The trials part one - Walkies!

Apparently with a blog post it should be kept short and sweet - not much luck with that happening here!

Anyway we move onto the trials.

Walks

Meg had never been walked on a lead until she arrived at Appledown. The hardworking
staff got Meg used to a collar and lead using the field next door. Meg had been in the kennels for about 4 days when we first met. She had to be quarantined for two weeks before she could leave with us so that the staff at Appledown could ensure she was fit and healthy. We visited Meg everyday and walked her for longer and longer periods each day. By the time Meg came home with us she was perfect on the lead. Indeed the lead is so slack you don't even realise she is there.

Ghyll had never been walked on a lead either, but as a young pup that is to be expected. Ghyll loves to go out for his walks and has been very quick to learn how to behave on the lead. We had no problems with him until we got Jack, but as he was still a young dog perhaps issues would have arose anyway.

Jack had never been walked on a lead. He did however wear a collar, albeit a little tight. The first walk was hard. Jack pulls and weaves and Dean had to resort to the stop, start, change direction hokey cokey walk with him! It raised many eyebrows amongst fellow dog walkers but this has never been something to bother us. Jack has become fairly well mannered on his walks but still pulls and weaves slightly. It usually wears off 5 minutes into the walk once he realises that his efforts get him nowhere.

We have stopped walking them for 2+ hours per day until we can get Jack and Ghyll to trust and respect us enough to stop trying to dictate where we will be heading.

We have changed our before walk routines in the hope that we can slow their anticipation and excitement. Walks are now only one dog at a time for 5 minutes at a time until the pulling and weaving completely stop. Once we have that in hand we will take the boys out one at a time with Meg and then finally all 3 together.

The actual walk part is going well, but we have a long way to go to stop the excitement and anticipation that builds up prior to leaving the house. That is our fault and we now have to break the habits we have to help the dogs.