emily
Hound Nut
Posts: 1,529
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w-a-l-k
Feb 3, 2007 12:30:36 GMT -5
Post by emily on Feb 3, 2007 12:30:36 GMT -5
We need to spell it out because someone gets excited!
Two things:
Emily needs to smell every single scent on our w-a-l-k-s. Has anyone been able to 'break' their hound of that habit? Is it possible to enjoy a w-a-l-k with fewer interruptions? How? Please!!!
Also, when she realizes we're headed back, she slows down. We're talking a complete transformation from a hare to a tortoise. She's just making the outing as lengthy as possible to avoid going back to that boring old house, I'm sure. Short of running (remember, I am carrying a bag or two), what can I do to trick her into crossing the finish line in a grand way?
I realize they're her w-a-l-k-s but I also benefit from the little exercise they provide me... only, I don't sniff and I don't mark.
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w-a-l-k
Feb 3, 2007 15:58:56 GMT -5
Post by greys4us on Feb 3, 2007 15:58:56 GMT -5
Our guys do a lot of sniffing and marking too It is the same with Eddy and Lacey, when we start for home they usually slow down, and I think it is just to prolong the walk. If you shorten up the leash, so they are fairly tight to you, and their noses can't reach the ground to do any sniffing, then you should be able to walk faster.
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w-a-l-k
Feb 3, 2007 19:52:48 GMT -5
Post by jiffer on Feb 3, 2007 19:52:48 GMT -5
Sniffing is part of their walk. I have found that you can reduce it if you use the same walking path daily. New areas tend to spark more sniffing and more marking.
I used to try to train it out of them, now I just allot time for them to do the sniff thing. I have trained them to "Let's Go" when they've been particularly interested in a spot. If they don't "Let's Go", I keep walking. Atlas is the only one who has a qualm about that command. LOL
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w-a-l-k
Feb 3, 2007 20:09:15 GMT -5
Post by sdsandiford on Feb 3, 2007 20:09:15 GMT -5
I totally agree with Jiffer! I used to try and drag them home. Now I have come to accept walks as their time... Well, it's really only Jack's time (he really is the only one who insists on sniffing EVERY bush/hydrant/bus stop sign, etc). Like Jiffer, when my patience start to wear a little thin, I also tell them to "lets go", and just start walking again.
Ahh yes... The dog that comes to learn the walk route and slows down towards the end.. One thing you could try is to walk your route in the opposite direction. We have a few separate routes we take our dogs on. They don't always clue in when they're getting closer to home.
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w-a-l-k
Feb 3, 2007 20:39:01 GMT -5
Post by GreyPoopon on Feb 3, 2007 20:39:01 GMT -5
I use "leave it" when they find something in particular, and "let's go" when I want them to keep moving. I use basic leash respect techniques to keep them moving. If they want to walk along with their noses to the ground, that's fine, but dawdling drives me nuts. I talked to a trainer once about marking/multi-pees. She said she uses a command when they're allowed to stop and pee. The rest of the time, they're allowed to do whatever they want within the length of the leash, but not to let the leash tighten. So if they move ahead, sniff and mark, and start walking again before she's ahead by more than the length of the leash, they're OK. I don't have too much trouble with end-of-walk dawdling, but when a pup (usually Betsy) slows down near the end, she gets a "let's go" or basic leash respect correction.
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emily
Hound Nut
Posts: 1,529
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w-a-l-k
Feb 4, 2007 21:45:19 GMT -5
Post by emily on Feb 4, 2007 21:45:19 GMT -5
Regarding the sniffing, I got in the habit of saying "Ok, let's go" and she often responds by moving on. Sometimes "Ok" is all she needs; sometimes I have to start walking. At one point, I barely let her sniff because it's just toooooo much! I mix it up every time. I heard dogs become territorial and downright hostile towards other dogs. It isn't the case with Emily, but just the same, I don't take the same route twice in a row. I've even given her the option: "Left or right?" I wonder if she appreciates that... Alas, she has come to recognize the proximity of our final destination with respect to the dilly dallying. After I started this thread, I got to a part in Branigan's book where it says: "The reasons for this early training are obvious: Their entire lives are spent being led from one place to another. With so many dogs to handle, a trainer cannot waste time with a dog that pulls or stops frequently. This training holds them on good stead when they become companions, too." I've unknowingly undone all that training.
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w-a-l-k
Feb 4, 2007 22:15:31 GMT -5
Post by lovemygrey on Feb 4, 2007 22:15:31 GMT -5
Our boy are complete opposite each other Bob has to sniff and pee everywhere,Ticker however wont even pee on a walk he walks right up tight to my side and stays there all the time until we get home so he can run to the back yard to pee
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Post by tara on Feb 5, 2007 8:27:00 GMT -5
I have a Lab who sniffs everything. What I have done is allow them to sniff on they way and not on they way back. Neither are markers so that makes it a bit easier
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w-a-l-k
Feb 7, 2007 19:26:38 GMT -5
Post by Krisztina Mikkelsen on Feb 7, 2007 19:26:38 GMT -5
My two cents worth with a certification of K9 obedience training and obedience showing for 23 years....
There are two types of walks: 1. "We are having fun and enjoy things together" walk 2. "Obedience training and focus enhancement" walk
In the case of option 1, just have fun, and let your dog do what dogs normally do in terms of being acquainted with their surroundings, and with other dogs and animals in their neighbourhood...and generally just being A DOG. This can be practiced for hours every day and it is your one-on-one bonding, fun time with your pup.
In the case of option 2, you have to practice heeling, and the commands of "leave it" and appropriate "sit", "go", "wait", "stop" etc... This can be practiced about 30 minutes at a time and it is a complete controlled work-mode for you and for your pup.
How will your pup know the difference? When you hook the leash up, you give the appropriate buzz-word to your dog. S/he will not know the difference for the first few times, but will figure it out pretty soon if you are consistent.
What I use are: "Junior, JOB!" - my dog knows we will practice obedience walk. "Junior, HAPPY!" - my dog knows we are having fun, and he knows I will sniff things too, roll in the snow and climb trees if that's what he wants to do with me.
Obedience walks are suggested about 2-3 times a week as you want to have an in-control, happy dog that knows the difference between goofing and working.
Goofy walks are suggested to take place every day, and after those 2-3 obedience walks also as a reward and as a release tension fun.
If you do this correctly, and consistently, you will naturally arrive to stage 2 pretty fast which is when you are able to switch your dog between fun and obedience within seconds - potentially saving his life or yourself from a large vet bill - dictated by the situation you are in. (E.g. - You are out goofing and having fun with your pup without boundaries, and suddenly a mean toy-poodle shows up in the park going for your baby's throat. You realize that you have to switch mode and shout "Junior JOB! Leave it!" and your Grey responds to your command right away being diverted from the distraction, hence not killing the mean poodle. Or a mean Rotweiler comes at your dog and you give the command "Junior, JOB, heel!" hence you have your Grey wrapped around your knee in seconds and you can protect him from the aggressor.)
Join a class for basic obedience training with your dog; you will learn a lot, meet new people, bond with your pup deeper in a special way, and just have fun. It is all about fun.
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