I Sucked it Up

[beth101509]

I haven't really been taking Oliver on leashed walks, we do more unleashed walks in the wooded area behind our house or running around our fenced in yard. Well, today I decided to suck it up and take him on a leashed walk around the neighborhood before I went to work. I haven't been doing leashed walks mainly to laziness and dreading going out in the cold.

I am pleased to say, Oliver does really well on a leash. He will walk next to me for a good part of the walk. Sometimes he will get ahead of me but doesn't really pull on the leash. We just need to work on him staying on one side of me. He tries to get on my left side but I want him to stay on my right. I only have to correct him a few times and he will then stay on my right side. The last little bit of our walk, I will let him off leash to run home and he just does so much better off leash than he does on leash. He acts happier off leash and listens well off leash. I don't want to tempt it around people at this point but so far, so good.

Hopefully the on leash walks remain good. I have started a goal for myself to do daily morning walks before I go to work. Ugh...exercise. Lol.

[Woodrow_Woodchuck]

Good job Oliver! I have been slacking also, it has been a looong time since Sunshine went on a leashed walk.

The only time she is put on the leash is if someone comes by with a dog, or folks walk by. I call her, hold the choke chain open and she sticks her head through then sits at my side. If the owner says the other dog is friendly we let them meet while leashed. Then I turn her loose. For people walking by it is all show. She would not move but I realize many folks are afraid of large dogs so do the responsible thing and contain her.

[POPTOP]

Good boy Oliver!

Guilty here too. There is still so much snow and uncleared sidewalks and I don't like walking Archie in the street because of salt on the roads. That and I've been helping DD taking kids to school and picking them up. Planned this week, since the ice on the roads is gone, a trip to Petsmart for nail trimming and socializing and then on to Bass Pro.

[rochie427]

I guess then I shouldn't feel as bad either that I haven't been taking many walks with our Rosie. Just too cold and like POPTOP said, not all sidewalks are clear by me and add the salt in the street, it hasn't been easy. We've just been walking around the corner and I know she is frustrated without her walks. I practice what I can in the house with her but she really wants outside. Can't wait for Spring to get here!!!

[happy_blackbird]

Yay, Oliver!!! I am so glad you had a great walk! That is definitely a great sign for the future. As someone who is not a morning person, our morning walks feel like 90 minutes of pure torture, but Ellie is such a great girl for the rest of the day, I don't dare skip them (and, hey, I am getting thinner by the minute). I wish we still lived rurally so that she could run her little butt off untethered. Yay, for a happy Oliver!!!

[sparky]

Good job Oliver!!!