Trips to the Park

We’ve been venturing further afield this week down to the big Meltham Hall park. Apparently it’s not called that any more, but whatever, it is.

This means 15mins of on-lead road walking to get there and back, which is definitely something we need to work on. All my dogs pull on the lead, I’m rubbish at training them not to. Mainly because we never have to walk anywhere on lead, so it seems like a pointless kind of skill. I’m trying to be better with Rio and teach her not to pull, we’re about 60% there but we have relapses.

We’re mainly hitting the park as there is a big children’s playground and a duck pond, so lots of small children running wild and free. So far we’ve only managed to say hi to shy and very small children, which Rio doesn’t have a problem with, but it’s still good practise.

We have also met a very over-exuberant Weimaraner who flattened her a couple of times, and I wish I’d had Kim with me on that occasion as it might have learnt some manners. Sadly we also met an intolerant Bichon as well on that walk, not a successful day. I don’t mind people having nervous dogs – I’ve got one! – but they need to be aware of it and act accordingly. Encouraging my puppy to come closer so you can have a cuddle when you have a nervous dog on a lead isn’t good for my dog or yours.

Rio is slowly coming around to the idea that ducks aren’t scary too. We’ll see if she can get over that by the end of the week!