Sunday, Monday, Tuesday

Sunday at Home

Banjo found another escape route on Sunday and has to be supervised or on the veranda again. He only seems to escape where he sees the kids climb the fence. I think he figures that if they can do it, there must be a way, and sets about finding it. This time it is logs near the fence that can be climbed on to get over.

The park trip didn't happen. We did a short session on the foot path till a dog came out and Banjo got too distracted, and a quick session in the yard when our neighbour, his young son, and small dog 'Scrappy' came over. He didn't do so great to be honest, but at least we trained a bit.

Finally We Get INSIDE The Dog Park

On Monday the dog park was miraculously empty when we arrived, so I decided to go in and do some fetch and catch before training. Once we were in there with so many doggy smells, fetch was far too boring for him to be bothered with. Even cheese, ham and chicken loaf, and carob drops right under his nose could not distract him from the smells.

A German Shepherd dog arrived, they met politely and had a big play. We went out of the park and did some heel work, then back in for another play. More and more dogs arrived, I think there were twelve or so when we left. He was very good at meeting them all politely, no bounding up to them head on, just a slow approach and a sniff. Oe wolf houd cross looking dog growled at him and he walked away.

He really just loved the German Shepherd dog though. While their meeting was quite polite Banjo just didn't know when enough was enough. The GSD was walking away, laying down and generally trying to ignore him, but Banjo just kept going, so we left.

When we are out he has an annoying habit of staying just out of reach when I have a lead in my hand, lest I put it on him and stop his fun, so every few minutes I would walk up to him, lead in hand, and grab his collar, offer him a treat and let him go again. (He never ate the treats, the other dogs were far more interesting than treats)

Obedience

Wow, He did great! A different dog to last week. I think the big play earlier in the day helped a lot, but hey, he got to practice behaving well with all those other dogs about! Hooray!

I was bit taken aback when the instructor described him as fear aggressive to the rest of the class. This must be from what Jane has told him. He has never been aggressive with other dogs at all. Unless barking back when dogs are barking at him and trying to pull me over to them counts as aggressive??? Maybe it is my use of the word 'Lunge' that has caused a misunderstanding, or maybe that is considered aggression. Or perhaps because it would appear aggressive, so could easily cause a fight? I will have to ask her and clarify.

Anyway, Banjo had excellent focus as we walked between two line ups of dogs. After the lesson he tried to drag me off to play with another dog and the instructor commented on how well he is doing for a fear aggressive dog, being able to walk between all the other dogs, and that even when he dragged me after the lesson he obviously just wanted to play and wasn't being aggressive at all.

I did explain that we have not had any probems except when he is being barked at, and then he just wants to bark back, get over to them and sniff them to say hello properly. He really didn't seem to hear and continued along with the 'fear aggressive' thing. Maybe he thinks I am in denial, or maybe I really am in denial. I will ask Jane what she thinks.

More Training Outside The Park

Tuesday (yesterday) the dog park was full again with the pet sitting lady's dogs. As soon as a car pulls into the car park, they all run to the gate barking. As soon as a dog gets out of the car they start carrying on louder, barking, some growling, some biting at the fence. I wish she would call them away from the gate. Seriously, who is going to open that gate and let their dog meet that pack head on? I am starting to get more than a little annoyed with the lack of etiquette, but at least I know where to go to train with dogs providing distraction. On the flip side, maybe she is getting annoyed with that idiot who insists on parading her dog up and down on the other side of the fence, causing her dogs to riot.