February 17, 2005
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Class went great tonight. I think it helped that when the teacher left the room I said something about how I felt bad after the last class, like we had gotten away from positive comments and focused too much on the negative. It was a kinder, gentler class tonight.
And the pieces were better. People wrote some really personal stuff. A meth addict read something she’d written while in rehab and then a follow-up piece about where she was now with it. It was two different people.
It was cold here, in Portland, but the sun blazed all day long. Since I was over there, I decided to take the puppy to my old trail in the woods. I agreed to drive the youngest to school and pick her up because her dad went on the same ski vacation I wrote about. He took his girlfriend. That’s starting to bug me, can you tell? I’m not sure why.
Anyway, it was HEAVEN being back in those woods, like I got back a little piece of the old me. Those were hard times so you wouldn’t think I’d want that back. It was a simpler life then, just focusing on my health, and when I was in the woods I would be so grateful. So it almost seemed frivolous today, tromping through there with the puppy.
I decided to keep her on the leash the whole time and just go a short ways. It was frustrating to her so I stopped and let her off. I figured it would be okay if I didn’t move, like it wasn’t part of the walk. I don’t think I should let her off the leash any more at the river, so I’ve decided to take the dogs one at a time. I’ve never had a dog like this. When she was off the leash she never went more than 20 feet away from me. She just ran in circles until she got tired and putting her back on the leash was no problem. This is probably boring but I worry about the right way to go about this training thing. Like if you let the dog walk in front of you once, you’re never gonna get them back to a heel.
That’s how I was with my kids. It seemed easier, I don’t know if it was right. I’d make a rule and never deviate from it so as to avoid future negotiating.
Comments (7)
I’m glad your class went better. People are always much more productive in a positive environment…
I have a Springer Spaniel who would choke herself on the leash she pulled so hard. I think I bought every contraption going to try to get her to walk normally. Nothing ever worked. We lived next to a school, so she was mostly off leash, and then it was just to train her to stay away from the roads. She’s 5 1/2 now, and is better walking with a ‘harness’ – but she does heel beautifully at roads…which we have one to cross to get to the high school (that light photo is where we start out on our school walk)…or two to cross to get to the park with the dog beach. Anyway, lots of people, when I lived downtown, stopped and talked about dogs like mine, and basically she likes to circle me, keeping, I dunno, a distance of 20′? but barky if a guy comes towards me (how does she know the difference between heavily coated men and women?). She actually seems quite well trained now, considering what we started with and her nature. I’ve always preferred to give her freedom wherever possible. But, yes, I did always carry kibble with me, usually just her dog food, and used it generously to teach her…and when she ran on the road as a pup, well it was into her dog kennel, which was shut tight, and she was ignored for long enough for her to whimper, and the separation was all so traumatic for her, she’s a very affectionate dog, that she stopped venturing onto the road by herself…
How’d I get into all this- I doubt anyone else would say I have a well trained dog – she jumps up happily on other people, though never me unless I tell her to – so much for training.
And thank you, thank you, you wonderful, beautiful, caring, brilliant, sensitive, wise woman for your supportive comments at my site. I love you, Pru! Hugs and have a happy day!
Glad class went well! I think it’s great that you can speak up about the atmosphere and make a difference there. Probably many shared your thoughts but were afraid to speak up about it.
Talking about puppies is never boring. I’m glad the class went well, too. Sometimes you just need the right energy to provoke honest writing. I was in a poetry writing class, and the teacher is known for being eccentric and sometimes making people cry. I think he was actually easy on me because I was intelligent and quiet. I wish he had dug into my stuff more. But then I realized that he only picks fights with people who start them. To each his own. Sorry for blogging in your comment box, and enjoy the woods some more for me
sounds like a good class!
Yes, the dogs’ personalities can be so different. My border collie didn’t need a leash and would just trot within 5-10 feet UNLESS there was a moving tennis ball, in which case he would have run in front of a Mac truck to get it! If he was on leash, he pulled. This new one…someone trained her. She’s about 1.5 years old but was picked up stray with 2 3-4 week old puppies so someone wasn’t taking really good care of her. Yet she walks beautifully on the leash! She doesn’t seem to know any commands like sit or come though, but comes when I talk to her and use her name. And yes, firm rules are best. No thought required on any one’s part. This is not allowed. That is allowed. No grey.
My mom’s a fantastic mother, but one thing she could have improved on when we were little was never to give in to a rule. We’d be much better kids now