, we have all been there, done that and got the T-Shirt Helen xx
Re: when walks go wrong. It sure has happened to all of us. When my previous dog was young I was on our usual walk to a local oval. Getting there involved crossing a busy road. On this occasion in the middle of the road was a squashed biscuit (a type of shortbread known as a 'Scotch Finger'). Nicolae noted the presence of the Scotch Finger. I, too, noted it and then promptly forgot it. We crossed the road and walked to the other side of the oval. It was a big oval so we were about 500m away from the road at this point. I let Nicolae off the lead and he instantly turned and began sprinting back towards the Scotch Finger. I started running after him (no match for a Lab homing in on a free biscuit) and yelling, with completely futility, "COME HERE.....COME HERE NOW!!!!!" which made Nicolae put on an extra turn of speed. He ran straight out into the road and, thank god, cars on both sides saw him and stopped. As I ran, the traffic was building up, waiting as Nicolae stood in the centre, frantically licking up the crushed Scotch Finger. After a seeming age I got to him and hauled him off the road. I had to sit on the verge for a little while to recover from that one....
Re: when walks go wrong. Good grief Rachael,how have I missed this post today?i always see your posts first thing over my tea and agonized ,'why are you starving me Mum' looks from Dexter!.....my stomach muscles actually got a workout reading this as I was holding my breath from my abdomen up!what a fright,I think I would still be quivering on that verge now!
Re: when walks go wrong. I think Amy would have remembered it too. Went back too sitting down while dogs past us today. At a distance!
Re: when walks go wrong. Glad Amy is back to sitting and waiting The lesson I learned from the horrible Scotch Finger incident was to pay more attention to the presence of things that my dog might find irresistible and to only give as much freedom as he could be trusted to cope with. And I became really, really careful around roads!!
Re: when walks go wrong. Our turn to be in shame today Jade :-[ :-[ :-[ We met 3 dogs in another park i drive to this morning,we didn't know them but we had a lovely play with them before Dexters friend Gus arrived ( gorgeous Dalmatian ) for our arranged walk.We let the group move off and then we went in the other direction ......that is,we did for about 100 m,then the devil got into my dog and he took off after the new friends he had just made....poor Gus!Gus's owner is a really experienced dog owner and so calm.....as Dexter disappeared into the distance ignoring me she told me to stand still and wait until he realized I wasn't there....we knew exactly where he was going and although there was a gate to get out,it was a long way off.I stood firm until ......he disappeared from sight.....that's too much for me,I had to get after him.....when I caught up with him there's one of the owners holding Dexter by the collar with all his new friends ( maybe ex friends now :-\) all on their leads!Shame! Interestingly when we got back to Gus and on a later occasion this morning when similar happened (although I was expecting it the second time)Gus seemed to correct Dexter with a cuff round the ear,I'm serious!His owner and I both saw it and said it at the same time!Do you think that happens?Gus is 2 and perfectly behaved and calm,it was like he was telling Dexter to behave himself and listen! Stephanie,Gus's owner is also putting pressure on me to get my whistle out and after today she cranked it up even more.....but I don't want to spoil the foundations of Total Recall that Ive built by moving too fast.Im onto involving Assistants now and it's going really well,I just feel like I can undo all my good work.im right to stand firm aren't I?cant say I don't want to have a go of blowing that blummin whistle and seeing what he does because he is so responsive to it! So there you go Jade ,Amy has lost her crown,Dex is the naughty boy today! Have a good day everyone x
