False Alarm! It IS my husband!

You can hide behind Zappa and Boxer but I know where you live!

So after yesterday's post and how I thought I had to start all over with teaching the dogs to walk on their leashes; I gathered all my wits, took the advice of Houndstooth from Tales and Tails and Pamela from Something Wagging This Way Comes, took a deep breath and walked the Back Dogs one at a time to the corner and back.  For some strange reason I didn't have much problem at all.  Imagine that!  It really IS my husband who turns the dogs into psycho walkers.

Of course there still needs to be some work on pulling and consistency, but overall they did great!  And using Houndstooth's suggestion about doing some commands before the walk as well as stopping during the walk and doing them was a gem.  All the dogs loved it, including Brut, which is a miracle because he doesn't like to stop.  Of course a pocket full of goodies helped to keep his attention.  I've been practicing with Brut wearing a no pull head halter, (like a Gentle Leader) which I'd still like to try with him because it works good for Brut around people and other dogs.  So he had a full dose of mental stimulation before I even decided to walk everybody.

Zappa is so cute.  We played 'find' it by throwing a treat just ahead of him and just short of the leash length.  It kept his attention on me without pulling and because he's too wiggly to sit down for long.  I thought of Pamela's post: Know your limits and Zappa has always had a hard time doing commands that involve him in one spot for too long.  So 'find it' really worked for us, as with Fiona as it is sometimes hard for her to sit on the ice with her bad hips.

So all in all we had a great time and it was fun for me too.  Talk about having to engage my brain as well.  I was wiped out by the fourth dog, which was why Chance and Blaze will have to wait until today for their turn.  And just that little added bonus of stopping and making them sit, lay down, roll over, turn around, find it and give me five all made for 4 tired dogs and one tired owner.

Can't believe I actually thought I had to start all over....damn husband!!  :)

*********************************************************************************
Don't miss the first lesson of Boxer's new human apprentice...in Lesson One-the Perfect Lap

   Be one with your catness!

http://www.36clawsofattitude.blogspot.com

PLEASE HELP ME BLOGGERS!!!

We've missed out on a couple of weeks of dog sledding.  The weekend before last we took a break from it and then this weekend the snow was too heavy and thick to run through even with two dogs.  So instead I came up with the "brilliant" idea to pair up a Front Dog and a Back Dog for a walk and see how things go.

It was a complete disaster!  The dogs were fine, no fights, scraps or contact, but walking them with my husband was a whole different story.  See my husband lets the dogs walk any way they see fit.  And for the last year I haven't been able to walk the dogs very much due to some physical problems.  Which means most of my training, especially with Chance and Blaze has went right off the leash.  Even walking a dog while walking with my husband, the dogs feel they have the right to walk how ever they please.  And when Chance wouldn't stop hauling me down the road, I thought I was going scream or cry.  He's never done that to me before regardless that we were walking him with Fiona.  It was beyond ridiculous.  It was down right miserable.  

So I had to cut my husband off from walking any dogs with him.  I will have to start all the way at step one and try to train the dogs all over again.  It isn't all my husband's fault, but they are definitely worse when he is around.  I really struggle with consistency and flexing back and forth with what is acceptable walk, tension and speed.  Some of you may remember that I've been in this same spot before.  I don't know why this issue is so difficult and daunting for me, but I will try, try again.  If anyone has ANY tips, I would love to hear them.  

Here are some of my obstacles:

-want some tension, but not to pull (is this possible) and not knowing where to draw line.  Tolerance level is different some days than others.  PLUS, I tend to not pay attention when there is tension on line because I'm so used to it.

-Consistency (see above)

-have no pull head halters, use for a while then feel guilty for using, or don't train right the first time and dogs still pull using it.

-Dogs know I will eventually give up.  A week, a month, a season, a year, I eventually go back to old ways

-Pulling dogs.  I taught them to pull almost at the same time they were learning to walk on leash, there's not much a difference between the two.

-Strong willed dogs.  I've given them every reason because I will eventually cave so they push it to the limit.  Especially Brut, he definitely knows my weak points.

-My biggest setback is that I want to go for a walk.  Not train.  I really want to walk with dogs and training takes too long.  This is when I start slipping and giving in.

-My method has been when dogs pull, I stop and wait for them to sit and give eye contact.  Then I give walk command.  They will still pull and I may or may not stop them again.  

-I feel guilty for having to train the dogs at all.  I never had to train Silver, she just did it.  So I really don't have a lot of practice.  We both want to go for a walk and if training we may be stuck in the driveway or on the road in front of the house.  

-I mentally and physically can't take it anymore.  I've doing it this way for so long when I was handed my first dog leash that I don't know any other way.  

So I am asking you please, any suggestions, advice, ideas, ANYTHING you can give me would be much greatly appreciated.  Lay it on me.  I need a fresh approach.

 THANK YOU!

    

   

Chance and Blaze take you for a sled ride!

For those of you who might have guessed it, the second video in yesterday's post was Chance and Blaze.  And that is all thanks to my wonderful husband who has a way with the dogs that I can not compare to and has the magic to make things work.     

