For me, being able to "learn as you go" has a lot of merit. We could have just talked about how to walk with your dog in busy places, how to hold the leash properly, what to do if there's a crowd or an off leash dog, etc. We could have covered all of that in the classroom, but doing so would have kept us all from really seeing how the things we talked about actually work in the real world. I could talk all day about keeping a loose leash, letting your dog sniff, and enjoying your time together, but really doing just that makes a huge difference.
Walking as a group gave everyone in class a sense of security; we all had each other's backs, watching for traffic, pointing out dropped food, and stopping to let the dogs sniff. We even worked together to move past an off leash dog on a sidewalk in town! We stopped and sat down to talk about our walk a couple of times, and more than one owner was amazed that their dog was happy to do so!
For me, our last walk as a class was particularly special as I brought one of my collies along as well. Desi is a social butterfly, but our walks are usually just he and I with my other collie, Ozzie. Occasionally, we have another family member along, but mostly it's just us. I think Desi enjoyed the change of pace, walking with some new people and dogs, and checking out downtown Los Altos. And, more importantly, the people in class got to see that I handle my dog the same way I tell them to handle theirs. I let Desi sniff, I talk to him about what we are doing, I have him sit before crossing the street, and I encourage people to approach and engage him. We don't interact with unfamiliar dogs when he is on leash and he doesn't go looking for that either. Desi knows a good walk when he is on one, and now these other dogs and their owners do too.
No comments:
Post a Comment