My little puppeh is growing up...

[limey]

Sorry to read this. I wish people had to qualify for dog ownership.

[DanaC]

To not even have a lead with him in case it was needed as well. Just baffles me.

Actually, I remember having a few arguments with J about walking Pilau without a lead. Good as he was for J, he was an unstable dog outside. I very much doubt he'd ever have done anybody any serious damage, but a nip? oh hell yes. Not to mention endangering the dog if it's attention is suddenly taken by a cat or another dog on the opposite side of the road.

I dunno. I think it's a bit of a bloke thing. Walking their dog off the lead. Hunter and beast as nature intended blah blah blah. With the supreme illusion of masterly control.

J got the message eventually, when he had to restrain Pil by his collar one time because he really wanted to get at someone he'd formed a serious dislike of (a neighbour of mine he always hated for some unknown reason - he's a lovely man, i swear i have no idea what Pil was sensing) :p

Actually, to be fair I also used to let him off the lead in places where I thought he'd be ok, but was surprised from time to time by the presence of others. Took a few years of trying to resolve the issue before I gave in and started muzzling him whenever off the lead. Hated to do it, but not as much as I'd have hated the authorities confiscating him as a dangerous dog because he did such an excellent and frothing Cujo impression when cornered.

[limey]

I've never understood the "walk-dog-off-the-lead-by-a-roadside" thing. You're not proving your dog's well trained, IMNSHO, you're just proving you're a dick. Well-trained dog who is loved by non-dick owner is walked on a lead which hangs slack between the two of them indicating "well-trained", "loved" and "non-dick" in equal measure.

[Lamplighter]

I'm as much a dog-person as anyone can be. I love and want to protect my dog.
BUT A DOG IS A DOG IS A DOG... nothing more.

There are some web sites that speak to issues of dog parks, dog fights, etc.
One point I firmly believe, you don't stick your hands or face or feet
into the middle of a dog fight... and forget about grabbing collars.
Even your own dog can twist in it's collar and bite in the heat of a battle.

As I recall the "only if absolutely necessary" tactic (e.g., a dog attacking a child)
is to drag the biting dog away by it's two hind legs.
Keeping both hind legs in the air comes closest to immobilizing
the dog(s) until you can gain control of the situation.

[DanaC]

Yeah. I actually know that. But in the heat of the moment with my puppeh squealing in terror I reacted somewhat foolishly.

[Lamplighter]

I know what you mean... on one occasion at a dog park, I did not follow my own advice.

[DanaC]

*grins*

To be honest it's not the first time I've broken my own rule.

I've also faced off a dog, which one absolutely shouldn't do. But he was heading straight for a second go at my rickety, swaying old Pilau dog and I just wasn't fucking having it. Not again. Must have got something into my tone when i told him to stop because he did.

[DanaC]

Y'know, Carrot's doing so wel in his training. He's such a biddable little chap (except for grooming. He's a little bastard as soo as the brush appears)

We've been working on the 'wait' command. Initially I was trying to get him to sit and stay in one place, as I back away a few steps and call him to me. That didn't go so well. I think I tried it when he was a touch too young. So, I decided to contextualise things a little first.

At the pavements edge whilst walking I stop and tell him to sit and then wait. I stand for a few moments then we cross. Initially I had to tell him to sit and sometimes push his bum down to the ground. Now I rarely have to give the command, I just stop and flick the lead and he sits. I still sometimes then give the wait command, just to reinforce, but sometimes I say nothing. Just flick the lead to sit, wait a few moments then flick the lead again as I set off.

The other contextualised 'wait' is with biscuits. Get him to sit, and then as he watches I put a mini biscuitbone on the floor in front of him, as I do so I have one hand hovering in front of him to stop him darting forwads, and give the wait command as I am doing it. I repeat the wait command a couple of times as i gradually draw my hand away. Leave it a few seconds then give say 'ok' and he pounces on his biccy.

Initially this was quite difficult for him. Several times he darted down for the biccy before I culd stop him. But we persevered.

His record of not going for the biccy until the command is given is around 7 or 8 seconds. Doesn't sound much I know, but that's a hell of a lot of restraint for a not quite six month pup.

[limey]

Sounds like you're doing well with Carrot. He'll have you trained in no time at all!

[DanaC]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Fan-girl watches too many reruns with pet, creates fan-dog!

Attachment 39223Attachment 39224

Awesome. I have a Timedog.