I've been working with happy, positive reinforcement with getting Chance and Blaze comfortable with their sledding harness and taking it very slow and steady.  We are making great progress.  Chance and Blaze have both been watching Zappa and Silver take off on the sled and I know it is driving them crazy to sled.  So my husband surprised me after our run and just put on Chance and Blaze's harness, calm, cool, and assertive and off we went!  Just like that, they had them on and were ready to go.  No fear, no anxiety, no freezing up.  Daddy is magical that way.  :)

To warn you the video is 10 minutes long.  I ran them up and down the road a couple of times, just to work out some of that pent up frustration that you see Chance giving Blaze when we first take off.  He was probably letting her know that he is lead dog and not to crowd him.  He is used to running alone. 

The camera is off a little (sorry for the view!) but there's no mistaking the speed or power these two have together.  They know each other in and out and become quite a mental and physical powerhouse when they are paired. 

 Watch on YouTube here.

 

The speed is incredible.  When I ride with these two I can not imagine having 2, 4, or 6 more dogs hooked up!  It's a little bit scarier and I tend to be a little more high strung with Chance and Blaze than I am with Zappa and Silver.

Didn't they do great for their first time out this year?  I'm so proud of them for being willing to try and doing such a great job! 

And my wonderful husband who made it all happen is having a birthday today!  He'll be turning 28 again!  BOL!!

MUSH!

We had a great weekend of dog sledding and Zappa and Silver were flying even faster today.  It had warmed up to just above freezing and the road was soft enough for gripping and just slick enough for some real speed.  Other than the straight away the rest of the ride was a mess of stopping and untangling.  Here's a quick video of Zappa and Silver kicking ass again!  Plus we thought you might like to see their faces every so often!  :)

If you've been following our sledding practices, you'll note that we've only taken out Zappa and Silver, well...do we have a treat for you!  Not only did we get to take them out, but two other dogs as well.  Not at the same time, bol, I've hardly reached that level.  See if you can guess who our new racers are.  This super short video is just a preview for the video I have for tomorrow where I'll put you back in the musher's seat and show the real speed and power of these two dogs pulling a sled.  It will blow you away!

 

Make sure you check back for another ride of a lifetime!

Readers Dog Sledding Questions

Well they say the road to hell is paved with good intentions and my entire weekend was spent on just that.  Our weekend sledding update has been delayed because of technical problems (#@!!#&*@#!!), so hopefully tomorrow we'll have the video up and running for you to show off my little team of Zappa and Silver's sledding skills and speed.  I don't want to give too much away, but they were AWESOME!

So we'll take this time to answer some readers questions about dog sledding.

Collie222 from All things Collie asked:  if I ever run more than two dogs?  Working with two is a challenge enough and we are still beginners.  For a long time I only ran with one, usually Chance.  I hope to be able to make it up to 3 dogs and then 4, but with more dogs, more problems.  Working with two dogs has been a big step for me, but a comfortable one this year.  Zappa and Silver are quite compatible in many ways and they work together well, which makes running with them much easier.

She also asked if the dogs ever get cold with their thinner coat?  Since all the dogs are part Husky, they all have that thick Husky undercoat that keeps them well protected.  And we usually run when them between 18-32F (-7.7-0C)depending on the wind chill.  If it's too cold for me, it's too cold for them is our motto.  :)

Emily from It All Started With a Pitbull asked:  If all the dogs like to pull?  Yes, they do.  Chance and Blaze were my top dogs for sledding when we got them back and they still love it, but I rushed into getting them used to their harnesses and they've never been comfortable with them.  Once we got running they forgot about it, but from the point of putting it on until we would actually go made them both anxious.  Neither of them like things on their back, so I am starting all over from the beginning making the harness a friendly tool and one they won't mind wearing so they can run again.

Brut likes to pull, but he is no good at being a sled dog.  For one he thinks he's completely the boss when he's pulling out in front of me, plus he takes like he's on a walk, stopping every fifteen seconds to mark.  But one thing he is great at is pulling firewood, it is our own little game and I think he just loves the Mommy and me time he gets with no one else around.  :)

Fiona loves it as well, but has bad hips to be able to do it.  Which is a real bummer because she would make a great lead dog, she loves to run and is smart and fast.

Thank you for the great questions and if anyone else has questions please feel free to ask.  I will answer to the best of my ability or find the answer for you.

Be sure to check back tomorrow to watch our latest sled video!

How I know when my world is alright.

I don't know about anyone else, but the winter blues having been getting me down.  When my world feels off  each dog shares something with me that makes it feel alright again.  With Silver it playing tag or fetch with her, just watching her play is a joy.  Special kisses from Zappa because Daddy's dog.  With Fiona it is her laying on my feet at night for that sense of security.  Blaze will plop down in front of me waiting for kisses on the forehead and Chance makes everything better by letting me snuggle and hold him when I'm feeling down.  And while everyone played their part today it was my walk with Brut that settled my soul and brought peace to my little world.  

