Joined
·
5,752 Posts
So I have been working with Mags on our walks with heeling - she knows it well - but I don't walk her in a heel all the time because it is so stiff and restrictive to her - I usually put her in a heel when we get into an area with a lot of people outside, etc where she will tend to want to tug away from me. Anyway, she is TERRIFIED of skateboards and bikes and will pull as far away from them as possible. Walking last night we came up two boys skateboarding on some school grounds we walk past - I put her into a heel well before we got there and immediately when she heard/saw them she wanted to pull away - the second she tried to get out of the heel I stopped walking so she had to sit - I made her sit staring at the skateboards - then I said "Magnum HEEL" and we started walking again, three seconds later she tried to get away again - so I stopped again - she sat, etc ----- I continued doing this until we passed the boys---- now if that isn't bad enough, two kids come by on BIKES on the OTHER side of her - so she was in her real terror zone ---- but she did well overall and I was proud of her. Here's the bad part - two blocks past this I see two little girls - maybe 8 yrs old - and their moms out playing - I put Mags into a heel and we walk towards them - one of the little girls starts runnning over to Mags - I stopped so Mags sat. Then the little girl runs SCREAMING the other direction saying she is afraid of dogs ---- this sets Mags off - she gets down into her "I want to play" stance with her front way down and butt up and tail wagging and then begins to try to DRAG me towards the little girls ---- I yank on her and get her back by me - try to get her in a sit - but she just won't do it and is choking herself with her prong collar trying to get to these kids - so I start walking trying to get past them - and Mags keeps jumping all around me and looking back at them - then once we are past she starts barking and her hackles go slightly up but her tail is still wagging and she is looking back at them ---- we kept walking and got past them - then she was fine.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR ---- its so frustrating with her sometimes --- its like she will listen and do REALLY good - then five seconds later act like a rabbid dog!!!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR ---- its so frustrating with her sometimes --- its like she will listen and do REALLY good - then five seconds later act like a rabbid dog!!!