Its a miracle!

- - - - Friday, May 7, 2010 - - - -

Badger has finally learned to walk on a leash without pulling! I know this seems like a funny reason for a post but most of you don't understand the trouble he has been giving me. He loves going on walks but seriously charges the whole way like a little bull. When he started to approach 60 lbs, he was literally dragging me as we walked anywhere, choking himself the whole way. Ooo I knew I was in trouble! I tried to work with him one on one and train him the same way I did Bailey but it did not work even in the slightest. That's when my wonderful neighbor Molly mentioned to me a little training tool called a "Gentle Leader". If you have a "puller" puppy like I do, listen up because this was a lifesaver for me. The gentle leader (as Badger is proudly modeling in the pictures below) is just a small harness that goes over their nose and around their neck. I know it looks similar to a mussel but its really not - With it on, Badger can still freely open his mouth and pick up sticks while we walk. Anyways, when he starts to pull even a little bit, the harness pulls his head back and while it doesn't hurt him at all it seriously drives him nuts. At first he started shaking his head trying to get it off and pawing at his face, but after a while he realized that if he just stopped pulling he would be fine. Just one block with the Gentle Leader on and Badge was walking like a champ. Now I'm able to walk both dogs at the same time, fully in control of the situation, even with a little slack in the leash... it's a miracle!!


PS... This weekend is Jake's big cross-country trip in the T-1. I'll write a post on that later today with details!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

He is such a good boy!

Megan Yowell said...

That is a miracle!!! We were doing great with both of ours, but I feel like they are regressing LOL!

Candice Parisi said...

We were given one by a friend but I still have yet to try it out. Scram is a puller though so maybe now I'll put it on him now.

John said...

My wife is a asshole some times! I was going to write somthing about this post, but then she started giving me crap about talking about training dogs when my own two dogs are about as untrained as they come. SO instead now I get to write this post about a nagging wife!, I even cleaned the house and did lawn work today and this is the thanks I get!!!!....

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