We went around my favorite time, just before dusk.  I hooked Brut up to pull a small log (maybe 10 pounds) because in the winter this snow dog has too much energy for me to handle.  :)  And we headed off.  And I felt the weight of my sorrows and troubles begin to just melt away as we jogged along.  I let him decide most of the path and I just followed.  It will always blow my mind how deeply in sync we can be.  There have been more than enough walks that we push and pull against each other, even if it is in fun, it can be exhausting.  With Brut pulling he had to think about what he was doing, plus he was using different muscles and pulling weight was wearing himself out.  I felt like we were in our own little world.  It was so perfect.  And as my depression worked itself out with each footprint and the cold put a freeze on all of the bad and worthless thoughts, I felt the rippling between us of two being one.

And it was just that simple.  Just Brut and I and the perfect walk.  The need to be alone in our solitude together.  Understanding each other's need and the equality that this was our walk.  For both of us, hidden in our fortress of the waning sky where we can just be.  

What does your dog give you for that peace of mind when your world feels astray?    

Zappa, my Champ

Champ Zappa and I after a good run

The air was cool, the sun lowering and it was a perfect evening for a bike pulling ride with Zappa.  Special thanks to http://www.dogbarkcollar.com for making this post possible.

Now Zappa loves the bike, he may never be too crazy with the pulling a sled in the snow, but the bike is just his style.  In this short window of fall that we have in the north, every moment counts.  I took him out about three days ago and it was just right that we should take another ride together.

He is always excited when he sees the harness, but it isn't until I ask him if he wants to pull that he sits down and lets me put it on.  Getting him attached to the bike is usually quite the chore, I can't keep him in one place and I'm usually constantly untangling him, but tonight we got all hooked up with little trouble.  I asked Zappa if he was ready and he starts down the driveway slowly while I hop on the bike.  I almost forget to pedal to help him get a good running start and we are off.  He picks up the place and is flying like the wind.  There seems to end to his energy.

Together up the hill we climb, he runs, I pedal, we cross over to the dirt road but I make the trip shorter than usual.  I just want him to stretch his legs and build up those muscles.  So I tell him to turn around and he does without a hitch.  I'm so excited, most of the dogs haven't been able to catch on to this very well and I have run into problems, but Zappa handle it like a champ.  He was slower after we turned around but still at a good steady pace.  My husband who was near house called Zappa and Zappa got his second wind and began to pick up speed.  He carried that steady pace right up to the driveway.  You'd have thought he had won a race I was so excited.

It was a great learning experience as always and it was great fun.  Hopefully in a few days we will be able to try again.  And look, here's a little video of our return.  Hope you enjoy!

*********************************************************************************

Calling out to Cat lovers everywhere...

Check out Boxer's latest injustice of living in Muttville on the 

36 Claws of Attitude.  

Born to Be

Mel over at No Dog About It Blog sparked this post with her post:  What do you find most beautiful in a dog?  Answering her own question with that she loves to watch dogs do what they were meant to do.    Having a family of almost Huskies lead me to answer her question with the natural ability our dogs have when they are doing what they were born to do, dog sled.

Which got my wheels turning about what exactly that means.

Brut's side of the family comes from racing lines.  That is all the info I have.  Before I even knew that much, the first time I saw Brut pull a sled, I knew instantly that something was different.  There was something more sophisticated in what I was witnessing, even though I didn't know what it was.  I 'd never seen a sled dog in action, but there was more to Brut than just a dog running with a sled behind him.

The lines in his body, his build, the structure of his bones and muscles were held in perfect alignment for his task, as if Brut and the sled were one unit.  It was if they were made for each other, like a key to lock.  Brut was the part that was missing from the sled and it's function.

As I dug further into this thought, my brain began exploding with light bulbs.  Their body, mind and spirit are specifically designed and tailored for sledding.  It isn't just the muscle or speed they can exert, it is a total engagement of their being.  They have been bred for thousands of years to be a well oiled and finely crafted machine with a heart and soul to match.

And Brut is only half Husky.  His children are three-quarter.  More specifically Blaze.

 When Blaze runs she looks like she is flying.  She becomes very streamline, yet with such strength, power and grace it will take your breath away.  Her design is expertly tailored for lightning speed, quick thinking and agile reflexes that are demanded of the position of a fantastic lead sled dog.  She just soars even when carrying more than twice her own weight with flawless effort.  It is exquisite just to part of such majesty.

The thought that struck me most flipping through my memory files is how it is the entirety of the whole dog that is encompassed in the breed.  Bloodhounds, don't just use their extreme scent glands to track, their entire body, mind and spirit is engaged during the process.  It is the same logic that I struggle so hard with the dogs not pulling on a walk, they were born to pull.  They are designed by all fathoms of their nature to pull.  And since I never taught them any different, they continue to be who they are.  Pull Dogs.  Simple.  I am fighting up against years and years of selective breeding and it never really occurred to me that this isn't just their bodies I'm wrestling with, but the entire nature of who they are.  Any other way is against the grain.

It certainly gives me a greater appreciation for purebred dogs.

