If I may...

debbiej · #1 10-21-2005, 05:30 PM

gush about my dog just a bit?

a conversation with a forum member helped me so much. the comment, 'the only safe place is next to you, paying attention' (because of correction) stayed with me all day yesterday. Boris knows many commands. he heels, sits, stays, waits, downs, comes front, knows all of the obedience that Hilda knows. He does it all very well in the living room, or in the driveway or on our walks in the neighborhood. But not in class, because he is so excited by other dogs. The more distracted by other dogs he got, the more nervous I got. by the end of class sometimes I was actually shaky, making the poor dog at the end of the leash more and more convinced that there was something to be protective or afraid of. It was a vicious cycle and I just couldn't seem to break it.

I have to admit it, I was dreading class, and limiting our walks because of the possibility of loose dogs. I can walk Hilda by loose dogs, and am not nervous, but that was not true for me with Boris.

So one link out of the prong, it fits properly. last night, after the first correction for turning around to look at a dog while heeling, he yipped a bit, shook his head and looked at me. this is a beginning class, so he knows the stuff, and his response to me the rest of the class made me almost weep with relief!

this morning our walk was long and relaxed!
thank you, you patient people!!