All About Choices

So pleased with yesterday mornings walk we had another go last night, but this time brought the camera.  As you can see we do appear to have a far happier dog.  Although even after 8pm last night it was not much cooler for them (or us).  Above is Custer actually doing a recall, does not really happen so often, he comes back but not close enough, though at least he is staying with us so thats a start.
Here they are playing a bit of ball around the water, Jaja is faster of course..

As I said in yesterday's blog entry, Custer was a changed dog - this we believe is in part down to us with a greater understanding of him, some of it might be his starting to settle down too.  Now today was another lesson, OH had gone back to work so it was all down to me.  I took the other dogs out first and came back for Custer's turn as I have been doing, now... usually we then have a battle royal to get the harness and head collar on, but I had left the car open ready to put him in and take him to the beach.  However, Custer decided he does not like my walks, likes his Daddies much better, I got his collar on, and he then went back to his crate and lay on his back... 
Now, I could have forced him to do as he was told, but from our latest discoveries decided against it, it was very hot anyway (still only just after 9am) so I went out the front door, shut up the car, and came back in......... Custer was sat in the hall ready for his walk, I had managed to get him to make the decision (I read about this in a Victoria Stillwell link about dogs making their own choices).  I got half the harness on, but was a bit of a battle for the other half..

Went out to the car which he more than happily jumped into. Not being quite so brave on my own, I had him on a long line, which I kept hold of, but he was very happy to mooch about on the beach, ignored 2 dogs we saw even though he was quite free really, did not pull, stayed with me, just did his own thing..

I have to say it was the most 'chilled' walk I have had on my own with him, despite the heat.  Although with the sea breeze it is the coolest place you can walk around here, back to the car no problem at all.
The only down side, was when we got back he refused to get out of the car - which on a normal day would have been fine, I would have shut the doors and left him there but its way too hot to leave a dog in a car, thats for sure.  So, I attatched the long line again and walked in the house, no.. that did not work, I sat on the step for a while, so he just lay down... Afraid it really was just too hot for either of us to stay there, so I did drag him out by the harness, BUT stayed totally cool about it, he DID get the chance to make his own decision but he blew that one I'm afraid.

Here is a dog that does need to learn to make his own choices, and a human that needs to learn more patience - at the end of which one day will be a good dog.

Looking forward to dog club tomorrow after a break of a couple of weeks, usually we have stayed in the corner and observed, hopefully tomorrow we might be able to take part.

Now, Custer and I are going to try find somewhere cool to relax in..