We are going to the park!

Smudge said:
This is kind of related, and kind of not. :biggrin2: This is more so for Smudge than Fluffy.

Does anybody know where I might find a really, really, long leash to tie to my waist to use for home training for Smudge? Do you think maybe after we use it for a while at home that it might be useful in helping him overcome his skittishness if we use it at other places, like down the road my grandmother lives down?

Also, how do you tie these types of leashes to your waist in a way that it will not come undone?
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I have a tracking lead (10m - 40ft?) I tried using for Deska when we are at the oval to prevent him going after cars. It is cotton webbing. But its a darn nuisance and he felt too uncomfortable to move with it on. I would just use cotton rope or clothes line and not have it so long if you are planning on holding it.

There are leash belts you can buy (handy when you have 2 dogs and you want to work with one at a time), but another way is to put the leash across one shoulder and pull the end of the lead through the handle, or you can get a double ended lead and clip it that way - quite sturdy then (safest way to tether Mr D when cars are around)
 
Well, tomorrow (I say tomorrow, but it's really almost 2 in the morning here :lol:) Fluff and I are going to the park to bark it up with the other dogs. I am excited. :biggrin2: We will see how she does.

Tomorrow morning I go to get my hair dyed again (I do it religiously every 6 to 7 weeks), and then that evening at 7:30 we go to the park. I am going by PetSmart to see if I can find a tag for Fluffy's collar that lights up. She doesn't have much white on her at all, and I want to be able to know where she is in the dark.
 
By the way, I found a lot of training leads at Wal-Mart. I'm looking for the really, really long ones, and I think I found some. I was going to get some before I left work tonight, and I forgot. I will try to remember to do that asap. :yes:
 
Smudge said:
Well, tomorrow (I say tomorrow, but it's really almost 2 in the morning here :lol:) Fluff and I are going to the park to bark it up with the other dogs. I am excited. :biggrin2: We will see how she does.

Tomorrow morning I go to get my hair dyed again (I do it religiously every 6 to 7 weeks), and then that evening at 7:30 we go to the park. I am going by PetSmart to see if I can find a tag for Fluffy's collar that lights up. She doesn't have much white on her at all, and I want to be able to know where she is in the dark.
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If you get an ID tag that is the little bone shape, you can get one of those rubber things that goes around it to reduce annoying clattering in GLOW-IN-THE-DARK!!!! Duncan did chew his a little because I had his collar on too loose as a pup, but I think it would work now.
 
I was running short on time this morning so I did not get to stop by PetSmart before going to get my hair done, but I did run in Tractor Supply right quick and grab some treats (Sniffles) and the flashing bone keychain.

When we got to the park I put Fluffy on the ground. She jumped back in the truck and I had to put her on the ground again. I shut the door quickly so she couldn't jump back in. She tried running away, because there were cars and loud people. She even tried to get under my truck and hide! I was starting to get frustrated with her when Erin called me over. Since Fluffy refused to walk I picked her up.

Oh. Wait a minute. Where these dogs and people here to see HER? Well then! That changes everything! Enter social butterfly Fluffy.

Jennifer was not able to come, but she will be there next week. So it was me, Erin, and a married couple who had Australian shepards. I think the woman's name was Brenda. Fluffy loved Brenda. Before the night was over with Fluffy ended up in Brenda's lap! :eek2:

Fluff did great with the other dogs, too. However, these dogs are show dogs so they had been well socialized and had very good manners. Their owners were also in control of their dogs. I like settings like this so much. It makes it easier on me, and I am sure it makes it less stressful for Fluff, too! Fluffy loved the Australian shepard boys, but I don't think she was sold on Zen, Erin's ACD. I like Zen. Fluffy has bad taste. :razz:

Fluffy did much better on her leash training tonight, too. She learned in one night what it took Smudge 7 months to learn. She still doesn't 100% get it yet, but she catches on so much faster than Smudge!

Fluffy showed me a lot of things tonight, and I learned some things as well. I am shocked at the difference between her and Smudge. People and random dogs walked by. Fluffy did not bark once.

So, what do you do in a situation like this? :sadsmile: I'm torn. Fluffy showed me tonight that I can't let her wait it out until Smudge goes to obedience class a few more times. I honestly believe if we work hard next October at the Responsible Dog Ownership day when they have the CGC testing that Fluffy could do it. I know she can. She is amazing. She has never met other dogs before (except my grandmother's pom, but I don't count that), and she was acting like a pro! She had never met Erin or Brenda before and look how the night ended - FAB. U. LOUS.

We will see what next week brings. It will be interesting to hear tips from the other owners how I can get Smudge to stop being so skittish! They are all such nice people to let me crash their party. LOL!
 
I still think your worry is transferring some. Now that you saw no big deal and Fluffy will be eager I bet both help Smudge. Of course I might be 100% wrong.
 
it seems to me you are overthinking the problem, all you need is to figure logistic of transporting both of them at same time, whether to class or your gatherings, dogs learn from each other, from watching other dogs being trained, by wanting to join the fun... you can talk to your obedience teachers and crate one dog while working the other or better yet get your helper handler even if it is 10 year old neighbor's kid...
one lady in obedience class was training 2 of her goldens as tandem, true she is experienced trainer but it was impressive.
What I am noticing as I plug alone with Che and Sammy as time goes by and you do all right moves things tend to fall into place before you know it...
 
I think, after I vaccum and clean out my truck :eek2:, I am going to take a picture of my travel kennel with Smudge in it to show how small my truck is. Until you see the inside of my truck you can't uderstand how small it is. I am, however, in the process of working something out with my mom so I can maybe use her car sometimes. This is a really bad time for that though, because my grandmother had a stroke recently, so until my grandmother gets a little better I would rather not take her car in case she needs it (I would let her borrow my truck, but my truck isn't good for transporting people because of the size). I'll try and see if I can get a picture of my truck up tonight to show you what I mean. Erin asked me yesterday if it was possible to fit both dogs in the travel kennel. I'll also show that isn't possible, because Smudge is just so gosh darn BIG. If he had been Fluffy's size I think they might could have.


But, yeah. :biggrin2: I am really, really pleased at how good she did.
 
As for an extra handler, I have asked Julie is she wants to go with me to obedience class. I would pay her to do it, and she said no. I don't think my mom has an interest in obedience other than telling me what I am doing wrong. :lol:
 
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