Blaze is by far our most Husky-like dog, with Zappa and Brut following close behind.  And there has always been something about them when they are pulling that I could never put my finger on that just stood out so differently.  They were just being who they were born to be.

     

Sometimes it just takes Daddy's Touch

I was starting to give up entirely on dog sledding.  If it wasn't bad enough that this winter has sucked, lack of snow, ice, rain, I was also feeling like I was running out of hope with the dogs.

After a test run with Zappa that was a lot more of me running and him pulling an empty sled, only proved to me that Zappa needs a partner in the snow and I currently didn't have one for him.  My dreams for sledding were fading fast.  I was almost ready to give up entirely. 

So then my husband says, "Let's try Chance."  I had pretty much written off my favorite sled dog because he had become a bit apprehensive with his sledding harness. Come to find out I'd been using the wrong size harness for him all last year and it had made him uncomfortable.  I was still working with him getting used to one again and progress was slow.   I wasn't sure how Chance would do it, but I agreed.  Maybe with Daddy it would make a difference.

Daddy is the comforter, the one who holds and calms the dogs while I do all the "bad mom" stuff like medicine, ear cleanings and such.  The dogs practically jump into his arms at the vet while the vet pokes and probes.  Everything is better when Daddy is there.

So I set up the sled and without any discussion Daddy starts putting the harness on Chance.  Great idea!!  While he doesn't have a clue what he is doing, Chance stands calmly and lets him put it on while I assist.  Chance doesn't fuss as he puts all his trust in the greatest man alive.  Somehow everything is going to be alright.  We get him hooked up to the sled, Daddy opens the gate and we are off.  Not one qualm or hesitation, in fact he is so excited he runs straight across the driveway and over the embankment of snow.  We are all laughing and the grin on Chance's face is priceless.  Daddy guides Chance back to the road where Chance burst in a comfortable run.  His gate is smooth and strong.  The road isn't at it's best, but Chance has no problem taking charge.  We blend into a single harmony as Chance runs like a thoroughbred while feels as if I am hanging on to his wild mane.  The inevitable power and passion engages us as our hearts cling to each others, relishing the force and freedom of being one.  In one rush, the dream is alive again. 

How do you really thank the love of our lives for that??

  How about with one big sloppy kiss??

Zappa Takes the Lead

It was a wonderful sunny day, blue skies, 44F (6.6C) degrees, the last bits of snow and ice were turning soft on the road.  It was a perfect day for a bike ride powered by Zappa.

Zappa has become my dog puller for this year.  Unbeknownst to me, he was more than willing to pull.  He took off like a rocket and climbed the slight incline with a little assistance from me.  His gait was relaxed and happy, enjoying the freedom to run, no concerns about towing me.  I was stunned when he continued through the intersection and carried on down the road.  No qualms, no questions, his confidence was shining through.  Even after having to a stop a couple of times and turning around, he followed through with that Husky drive he has been lacking in previous runs.  Zappa for the first time was taking the initiative.  He was shining with the desire and heart of a sled dog who wanted to pull and was extracting the sheer joy of doing what he was born to love.  It was amazing.

The dog pulling bike

Zappa is a natural puller but not a lead dog by nature. His lack of confidence before would find him confused and scared after the first burst of speed not knowing what to do next.  As the two packs have settled this past year, I have been able to focus more time and attention to Zappa and our bonding experiences have begun to boost his self esteem, yet I had no idea how much until he was so anxiously excited about taking the bike out.  Little did I know the impact our time together made on this shy, timid dog who was so poised in front of me and giving me the ride of a lifetime!

I started sledding with Zappa when he was about a year old.  He would only run any distance if he ran with another dog, otherwise he had to be coaxed.  So when Zappa made his stand and took the lead today, I witnessed this beautiful boy shine in his own glory, while I rode along and let him take it!

Taking a few steps back

As some of you may know, I am learning about sled dog pulling.  I don’t compete, it is only for fun.  It is something different for the dogs and myself and we are both learning as we go.

When I started teaching Chance how to pull, he didn’t like the harness.  He would let me put it on and would run great, but he never got used to it.  He has a severe anxiety to foreign things on his body.  It took me almost a year to be able to brush him.  I sort of rushed through the whole getting-used-to harness-thing as I thought he would get used to it eventually, because he was always fine once he started running. I don't know what I was thinking, but to my dismay, I have found his anxiety has gotten worse after the last time I put his harness on him.  So I had to take a huge step back and try to break down this fear to the beginning.

I walked outside with a harness in hand, Chance immediately backed away.  I dropped it on the ground, crouched down by it and he came only so close.  I picked it up again.  He hesitantly came to me. I hung them on the fence while standing by them.  Chance was still on guard.  The harnesses were too much for him.  So I got rid of the harness and came back out with a leash that I’d made a loop through.  He stuck his head through the loop for a treat, while I put the loop over his head and hung it around his neck for a couple of seconds then removed it.  I tried this a couple more times, the tension in his body was still too stiff.  I had to go back even a step further.  I held the loop in front of him, while he stuck his nose through and he grabbed the treat.  WHEW, success!  His whole body heaved in relief that said, Now I can handle that!  His eyes crinkle with happiness, as I'd finally found that safe spot.  Putting his nose through the loop was all he needed and it was a relief for me as well.  Now I knew where to start and could take my time working through his levels of fear.

