Training breakthrough with Lucy

Today I had a major breakthrough with Lucy. This may seem elementary to those of you that are experts w/ dog training, but for me it was a huge revelation. One of the things that I have been working with Lucy on is getting her to focus on me when we are out on walks or out in public. She has a tendency to become unglued when we are out and she sees things that attract her....thing like...well just about everything....and even treats won't get her attention. So, today when I put the leash on her to go for a walk it occurred to me that her flipping out begins when I put the leash on...at home! She started right in w/ the whining and crying that turns into barking and I thought to myself...ok what do they say to do when a dog exhibits behavior you don't want? Ignore it, right. So, I decided I wasn't going to move from the spot I was standing in until she stopped. We literally stood there staring out the garage door for 30 minutes w/ her whining and crying and barking the entire time. My kids were like, "Mom are we ever going on this walk?" But, I persisted and lo and behold she finally got bored and realized we weren't going anywhere and she stopped the crying and so I went ahead and walked with her out the door. She started again in the driveway and I stopped again and stood there until she stopped crying and then we went on our way. Well, she didn't bark, cry or whine one time on our entire walk! And, she was much more focused on me too. Unbelievable! I wish I had come up w/ this a year and a half ago...but better late than never.

Congratulations! That's great! I'll have to try that with my 2, they get so hyper before walks and I'm usually too impatient to wait for them to calm down, so they continue to bark and run around like wild things Next time I walk them I'm going to try it too, I'm so glad it worked for you!

hmmmm I'm going to tri this with my 5 year old Abbey. She goes ballistic when she sees the leash or me grab for my purse as that means I'm leaving. Also, goes ballistic when we're in the car and it gets put into park or ignition turned off--means we're getting out. Definitely going to try this.

Aimee - you must have an infinite amount of patience. All of mine except Riley go crazy for walks, barking and going at each other as if to say "I'm going to be the first one out, not you". When the weather gets nicer, maybe I'll put ear plugs in and blinders on and try it. Congratulations to you. Let us know how it goes from now on - if Lucy continues to be calmer.

Good for you!!! Isn't it funny....six years later and I'm still figuring things out!! That is what we do with the dogs, if they start out excited they never calm down, so everyone has to sit and be quiet until I open the front door, if they start, we stop. Light bulb moment!!