Turning 3 little devils into angels

[Elaine]

Thanx Kazz, most of that is what my sister has been saying too. Interesting about doing 2 out of 7 walks individually to keep them on track, when the time comes that is.
Thankyou so much, I will keep it in mind.

[Kazz]

Just take a rough guess.........doesn't have to be 2 but whatever you think you to remind them of the rules and reinforce what you want and stop any bad habits happening...before they happen....so to speak and it gives you one to one with them and you could make that a walk including some time on an extending lead type of thing...........I assume they do not get free running .....given their track record,....plus they are not your dogs....so on extending lead.........make it a bit of fun..... .......different for them. Excerise their brains and their bodies.....

I used to walk Sal and Tess together but would always do at least one walk a day on their own....."our" time and at least one good off lead walk/run/fun a week with just me and one of them............reinforce what I want and behaviour that I consider suitable...........and they are mine, because each of them prefered something different too....you'll soon get it Sal is toy/ball mad and happy to fetch ball back all day...........Tess much prefers to find things searching...and pottering about chasing squirrels etc......each to their own.........different personalites. Walking as a pack is fine there is nothing better if your dynamics are good, but indivdual time is to be valued by both parties.

[Elaine]

Dogs are improving alot. The one that worries me most is the jack russell, Roxy. She has made great improvements on her behaviour in the house, i.e. sits and waits for me to open the door, waits for me to walk out first, no snatching her treat etc. But on the outside world, she is very insecure indeed. I cannt pass any dogs with out her screaming, and I mean screaming and up on her hind legs. I try not to put tension on the lead until she starts, and then I try to just keep her moving forward. If i stop and tell her to sit, she looks at me, almost cowering, like I am about to beat her.

[Elaine]

Roxy was so much better today, we had a one or two hicups but nothing compared to her hysterics yesterday. I was so proud of her today and gave her a big fuss when she was calm, to let her know that that is a good state of mind to be in.
I guess its gonna be a case of two steps back and one forward until she gains the confidence.

[Mags]

Good to hear your patience with the dogs is paying off Elaine..

[Elaine]

Originally Posted by Mags

Good to hear your patience with the dogs is paying off Elaine..

Its now a mission to try to get these dogs in order and then I would like to show the owner, if he will allow, just how some patients, structure and calmness can go a long long way.

[Mags]

Good thinking....he doesn't appear to have given them much training at all..

[Kazz]

Glad its kinda coming together Elaine. Just been out with Sal and we were strolling down a pathway, when a woman pproached with a nice looking Westie wearing a snazzy pink coat (dog not woman) however looks can be deceiving the dog did everything including flipping her self upside down- somehow - to get at Sal.....who just looked at me as if to say "Hello, slightly OTT don't you think?" the woman did not say a word to me and made no move to correct the dog or reassure it nothing..............some people are simply a bit odd.

[Elaine]

Crazy people, honestly, had a similar experience yesterday morning. Went for a walk with my sister and her dog, we passed a fence and the dog behind it went berzerk Holly looked at my sister with the same look you describe of Sals
When i was walking the Millie, one of the yorkies, today, a woman tried to make a big fuss of her, saying how cute she was etc. Millie just ignored her, sat down, looked right up at me and began to bark The woman said that she'd better let us get going as the dog was impatient, I said no coz she has to learn that we do things on my say so and not hers. Millie jumped at me, I calmly held my hand out and said sit, the woman exclaimed, Dont hit the dog!!!
I calmly turned, looked at her and said, I have no intention of hitting this or any other animal, that is not the nature of how i do things and explained that Millie is learning some manners. She told me i was taking things too far I simply said, if you have a dog and need a walker, please dont call me coz I'd hate to see the mess of her dog.

[Elaine]

Roxy, insecure little jrt, took one giant step forward today. She sat quietly and calmly, pushed her little head through the slip lead. We wlaked together without any fuss. Met another dog on the opposite side of the road, she did begin to whine, I kept walking and she didnt rise to the hysteria stage. She was still whinning a little after we passed the dog so i checked her and she stopped. Thats a massive improvement for her. Well done that little dog