I may or may not be able to get a harness on Chance.  I don’t know.  We may or may not sled this winter, we might just practice sled training without actually getting on the sled, or we may do nothing related to the fact.    Whatever we do, I want the dogs to enjoy it, worry free.  The dogs mental and emotional well being means a whole lot more than learning any dog sport.  I ended up getting way ahead of myself when I started doing this sledding thing and I too, am ready to just take a backseat if necessary.  Whether we are riding the snow or just enjoying a walk through it, I want to make this winter a special time.  Any time spent together is too precious to not enjoy to the fullest. 

**********************************************************************************

There's still time to sign up HERE

Have You Ever Noticed This?

The wind!  The smells!  It's too just too much!

I don't know if this happenes to anyone else, but on really windy days, I can't compete for Chance's attention during our walks.  He is all over the place, pulling and tugging with his nose every which way.  When I make him sit for pulling, it is like he is in this dreamy trance and we actually sit there for 10 minutes at a time.  We must have stopped 10 times more than usual due to his pulling.  Whatever the breeze was stirring up was filling his nostrils like cocaine.  He looked higher than a kite.  And anxious.  Bouncing off of ever tree and blade of grass to be found.   It was like an alien came and took over his body and brain.

I didn't see any other way out gaining his attention, unless I was to constantly feed him treats for the rest of our walk, so I turn around, cutting our walk rather short and followed this intoxicated dog back home.  It was just a little more than I could handle today.

Come to think of it all of the dogs were quite restless today with the wind blowing all day.  More than normal.  Wonder what the heck was in the air.

Has anyone else ever noticed this drunken affair with the wind?  Do you have a hard time getting your dog's attention when this happens?

One last time!

Long time readers may have noticed we haven't been reporting on any dog sledding adventures.  There's a good reason, we haven't had enough snow.  We are used to having at least a foot or two, yet this year has been quite lacking.
  
Last night we finally had just enough snow on the road and I've been itching go out one last time.  Ice and rain is in the forecast, it was now or never. 

I decided to keep the run to the end of our road and back, which is about a half of a mile.  This helps me mentally as the chances of traffic, dogs or people is next to nil. This also keeps the dogs in a contained area that I can handle, as I was nervous.  Running two dogs is my limit as there are no brakes on our homemade sled which means using my body weight to help slow them down. 

Chance and Blaze took off out the gate and I have no idea how I even manage to get on the sled.  They were both cruising, adrenal pumping, when I look up to see three whitetail deer standing in the middle of the road.  I swear they were having a stare down with the dogs!  The deer finally scooted off as the dogs were hurling towards them while I took my first body slam of the ride making sure they didn't follow the deer down the path.  I was laughing so hard, I don't know how I even held on to the sled.  I don't actually know if Chance and Blaze were planning on following the deer, but I wasn't taking any chances!

When we reached the stop sign, I gave the turn around signal.  They complied fairly smoothly with a little coaxing and we headed back down the road.  About half way through I realized two things:  The work I have done with Chance walking and using sled commands, stop, Gee (right), Haw (left) and turn around were starting to sink in while he was sledding.  Second, when I called Chance's name before the command, I found he was listening and responding.  Since we are all beginners at this, that may not seem like a lot but it was like hitting a milestone for me.  The light bulb went off when I spoke to the dog whom I needed to execute.  What a difference!  And when you're working at the speed of two sled dogs, both quite powerful by themselves, it is difficult to think that quickly sometimes in a moment of panic.  Sort of like when you learning to drive and hit the accelerator instead of the brake.  So this was huge on my part. 

We went up and down the road three times.  I was completely impressed with Chance and Blaze and myself.  Even more so because it has been over two months since the last time we went out and I learn something new every time.

There was a sense of teamwork this time by putting my trust and commands in Chance.  A bonding with Chance, that was by voice alone.  Something was catching on for both of us, I could feel it start to click about half way through the run.  Which meant I wasn't handling the entire weight of the ride on my shoulders, literally.  I was able to rely on Chance to take some of the responsibility and he did beautifully for his first time doing that. 

And let's not forget Blaze.  Blaze was following Chance.  Something clicked for her when he started to take control and she also caught on.  My little crazy Blaze was giving up control to Chance and she did fantastic!  We were all starting to work together and it was one of my best rides with them yet.

**If you haven't already, please check out yesterday's blog award, we need your guesses.  Which one is the truth??**

 

We Are Still Walking!

I started last December to work with Chance on pulling while leash walking.  Chance is trained to pull sleds and bikes and thinks pulling on a leash is the same thing.  While it was comical and I got a good laugh out of it, being jerked and pulled on a regular basis was no fun.  So I began by walking him around the yard in a heel position.  Taught him to walk out of the gate, not shoot out of it, until we reached the end of the driveway, then the road.  I kept him in the heel position, teaching him turns and constantly changing directions.  Stopping each time he pulls and waiting for him to sit and make eye contact before continuing.  I only let him on a loose leash every so often along the way to stop and sniff.  This where I left you last and we were having great success.

