The days are getting shorter, the sun sets earlier and walking the dogs becomes more challenging.
When time (and lack of appointments) permits, I am lucky enough to work close enough to home where I can use my lunch and grab the dogs for a quick 30 minute walk.
When time doesn’t permit, I enlist Hubby’s help and we take the dogs for a quick 20 minute walk around the block.
I wouldn’t attempt a block walk without having someone with me; even though Sampson is a good boy and listens fairly well, I prefer to have the extra help. Sampson walks the block without a leash (although we do carry one) but he really does listen better to Hubby in that situation.
Delilah is still looking towards the house where the two dogs with the invisible fence live. Tonight I tried to distract her with a liver treat. I didn’t give her the treat right away, instead I held it in my hand and used it to lure her away. Except when I got her far enough away and went to give her the treat, I dropped it and when she went to snag it I accidentally kicked her in the face. 🙁
Once Sampson realized I had liver treats, he was glued to my side.
Maybe I could walk them by myself after all…
Liver treats are like magic. 🙂 Whenever I have accidentally stepped on a dog, I always tell them how sorry I am. I am sure anyone watching would think I was nuts. 🙂
LOL Not if they are ‘dog people!’ I apologize too!
Oh, I hate it when accidents like that happen. Always feels so bad and always give big hugs and apologies. : ) Pups are so patient and understanding.
I felt so bad, and I cussed and Hubby thought I hurt myself. My poor dog.
lol Jodi that was funny prefaced by “I am not coordinated”! Great way to train Dee that if she tries to go to the electric fence house again she will be kicked in the face. I’m sure she immediately forgave and forgot once she had her treat!
LOL Kathy, I don’t think that qualifies for positive reinforcement training!
Hahaha! I’m not coordinated either. Since my dog gives it as good as she gets it, if not better, I try not to feel to bad if I accidently wack her with a flailing body part. Just last night she wacked me on the cheekbone with her ridiculously hard head. I even have a bruise!
However, I think you must be fairly decent if you can walk two dogs at once without losing your mind. And one of those dogs is off leash! That’s impressive. Have any good recall tips?
Kristine,
I am certainly not one to give YOU tips! You rock with your training skills!
I only walk the dogs by myself when I can take them up to the field, not around the block! Sampson is just a good dog; that’s all I can say, I think we have given him enough freedom so he knows where it’s ‘good’ and he almost always comes back. 🙂
I am a klutz with my pups; they seem so forgiving that I assume they don’t get hurt too badly, but sometimes I wonder.
I am certain the love and liver treats healed all wounds!
I’m sure the liver treats play a great part in it! LOL I made sure we went back and got it too!
I think they are really much more resilient than we are, because I’ve seen them bang their heads and they keep soldiering on. 🙂
Oof! I would have apologized too. I hate it when stuff like that happens. Dogs, though, seem to know when something is accidental. I swear, they can smell your intent. Then after you say sorry, they lick you to let you know that everything’s okay and they know you didn’t mean to do it.
I felt terrible but I think you are right George, they can definitely tell when the intent is there. They are so very forgiving, some people could do well to learn from the dogs. 🙂
They sure could!
Hi Jodi!! Its been much too long!! But tonight as I’m waiting for the finale of Project Runway to come on, I’ve LOVED sitting and reading your blog!
I have to admit to being able to walk 3 dogs at a time all on flexi-leads without any problems. But I’m sure that living in the country, no distractions, and the pups are all over 12 years old has nothing to do with it! 🙂 Seriously though, when we lived in a subdivision, I remember it being pretty tricky to walk the dogs and I had to really think about which ones I was going to put together on a walk because I’d easily end up like a kite on the end of a leash if I wasn’t careful!
Hi Kim,
Thanks for your kind words; I’m glad to ‘see’ you around.
You are my hero if you can walk three dogs on flexi-leads all at the same time! The few times I take the two dogs on leash I end up looking like I’m doing some kind of dance in a mosh pit. 🙂
I use to walk Fred and Hay together by myself but man oh man there were some funny moments – like the time I tied fred to haylie so he wouldnt run off and we were out in a field and the leash that tied them together caught my ankle and they flipped me on my back lol.
Now I have scott in my life and he walks Fred and I walk haylie and I will admit Fred does so much better with Scott than he does with me but I think thats cause I have a short fuse 🙂
Kari, you made me LOL, I could picture this because I’ve done some funny things when I have both dogs on leashes (when people approach in park I always leash them both and make them sit.) I’m glad Scott is there now to help. 🙂