No Training?

I was thinking earlier today, yesterday's blog post may have implied we did 'nothing' with Custer's training.  This was not quite the case.  Although I did sort of give up on his ever being any different we did not give up trying altogether.

In September last year my husband was out of work.  He used this time to take Custer out every day on the beach with several balls and teach him to 'focus' on playing ball and staying with him.  This is a vast improvement on what we had.  It took 3 months of repeating each day but now Custer does love to play ball and is pretty well focused on us when we do this.

The down side of course is we do NOT live in an ideal world and many other dog walkers think all dogs should socialise with each other, they have no idea that not ALL dogs wish too (or indeed owners).  Custer will now not go out his way to any other dog or person, however if the other owner (despite our being in the middle of nowhere in our own space, minding our OWN BUSINESS) insists on allowing their dog to run up to him it often will not end well, involves our having to put our dogs back on the lead and have our shoulder blades renched out of our arm until the owner 'might' decide to call their dog away.  When I am out on my own now I muzzle Custer as soon as I see another dog, I know he wont bite the other dog but the noise he makes and the state he gets himself into by my using the muzzle I have more confidence and sometimes it just 'might' keep the other owner away.  Again, I am out at 8am in the middle of nowhere trying hard to train my reactive dog in peace, but again the other dog walker will insist that my dog MUST socialise with theirs? I often wonder if they themselves are the same with other people?

I was in the park last week with Rhubarb (my new rescue Staffie) and Bailey (the retriever above).  I had them both on leads as I had only had Rhubarb a week and not too sure how she would react with other dogs, and Bailey as he can be a bit 'over amorous' if allowed to be (which I do not let him).  At least four times I avoided a man with two french bulldogs off lead by turning direction, as I know these dogs just charge at others into their faces - I watched as a man entered the park with the largest husky I had ever seen and a little Staffie, the bulldogs hurtled straight up to the other dogs at full tilt, how on earth the poor man stayed stood up I dont know as he dogs reacted in fear and defence at two rude lunatics running up to their faces!  The owner of the bulldogs was very cross with the man with the dogs on leads? as he could see no wrong in his own dogs actions?  Again I am left wondering what he thinks I would do if he rushed up to my face and forced himself on me, or should that be okay too? why should it be for dogs on leads?
Does seem we are the minority with this opinion though.

I can but dream of an ideal world were other dog walkers might leave me in peace.  Meanwhile I keep walking early, and I have just invested in a bright yellow vest from 'yellowdog.co.uk' which says 'Rescue Dog, please give space' on both sides, wonder if it will work any better?

A Successful Walk

Having had a couple of poor days with Custer, we arrived at the conclusion more exercise was needed, although walkies are not a great deal of fun, it had to be done.  So, on Sunday morning we set off on one of my usual walks with the other dogs known as the 'velvet trail' by the side of the beach.  We practiced a 'sit n stay' on the bridge on the way to the little pond we thought Custer would adore.

He was very tentative towards the water, we are not sure if he has been taught to stay out of it, or is just genuinly fearful of it? he hates rain and does avoid puddles.  But this pond was not met with your typical Labrador enthusiasm.
On the way back we did some more bridge sit and stays... 

Looks really good doesn't it? but we did leave out the rugby tackle OH did catching him after the runner after this shot..

Note the harness, this does help a bit with the pulling, but I still cannot manage him with just this.  Usually I have a half check chain too, but still last week he managed to pull every muscle and joint I have. So, I have started this week with a head collar again, and the harness - does stop him from pulling, but does not however stop him from hurling himself to the floor, as he is really cross he cannot take control of the walk.  Now with the harness I can pull him back up off the floor but as he weigh's about 6 stone, this cannot go on for much longer, I am hoping he will soon stop.  Three times today, so aside from my arm ligaments being torn to bits, he has now done my back with all the lifting.  Our 'gentle lead' arrives soon, so hoping that will be better still. Will link to it as and when.

Tonight its one of our training evenings, we are taking him to the tennis courts or the beach to practice some recall, and tire him out a bit. (fingers crossed)

I will end with a photo of the boys on the way back from our very successful walk, having said that we didn't see any other dogs so that did help.