I wanted to incorporate loose leash walking, but was waiting for the opportunity.  The other day, I tested it out on him with great success.  The dog that used to yank me left and right and drag me around, was staying within his end of the leash!  It was a miracle!  So I went back and forth throughout our last couple of walks between the heel position and loose leash walking.  He did fantastic!  There were still small pulls and tugs, but nothing compared to our pre-training walks.  Chance is also teaching me grave amounts of patience.  When he pulls I stop and wait for him to sit and make eye contact.  Not just a quick wavier, but a connection, this tells me he is ready for my instruction.  The scents he is after may have total control of his brain and it takes him a few minutes for him to come back into focus.  And I found, I have time.  I'm not going anywhere without him, so I've been giving him that time to readjust and that we aren't moving in any direction until he's fully engaged with me.  This is quite a revelation for me as walking has always been about getting from point A to B.  I also have accepted that turning around and changing directions is also part of our walks.  No matter how much the neighbors laugh at me.  This acceptance has made our entire walking experience much more relaxed and enjoyable.  I am loving it.

On our walk tonight, I stepped up the challenge a little more by walking in a heel position through a wooded trail.  I had tried this earlier in training and it was something Chance wasn't up to yet.  Today he flew through it with flying colors.  He was spectacular.  This whole experience have given me a sense of freedom with walking Chance.  I have been testing him, but he is also testing me.  It is the longest I have went with any sense of consistency.  He knows what to expect and understands what I am asking of him, because I asking the same thing every time.  What a difference!  I am seeing improvement with both of us and there is a real feeling of accomplishment.  My husband's way of walking Chance doesn't seem to having any effect on his walking with me.  BONUS!!

I thought for sure the last time I tried and failed at these attempts of walking Chance, that was it.  I was never going to try again.  I was doomed trying to keep my arm in one piece every time I walked him.  I think sometimes it is all about timing.  I have found this in many areas with my dogs about training that I have tried over and over.  Sometimes the timing just isn't right, whether it be for them and for me, but when you finally click together is one of the best feelings in the world!  Now that Chance is such a great walking companion, I don't want to even think about walking the other five who are all in desperate need of the same training.  LOL  I can't even imagine all the challenges that are awaiting me for the next few years...except that some day it will all be worth it!    

Chance Walking Success

Chance and I have been working hard on our walk training program.  To learn how and why we got started you can read What's Your Weakness and to read about our training method you can read Learning to Walk Chance.

Our last time out was a week ago due to the extreme cold as the dogs weren't able to stay out for more than 5 or 10 minutes.  We made a lot of progress that last time.  We made it two houses down the road.  Mind you there is a lot of back and forth and turning around to keep his attention off that natural forward drive.  This is also teaching him that no matter what way we walk, it is to be all the same.

Daddy was walking the Back Dogs and when we encountered them, Chance barked and I made him sit while they walked in front of us.  The great thing was that he did not pull or make any effort to move after them.  That was fantastic.

So today, was a bit of the same scenario, Daddy was walking Back Dogs (one dog at a time) while I was out with Chance.  Chance was excited and was pawing at the gate before I put his leash on.  Once he calmed and I had his leash on, I walked him around the yard once and brought him to the gate.  We stopped, he sat and looked at me.  I opened the gate waited until he looked at me again to give him the signal to walk.  He did excellent.  I think he has this part down.  I use the walk around the yard because this let's him know we are in training mode and the type of walk we are going to take.  It also helps him to focus, especially since Daddy was walking Brut who marks everything and Chance is very interested in these markings.

So we walk out the gate making several stops for him to investigate these marks.  Once he's checked them out he is fine to pass by again without the need to recheck them.  I use the command "release" where he can go where he pleases using the whole length of the leash.  I use it at the major pee spots and when he needs a break.  Or if I need a break.  Sometimes I call him back when I am ready and other times I wait for him to sit which tells me he is ready.  It depends on the circumstances.

Today we made it three houses down with very little corrections and I could really feel him getting into the groove.  He was doing fantastic.  Daddy came out of the woods with Brut while we were down the road walking towards them.  They were a few houses down, but Chance was calm and stayed with me.  Honestly, I don't even know if Chance even saw him.

Next Zappa came out with Daddy and Chance and I walked by them with no problems at all.  Chance never pulled or picked up speed.  He stayed right with me.  Things were going so good, I decided to test out Chance a little more.  We headed down a steep path through the woods that Chance would have normally pulled ahead, or off to the left or right or anywhere but next to me, but he there was, right next to me going at my pace, downhill.  AMAZING!!  I could hardly believe it!  The same dog that pulls me with feet flying was actually at my side without even a tug forward.  This was getting to be too much.

At the bottom of the hill, trying to close my gaping mouth in shock, I had two choices:  go back up the hill, or take a short path through the woods that would lead back to our road.  Well, I decided to take the path.  Lord, help me!  We did great until I gave him the release command.  MISTAKE!!  And the worse part was I knew it was before I did it.  Getting Chance to come back to me was a bit difficult.  He was tugging every which way.  Deer and rabbit scents were everywhere.

