Exercise R Us

Question:

sionnach wrote >Y’know, that’s something I often wonder about- why >is this so infrequently taught?? It simply doesn’t >seem to occur to most people, nor is it generally >included in training classes and books, and I don’t >understand why. It’s NOT that hard to teach a dog >not to step over a curb until given permission, nor to >teach the

"wait" command. And it can be >life-saving- Let me just say that all my dogs have been trained to walk off lead and not step into traffic. BUT Bad things can and do happen,in an instant,and I don’t care how wonderful your dog is about "street smarts"… When you have a male Chessie, and he sees and smells a cute bitch in heat,across the road… Paulette~ A dogs life is too short…    Their only fault,really…

Response:

  If Ron and Janet will excuse my interjecting into their argument, I’d like to comment on Ron’s remark below:  >Teaching never to step into a road off heel is very handy too, >for some reason not part of ring preparations, also off lead.

   Y’know, that’s something I often wonder about- why is this so infrequently taught?? It simply doesn’t seem to occur to most people, nor is it generally included in training classes and books, and I don’t understand why. It’s NOT that hard to teach a dog not to step over a curb until given permission, nor to teach the "wait" command. And it can be life-saving- I once watched my old Pepper (beagle/cocker x Welsh terrier) chase a rabbit across the empty lot next door; she skidded to a stop at the curb, and bunny went on without her!   I can walk my older dog just about anywhere sans leash, and NOT on heel… though I normally use a leash if we’re going on an exercise walk (as opposed to an exercise run in the woods or park) just to simplify matters for all of us- we’re walking for exercise and relaxation, not training, and it makes for less conflict with passersby, some of whom are afraid of dogs. *   However, I still wouldn’t dream of leaving my dogs outside *unattended*- as Janet said, they are NOT machines, and I’d rather not take the chance that a powerful enough distraction (or fright) might overcome their training. If they *do* forget, I want to be there to remind them!! * A funny- and sad- true story:  One Saturday last fall, I got off work too late to take the dogs to the park, so we went out for a nice long walk instead. (For us, that’s at *least* an hour, usually two, at a rapid walk, with a couple of off-lead romps on school playing fields along the way.) One part of our "route" goes past the Baltimore County jail and police headquarters… as we came briskly down the sidewalk, a group of women were leaving the jail; visiting hours had just ended.  As we drew level with them, they glanced at my dogs, and went on with their conversation.   Now there happens to be a bush right at the end of the jail’s walk, and as we strode past, Brenin suddenly decided that he MUST pee on it, and stopped abruptly. Since I had fastened the leash to the "flat buckle" D on his combo collar, rather than to the "choke" D, the collar popped right off his head.    The gaggle of women FREAKED OUT- they started yelling "Watch out! He off lead!! He off lead!!" and jumped back in fright, clutching at each other. Bren paid them no attention other than a bemused glance in their direction as he finished his pee- I held out his collar, hanging on the end of the leash, and calmly said "Ok, Bren, get dressed"; you should have *seen* the expressions on their faces when he trotted over, stuck his head through the collar, and off we went. Sarah (Pack Leader and Mamcat) Brenin, O-NAC, S-NJC, O-NGC, CGC, O-OAC, OJC, AD (formerly the Puppy From Hell) Gwydion, Purring Monitor Ornament and Wicked Cat Extraordinaire Morag, the Levitating Lurcher Lass, ADIT we can be seen at: http://ememories.com/pf/default.asp?PF=98A197877B92

Response: