There are actually two stories that came out of our Saturday walk. One was AMAZING and one was aggravating.
I was going to write the entire post with both stories and then decided that the really good, exciting thing should be celebrated all by itself with nothing negative involved.
On our Saturday morning walk we ran into Brady and his mom. We walked for a few minutes and then ran into the dog trainer who always has about six dogs with her.
If the dogs are approaching cautiously I generally keep Delilah on leash. If the dogs are running at us, I usually drop the leash, let them greet and then pick the leash back up.
I was feeling either brave or crazy Saturday and decided to take Delilah completely off-leash.
I made her wait, while she was un-clipped and then FREE DOG.
Delilah was off-leash.
She stayed right with our little pack as we continued our walk through the woods and when I called her to me, she came right away.
I guess in retrospect I was feeling brave, because I definitely wasn’t crazy enough to leave her off-leash too long. I kept it at about five minutes and then secured her once again.
This was the first time she has been unleashed and allowed to run in about six months.
I was so pleased with her and so proud of her. I wanted to dance a jig through the forest.
What a good girl!
Will I ever let her start our walk off-leash or let her free in the areas I know are tempting?
I’m not sure.
But this small success proved to me how imperative it is for me to work on their recalls every single day.
Practice makes perfect.
That is great! It certainly sounds like you have more confidence with her, and that all the training is working great!
Sometimes I think all that is needed is the confidence!
That is just wonderful Jodi! So glad to hear all of your hard work is paying off. 🙂
Thanks Donna, it gives me hope.
Wonderful. My rescue dog initially had to start on lead for her entire walk. I just couldn’t trust her to even look to see where I was. Nowadays, while walking, I just know she is aware of where I am and will always run back to me. That is the most fantastic feeling. Everyone around us is calling for their dogs and getting frustrated because they don’t know where they are. They then ask me where Litchi is and I’ll say “oh, I don’t know, she’ll be around” at which point I can turn my head and there she is – my “finally got the hang of liking people” dog.
Keep working on it – it will happen.
Thank you, I can’t wait til the day Delilah is at that point!
Fantastic!! What a great feeling that must have been 🙂 Next time go ahead and cut loose and do that jig and I bet the dogs will even join you 🙂 🙂
By the way I would love to see a little video of you doing a jig 😉
I don’t know about that Misty, I know I already get a lot of weird looks. 🙂
Well see there you might as well make it worth it if they are going to stare anyway…lol
What a great experience. Dogs seem to have little capacity for remembering the things we want them to remember. Training must be repeated and repeated.
I think you’re right. It is the little daily reminders that help.
Delilah is on a roll!!!!
I haven’t ruled out shipping her to you yet, Al. 🙂
Hey Sampson, Hey Delilah, Jet here. Hi MIss Jodi.
Wowee, wow wow – PROGRESS and SUCCESS – BRAVA to you both!
Thank you Jetty!
Most welcome!!!
Wonderful news – well done Jodi!
Excellent! So have you worked out some way to let her know that she was a good girl for coming back before putting her back on lead? Or do you just give a treat?
Right now I am giving her a treat. Ideally I would call her back, reward her for coming and then once she turns to leave again, I would tell her leash. I’m not exactly sure I do all that in the excitement of her returning. 🙂
Great job! You’re building those skills. 🙂
Thank you, it feels like it.