The kids are back in school now, husband is off at work and it's just me and the dogs. Our daily walks are pretty routine, but Leila still wigs out whenever we come across another dog (which is often in this neighborhood) and won't even walk PAST the gate to the dog park; instead she throws herself into the ivy along the pathway and refuses to budge. At first her fear of other dogs was kind of quirky and endearing, now it's just pissing me off. Other dog walkers look at me sympathetically as I struggle to keep my balance when Leila puts on the afterburners to race past another dog on a leash. They figure that maybe I am trying to rehabilitate a dog that was once attacked...little do they know that Leila's only affliction is that she is spoiled stupid. When she freaks out and runs, Bodie feeds off that hysteria and puts it in gear as well. Me at the other end of two leashes really doesn't stand a chance with that horsepower pulling me along. I think one time my eight-year old actually got airborne for a minute.
That being said, if I am ever going to break Leila of this "oh-my-GAWD-there's-another-dog!" adrenaline rush, I cannot really rely on the occasional passers-by on our morning walks to cure her. I am going to have to force the issue and go to where there are other dogs in a controlled environment and make her understand that they are not all out to kill her.
Time for Obedience School!!
Yes, I know, I should really have started this earlier when they were younger and less strong, I just didn't make enough of an effort. The dogs are actually pretty well-trained with my home-schooling and have the sit-and-stay routine down pretty well, especially if there is a treat involved. I figured I could have them Hollywood-trained ready in my own house in no time! Sure!! The thing is, there is not a lot of other-dog traffic in my house (just a moth-eaten stray cat whom I am sure is the cause of all this misery in the first place). I needed the dog school more for the social interaction rather than the academics, not unlike dropping your three-year old child of at daycare for the first time. You don't expect them to prove the binomial theorem, just share the Tinker Toys once and awhile.
On our first day of pup-school, we entered the "classroom" which consisted of several spindly-legged plastic stools and little else. We took our place on one side and sat to wait on the teacher. The other "students" in the class consisted of a terrier-poodle mix that was cute and easy-going but somewhat lacking in the social graces, a Yorkie with a rather bad haircut who snarled and glared at the terrier, and an enormous pit-bull that looked like she had been carved out of a side of beef. My two sat by us in the corner, with Leila trying her best to fade into the back wall in hopes that no one noticed her. The teacher, a jolly little man named Ken, came in to greet us and say hello to each of his new pupils. When he got to our corner, Bodie gave him a half-hearted tail wag but gladly accepted the ear-scratches he gave him on his head. Leila, on the other hand, made one point abundantly clear.She could not stand Ken.
The other dog owners smiled in amusement when Ken tried to pet Leila and she backed into the corner, eyes wide with terror, and then tried in vain to climb into my purse. We had only been there five minutes and already she was gunning for the "Most Likely to be Expelled" award. Something told me this was going to be a very long six weeks. Ken let her be and started teaching the class, talking about methods to get them to focus, sit and stay, and all the other things my pups knew by heart. He even demonstrated with Bodie, who went along willingly when he found out there were jerky treats involved. Bodie has his own phobias about other dogs but has come up with the idea that if he doesn't look at them, they don't really exist. So when the happy terrier took a few steps toward him, Bodie examined the ceiling, took a glance to his right as if he saw Elvis walk by, and generally looked everywhere but at the grey fluffy terrier in the snazzy red harness vest trying in vain to get his attention. If Leila would even get THAT far I'd be thrilled!
As the weeks went on, Leila slowly warmed up to Ken and would allow him to pet her head without her trying to turn herself inside out to get away from him. She walked past the other dogs with great trepidation, all muscles tensed and ready to take off at breakneck speed if one should so much as flinch. Amusingly enough, the owners of the pissy Yorkie did not return after the first class. I'm told they transferred to another class that had only small dogs because "they were afraid the bigger dogs would hurt their small dog." Seriously? Not only were both my dogs terrified by this little yapping bad-hair-day of a dog, but I was beginning to fear for my life as well! The giant pit bull, as it turns out, was the most mellow of the students and could truly care less. I wish I had some of her mojo!
The pups finished their course with less-than-flying-colors but they got the general gist of it. More importantly, they were able to eventually maintain a small level of dignity when locked into a room with two other dogs. They still don't like other dogs and I don't think these two other students will be on their Christmas card list anytime soon, but at least I can now manage them in a way that they don't sent me flying off my feet when we pass other dogs on a walk. On our final class, Ken placed graduation caps on their heads and awarded them their diplomas. Bodie wore his hat with pride, especially when Ken diverted his attention with a liver treat long enough for my daughter to snap his official graduation photo. In putting the cap on Leila, she immediately turned into the Whirling Dervish of Tasmanian Devils and sent the hat flying, bucking like a bronco. No liver treat was going to get that thing on her head! Hell, even a T-bone steak wasn't going to cut it at this point.
I guess I have more work to do with my wild child. I know there is a "Most Likely to Succeed" badge somewhere in her future. With my luck, it will have a pissy Yorkie guarding it.
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| Bodie the proud graduate |
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| Leila...not so much. |
