Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Share your experience and tell us how using positive reinforcement training methods has changed yours and your dogs' lives.

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MPbandmom
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:18 pm

Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Post by MPbandmom »

I took Sky for a walk at the local Battlefield park today. I had briefly considered taking both dogs, because I still hate leaving one behind, but the last time I took Sirius to the Battlefield, she drove me crazy with her nose on the ground, and the dogs have adjusted to one going out at a time.

I had an absolutely wonderful walk! Sky is doing awsome with her loose leash walking! She did get a little excited for a while after we encountered two horses running. I kind of feel like she wouldn't be a normal dog if that kind of thing didn't excite her. They were going in the opposite direction we were going and along a parallel trail. Their smell must have lingered in the air a while though, as we went on a ways and then came back, and Sky seemed to be looking for them when we got back to the spot where we had seen them.

It is so totally awsome to walk a well behaved dog who politely passes other people and dogs without dragging me to see them all! It was also great to only have one dog to deal with while on this walk. In the past, with both dogs, I would have been trying to drag Sky back from wanting to greet everybody, while trying to keep Sirius close, so she wouldn't lunge at anybody.

I recently stumbled across Emmabeth's article on why not to get two puppies, and it finally all clicked into place why I get so overwhelmed with these two. Here all along, I had thought it was because they have such opposite personalities, which made it very hard to deal with both of them at the same time. Now I know it is just because I have two basically untrained dogs, and it will take a lot of time with each one individually before I can consider putting them together. I think I am really okay with that. It is so much more pleasant to walk with only one of them at a time, which makes it easier to get motivated to take a dog out for a walk, which works out better for the dogs as well.

Thanks again to all the posters here for all the awsome, inspirational, and informative threads and replys to threads.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
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Noobs
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Re: Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Post by Noobs »

Great job! Hugs for you and ear scritches for Sky! :D
Fundog
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Location: A little gambling town in the high desert

Re: Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Post by Fundog »

AWESOME!! Congratulations to you, for all your hard work and patience, and for realizing what you need to do to keep the stress of your dogs at walk time. :D

As for me-- even though I can walk both my girls together with relatively little fuss, I think I'm going to have to start walking them separately just so I can get ahead of Mr. Fundog on our weight loss challenge! :lol:
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
MPbandmom
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:18 pm

Re: Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Post by MPbandmom »

Fundog, Sky would love to go jogging if you want to ramp up your workout. :lol:

Best wishes in beating Mr. Fundog on that weight challenge. Keep us informed.
Grammy to Sky and Sirius, who came to live with me, stole my heart, and changed my life forever as I took over their care and learned how to be a dog owner.
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Mattie
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Joined: Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:21 am

Re: Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Post by Mattie »

Well done, it is lovely when all our hard work is showing results. We can only give advice, you have to do the work, you have 2 lucky dogs having a mum like you. :D
[url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/PIXIE.jpg][img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v312/Nethertumbleweed/th_PIXIE.jpg[/img][/url]
jacksdad
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Joined: Thu Dec 10, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Did somebody trade dogs on me?

Post by jacksdad »

wooohoooo..... I still remember the first time I had a walk with Jack where the realization hit me "so this is what a normal dog is like".

You learn, put in the work, and now start to enjoy the rewards.

Keep up the good work.
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