Our Thursday night training class was cancelled due to weather. My smart phone doesn’t alert me when I get a multi-media message that only contains text, so we didn’t find out about class until we pulled in and the building was dark and the parking lot empty.
The dogs were all excited to be going somewhere in the car, so I said to Hubby, “Now what?”
“I guess we go to the high school.”
Trouble was, I hadn’t dressed for walking outside in the cold and only had on jeans and a three-season jacket, luckily for me I had some light gloves and a ball cap in the car, as well as a 30 foot leash, so off we went.
Our high school has a football field surrounded by a running track and it is fenced in, but it has a number of gates. We decided to go inside and do one walk around the track to make sure no-one else was there and that all gates were closed.
I kept Delilah on the leash for the first lap and after we had ensured that we were alone and all gates were shut, I gave her the “free dog” command.
After her initial running burst, she stayed fairly close by me probably within 15 to 20 feet and I was very pleased that she came back to me each and every time I called her.
We did about 5 or 6 trips around the track, just enough to give them about 1/2 and hour and then we headed home.
Cold and wet, but happy.
Book Update: My book has 12,303 words.
That’s nice. I bet they liked the change of scenery, and it looks like Delilah is doing very well being off-leash. Hope she keeps up the good work!
They like it up there, we don’t go all that often, we’ve only ever run into one other dog there, so I’m not really sure why we don’t go more often. It’s good in a pinch though. :-0
Now THAT was a Fun solution.
It was, I just wish I’d dressed for the weather! I was freezing!
Dog owners are nothing if not flexible!
You have to be!! I’m sure you’re flexible with Queenie.
Good girl Delilah!!
I was so proud of her!
Delilah is doing so well! Yes, sometimes smart phones are not so smart!
You got that right Bassas!! It ticks me off.
That’s so great! Wow–that off-leash behavior must make you so proud. Sounds like a fun little excursion.
I’m very proud of her, I was hoping to get some off-leash tips from you. Your dogs look amazing on those long hikes you take them on. 🙂
Her recalls are coming along great! Nice job. 🙂
Thanks Donna, she’s a good girl sometimes. 🙂
Good thing you were able to carry out plan B. 🙂
As a dog owner you must always have a plan b….but you know that! 🙂
Yea, Delilah!! Recalls like that make all the training worth it 🙂
When it all comes together, it is an amazing feeling!
You are lucky to have a place like that to go. Most schools around here forbid dogs, and I don’t blame them as there often is a lot of poop left behind. Sounds like a fantastic place to work on recalls with her, big but nice and safe. Glad you had a good plan B.
I need to go back to basics a bit with Luna as she has been trying to blow me off more while out on runs. I don’t know if she is beginning to get into a nice run condition again and thus has more energy or if she thinks being 4 years old somehow entitles her to not listening. Either way we will have to work on it a bit more, as it is getting quite annoying.
Good luck and keep us posted on progress
Anna
http://www.akginspiration.com
I agree. I always pick up after the dogs because I want to continue to be allowed to take them there.
What I have noticed though is that there are no trash cans. You would think if you wanted to encourage trash pick up you would provide a bin, no?
It is very annoying and frustrating when they blow you off. I’m sure you have a plan for Luna. The long leash works pretty good for Delilah but it makes me nervous when she runs through the woods because I worry about her getting snagged.