Training a terrier ... continued

Despite daily training, I'm gradually accepting the fact that what we affectionately have termed "terrier mode" is just something to be expected with Khloe. Our daily walks are training sessions, and lately I feel we are actually walking together, with eye contact and a slack lead, some of the time anyway. I'll call that progress! We're working on "heel" a little bit, and she definitely knows this from prior training with a previous owner because she has started sitting when I stop walking--something I did not train her to do. Despite our progress, some days I cannot help but feel like Khloe views me simply as her very own, very generous walking doggy treat dispenser. And I'm okay with that.

If you haven't yet, be sure to check out the "Just Keep Sniffing" collection I've put together at Zazzle. In the collection you will find funny dog training tanks and tees and humorous, customizable "Terrier Mode" dog beds and door mats, as well as Christmas ornaments and stockings for the C.O.O. (Chief Olfactory Officer) of the family.

Just Keep Sniffing by katz_d_zynes

Training a terrier - (I do believe) it is possible

Patience, patience, patience ... We're making slow but steady progress with Khloe by continually praising and/or rewarding her for good behavior and for making eye contact with us as we're working on teaching her "watch me." Those rare instances when I am able to divert her attention back on me during her "hyper-reactive" behaviors feel like such a huge accomplishment. Khloe has a number of triggers that send her into crazy, lunging, barking terrier mode - a passing vehicle, or pretty much anything with wheels, is one of the biggies. One day I decided to take Khloe out to sit near the road with me, and with a pocketful of treats we'd work on sit, down, and "watch me" when a vehicle passed. This went well until a motorcycle passed ... I got her calmed down again for a few more vehicles and then, what the ... ? I couldn't believe my eyes. What I initially thought was a police officer pulling a driver over was actually a police officer just driving very slowly and escorting--wait for it--a small group of runners, followed by an ambulance and flanked by a motorcycle, and I think there was also a bicycle in the mix, too. Plus traffic was backed up behind this group--more motorcycles, of course, which were allowed to pass the runners and caused traffic to slow in the opposite direction almost in front of us ... trucks, one with a boat trailer. All I could do was laugh my ass off while I waved to the nice police officer and held tightly to my crazy, lunging, barking terrier's harness. Little did I know we would have a front row seat for the "trigger parade." :)

How?

How a person can ultimately decide the best thing they can do for a dog is to leave him tied up on the roadside then drive away is beyond me. Earlier this week I came upon a dog in this very situation. My first call was to the business owner to confirm the dog wasn't known, after which I contacted emergency services to arrange for the dog to be picked up by dog control. A very sweet boy, a beagle much like our Lola, I stayed with him while waiting for dog control. I could hear him whimpering as I parked my vehicle, obviously scared and confused, and he continued to tremble as I petted and comforted him. He sure did enjoy having his shoulder blade scratched though, and the double-shoulder-blade scratch elicited a roll onto his side for a belly rub.

Of course Khloe got extra kisses and belly rubs that night.

Quick, while it's still sunny ...

A runner or a sprinter I am not, but since our furry best friend is a terrier with a bit of pent up energy (daily walks this winter are few and far between due to temperatures hovering around or below 0F most days), when the temperature hits 20F and Khloe does get to go outside on leash, well, out the door and off we go … and I acquiesce with a 60 second sprint. After that (phew!) we walk (again, phew!) and I work on having her “check in” with me. I take a couple of her yummy treats with me and break them up as we walk, rewarding her if she looks at me when I call her name or if she looks at me, or “checks in,” even if I don’t call her name. I’ve tried “heel” with her, and she seems to already know that, but of greater importance is that she pay attention to me when I call her – we can work on “heel” later. A few weeks ago she somehow broke free of her leash, but luckily I had a few remaining treats in my pocket so, when I called her and offered her a treat, she quickly reversed her sprint away from me so I could grab her. Our little terrier walking beside us outdoors sans leash is a lofty but worthy goal.