Would somebody please tell my dog...

[JerseyJanice]

that I am not going to chase squirrels, rabbits, cats, birds or other dogs?

Man, I think he dislocated my shoulder on our walk before. A very brave (or very stupid) rabbit hopped out of the woods near our house, and Max jumped to get it with me holding his leash. Ouch!

Spring weather is really bringing out the hunter in this dog.

 

[1000thhappyhaunt]

Well... some days you're the hydrant.

 

[Cindy B]

My Lab, even at 15 did this. It helped if I put her on a short leash and kept commanding her by saying NO, NO, NO.... I understand its an instinct.

She also liked cats too. If she started to run, I stopped so she stopped.

She got the message pretty fast.

Remember you are walking them, they aren't walking you!

My poodle was not leash trained when we got him, so we had to teach him many many things about the leash. He thought it was running time the minute the leash came out! Now he walks really well!

If you can ever catch Dog Whisperer on TV, its really good!

 

[beckmrk04]

My dog was horrible about lunging at everything!! UNTIL we bought a head collar- I think it's Gentle Leader brand from Petsmart- that thing is a freakin miracle worker!!! Just went for a peaceful, beautiful no-pulling or lunging walk today, in fact!!

It is SO worth it! I reccomend it to anyone with a large dog! Jules went through obedience school and did fine, but out in the real world, I was just afraid that one day she would actually get away from me. Absolutely no problems now!

 

[Shugardrawers]

Petey does this too! How an 8# dog can drag his 150# mommy around like that I'll never know. He runs up to the tree chasing the squirrel and barks at it. Like he's telling the squirrel to get back down here and fight like a man For some reason they never do

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Gotta train, train, train....I am walking 2 puppies. Come on, you can do it! You have to correct when they "fixate" or make eye contact. It works!

Also have to walk them at a heel and then allow them to "have fun" when you say.

Today we sat on a bench new the water as my lab mix was forced to watch the ducks swim...hehehehe. His thing are birds.
The collie mix likes critters.

 

[Honu]

Our border collie has graduated from lunging at squirrels to professional squirrel hunting.

He stands on his hind legs and tips the seed out of the bird house to set traps for squirrels in the yard. He'd get a nice little mound of seed together then go inside and hide behind the flap of his doggie door. When a "feeder" shows up he shoots out the door to scare them silly. Then we get to listen to a squirrel scream and carry on for 30+ minutes. Before this game started I didn't know just how noisy squirrels were.

We raised the bird feeder to where he can't reach it, but now he takes mouthfuls of kibble out there to bait them. And it works!

 

[Pigeon]

I second the recommendation for the Gentle Leader. I have a 130lb (and still growing) American Mastiff puppy. I'd be armless by now without the Gentle Leader.