Well it has been a few weeks since Alfie visited the behaviour centre and we have been working hard together to make him feel like a true member of our pack.
He has learnt not to dash ahead when we walk from room to room ? although sometimes he needs a little reminder?
He will now ?Stay? when told ? and providing I don?t take my eyes off him I can get quite a distance from him?.. then the mad dash on the command ?Ok?
He is getting so much better at not rushing to the door when someone knocks but we need a lot more work here?
He walks quite nicely on his Gencon lead ? and doesn?t pull when we go out for walks?.
Until?..
he sees another dog, real or garden ornament variety ? or a cat ? or a bird?? then he goes ballistic, barking and lunging ? its really quite a traumatic experience for both of us and quite spoils a walk.
So we are going for short, successful strolls and doing more training.
The aim is for him to listen and look at me on command when we are out?. this will probably take some time but I am determined!
Alfie is just dog tired??.
He sounds like a handful then I guess chasing is so strongly imprinted on his breed.
Hi Kate,
Nice to see you back blogging again. I had the same issues with William when I brought him home. Even now 4+ years on the sight of a fox, cat, squirrel or puppy sends him off in a frenzy. I used to hold him on a short lead and force him to look at me saying in a calm firm voice ‘watch me’ over and over, moving into his line of vision if he tried to look away. He is so much better now that I don’t have to hold his head and he knows that ‘watch me’ means to calm down. Even now William still tries to stare out the stone cat which sleeps outside the door to our vets in an attempt to make it move so he can chase it!
Unfortunately it is the same old slow process; time and consistency which will win through and nothing will happen overnight (Much as we would like it to!)