At this point we'd been going for a good 45 minutes and about the time my patience was wearing thin.  I found myself suddenly getting rather tired and so was Chance and we haven't reached the road yet.  I started walking him back and forth to desensitise him a bit but with little success.  We had to get out the woods. The only way I was going to succeed at this point and keep myself together was putting him on the release command and letting him walk me out, until we were close to road.  Then I called him to me, made him sit and gave the "walk" command.   We walked out of the woods and down the road back to the house.  We had both succeeded!

I had found a way to get out a tricky situation and it worked!  We walked for almost an hour and Chance was superb!  And I think I did pretty good myself!  It was a great feeling!  Tell you what though, I was exhausted afterwards.  It really took something out of me when we were done and I wasn't the only one.  Chance was sleeping under the table during dinnertime!  For a dog who worships mealtime, that has never happened.  Talk about having some hope.  For so many years I have tried and failed at this over and over and now it just seems to all be coming together.  Blaze and the Back Dogs are in for a rude awakening when I get Chance where I want him, because they are next!!  :)   

Learning to WALK Chance!

If you read What's Your Weakness you might remember that Chance likes to pull me on a walk as if I were a sled.  When I open the gate out of the yard, it shoots out of it.  I have been working with him every couple of days or so and we are making GREAT progress. 

I started by walking him around the yard with his leash on, then I would unlatch the gate (without opening it) and click and treat if he stayed.  Then we would lap the yard, this way and that, then come back to the gate, which the wind had opened, I would make him sit, wait until he looked me in the eyes then would tell him to "walk".  We went a couple of feet out then turned around and came back to the front door.  Click and treat for "end of walk".  I continued to repeat this until we reached the end of the walkway in front of the house.  End of the night.

The next couple of times I repeated the above, unlatch gate, click and reward, then when the wind opened gate, continued walking out to the end of the driveway.

The last few times I unlatched the gate and opened it.  He sat there.  HE SAT THERE AND WAITED FOR MY CUE TO WALK!!!  I could have peed my pants I was so happy.  Chance is like a runner on the starting blocks who takes off at the sound of the gun when the gate opens and here he was sitting there not making a move and waiting for my command.  It was a fantastic feeling.  So I practiced this over and over while I keep going further down the road.  Always turning around, back and forth.  I noticed yesterday he was getting comfortable with walking by my side, going at my pace.  He had relaxed into it.  It helped that he was boosting my confidence and helping me to relax with him since we tend to feed off of each other.

Now instead of letting him pull at all, I'm stopping at the slightest twinge, which is HUGE for me.  I used to just let him do it then try to stop him when it became too much.  Yea, I know, makes a lot of sense.  I have always walked my dogs with tension on the line, and never corrected them.  Now I'm not tolerating any.  What a difference.  Not just for me but for Chance and understanding that, because he is responding well to it.  I'm seeing him make sure he stays at my pace, not getting too far ahead.  I'm using a heel position, but he has some play, he can still reach his head to the ground.

I am so impressed with myself for something I never thought I could ever do.  I have decided to just work with Chance at this time.  I would like to work with Blaze also, but she comes with a completely different set of rules that I don't feel as confident about yet.  I think just sticking to one dog at a time and building my confidence and skills is the best way to start.  What a wonderful feeling doing something I never thought I could ever do.  I love watching Chances reactions.  They are calmer and quieter, like he's able to gain control over himself.  What a beautiful feeling of watching two minds work together for a greater purpose.   

Adventures in Dog Sledding

I thought I had it all planned.  We were going to take Chance and Blaze to the local football field to practice dog sledding.  I had thought everything out except for a few minor details...

1.  We were taking the dogs to a place they had never been before heavily populated by deer and rabbit and except for the fence around the actual football field was a wide open space.  Which meant there were no trails or paths to follow and they were used to running down the road.   

2.  Two inexperienced mushers.  One that had to act as the brakes by body slamming on to snow in order to stop the duo from taking off into the surrounding woods.  All the while thinking for some reason they would just know to go around the field with no problem.  While the other took video and thought it would be better to have them inside the fenced area.  Did I mention the dogs haven't been here before? 

3.  Two untrained hyper sled dogs who have been cooped up due to a small injury.  Who also prefer to think for themselves and when put together do their best to outwit me while using their combined strength in order to achieve their own personal goals.  Have I mentioned the dogs haven't been here before?

So we take off along the back stretch along side the woods, things are going good.  Until I realize they are looking for a way into the wooded area.  Having a homemade sled with no brakes means using all my body strength or taking to the ground to stop them, my commands mean nothing to them.  Sly grins pass between them as they are enjoy running the show.   I turn them, run with them to get going, hop on the sled and in seconds we are in the woods again.  I had a thousand butterflies in my stomach before we even left the house, and this first "correction" knocked the wind out of me and we were just getting started.  Repeat this cycle 5 times.

I finally guide them inside the football field.  I am so exhausted I lay over the sled while they pull me.  I'm not thinking about much but trying to catch my breath.  At least at this point they are contained, though they try to run to each side trying to get out of the few open gates.  Thank goodness they were starting to slow down a bit.  :)

A few times around and Daddy takes a ride.  I am in desperate need to a break.  My body is shaking in pure exhaustion, but I try to keep them running for Daddy.  When we finally figure we've had enough, we take the short walk home.  Blaze is still raring to go, Chance has calmed slightly.

It was an experience I won't forgot and an easy way to learn what NOT to do when taking your dogs sledding.  lol After those first couple of times of pulling them out of the woods, I started thinking, I'm not going to make it through this.  I was nervous before we started but once the wind got knocked out of me and everything was so unpredictable, unlike sledding down the road, it was a bit scary to say the least.  We decided that next time we will take them straight into the fenced area and worked with them there.
We both agreed, Daddy was right to begin with.  :)

Here's me taking a ride on the inside of the fence.  Daddy missed all the funny shots with me holding back the dogs in the snow.

And here's Daddy on his sleigh ride.

Now after all this excitement and an achy body, I'm curling up on the couch and not moving for the rest of the night!!

          

 

What's Your Weakness?

Did you hear that Chance?  She's going to try again.  BOL

OK, give it up.  What is your worst weakness with your dog?  What do you struggle the most with when it comes to training your dog?  My weakness is training a dog to walk on a leash.  There I said it.  My neighbors could get a couple good YouTube videos of my dogs pulling me down the road, jerking me this way and that.  Watching me trying to hold these 80 pound beast while they pull with all their might to get closer to that important scent that they just have to check out.  I have tried everything and still can't get it right.  My husband laughed at me today when I told him I needed to hire a trainer so I can learn how to walk my dogs!!  I didn't think it was very funny at the time.

Since the Back Dogs have been with me since they were puppies, we have found a kind of happy medium.  Usually the first quarter mile is the worse, and then we seem to fall into a quick pace while we negotiate whose pulling who.  But the Front Dogs....Lord have mercy!!  After two years they still shoot out of the gate like a couple of thoroughbreds.  Their previous owners never leashed trained, let both dogs run loose and with my training handicap we look like a couple of crazy cartoon characters flying down the road.  It doesn't help that Blaze and Chance are my two main sled dogs and think every walk means pulling me down the road at top notch speed.  They know no difference between the leash and the harness, all they see is glorious freedom and the room to run.

Honestly though it is extremely frustrating for me.  Try as I might to change these habits, I fall into the same trap of giving in.  I get tired of fighting with them and they know eventually I will cave.  Every winter with the danger of snow and ice, I vow to teach them to walk properly. After a couple of months, I give up.  By then it is close to spring and all my hard work is down the drain and we resume with push and pull walking.

My biggest problems are of course consistency, along with discipline and impatience.  When I go for a walk, I just want to go for a walk.  I don't want to train or correct, I just want to enjoy the walk.  Which would be great if I was really enjoying being pulled on our walks and so I find myself at the crossroads again.  I'm starting with Chance and Blaze, (yes, I am glutton for punishment) by walking them in the yard while trying to curb that jump start out of the gate.  Today was a success.  Both did very well.  I left the gate open, while walking around the yard and slowly continued to inch out the gate, over and over.  I only used treats at the end of each of our walks.

It is a start.  Blaze will of course be my worse case.  She has the drive and tunnel vision of a racer.  She is also smart as whip, gets bored easy, and is already figuring out ways to outsmart me, in less than ten minutes. She knows what a pushover I am and how to push my buttons.  Well, the challenge is on.  We'll just see how much we butt heads this time around.  I have nothing to lose and everything to gain.           

Just Hear Those Sleigh Bells Jingling...

We headed out in the truck for an errand we had to run.  We threw the dog sled, harness and lines in the truck along with Zappa.  We were going dog sledding! 

Now Zappa is more of a muscle man, he doesn't take to the lead very well, but having a single cab truck we could only take one dog and he's the easiest on the ride.  After we were hooked up, Daddy was at the corner of the road, while I got the pleasure of taking the first ride.  Zappa was a little anxious at first, but once we got moving he took to pulling well. 

Zappa needs to be directed and motivated to pull, which is what Daddy is for, giving him a target and a reason.  Which is what the lead dog would do if we had either Blaze or Fiona there.  The lead dog also sets the pace, so there wasn't much speed involved with just Zappa pulling. 

We took turns encouraging him while the other rode the sled.  Enough that he could get a good workout, without being too sore the next day.  For not having a lead dog to run with and his first time on the snow this year, Zappa did great.  Next time, we'll be sure to take Blaze or Fiona for him to run with.

Here's a short video of Zappa's run!  You'll have to forgive the shakiness, Daddy is still learning how to operate camera!!  BOL

There goes Blaze

Blaze here with a short, short video of me pulling Mommy on the bike.   

Daddy was so excited he went crazy with the camera. 

I was just too fast for him.  Hehe

Look at me go!!