Walking down the street one day with my dog Ginger…
I reached my breaking point.
It was clear to everyone we passed on the sidewalk who was walking who and who was in control.
I was so fed up with her pulling me towards other dogs, and this particular summer day there were lots of people enjoying a walk with their dogs, until we came along.
I had just prevented her from attacking two small dogs who were minding their own business. As soon as I loosened my grip a little she pulled me towards a way bigger dog who was well mannered and reserved ,until, Ginger lunged too closely while I was still trying to regain my balance. Plus she was very powerful for a 65 pounder.
Next thing I knew I was laying on top of her at risk of getting bit by both dogs.
After the owner ushered the other dog away I got up all dirty and disheveled…
looking like a defeated fool.
Ginger was always a rambunctious dog. I could never seem to get her to leave people alone. A friend of mine who was a chauffeur came over one day all dressed up and she jumped on him making a mess of his suit.
Whenever another animal was present she would go absolutely nuts, whether it was a squirrel, or another dog passing by she would pull me towards the other animal with all her might. Living in a city, having to share a sidewalk with others, this became a real burden.I had to keep her leash really short in order to prevent her from dashing towards passing animals, especially, other dogs.
One day she darted after a squirrel on the opposite side of the street and almost got hit by a car. It was winter and the roads were snowy. The driver slid within inches of smashing her at like 30mph before coming to a halt on the slippery street.
It was all leading up to that moment on that summer day when I brushed myself off disgusted with what my life had become because of my lack of control over my dog.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
I began to fantasize about her being dead and being free from the hassle.
How could I think this way? I genuinely loved her. But I was desperately frustrated. I began to pray to God in my head. Give me an answer! Please!
Then something caught my eye a few feet ahead of us on the left.
Propped up against a giant oak tree like the stone tablets revealed to Moses there it was…
“The Canine Good Citizen”
What is “The Canine Good Citizen”? As the name implies, it’s a program developed by the American Kennel Club to promote responsible dog ownership. If you would like to save yourself years of embarrassment, frustration, and possibly even legal trouble, I recommend buying this book. Chances are you wont acquire it the way I did.
To be continued…
Thanks for Reading
Totally get where you are coming from!! My dog is leash reactive with other dogs, but does great with plenty of space and no restraint in meeting new pups. I end up “defensive driving” while on walks, which is not all that enjoyable for either of us. Luckily, I’ve found a great trainer and resources to understand how this problem developed (me, haha) and how to work on it. We are getting there!! Maybe check out some harnesses for walking to make it easier on your arms. Fenzi dog sport academy has great online courses, tips, blogs to help you along as well!! Good luck on your journey for CGC!!
Thanks Aisling!
AWESOME #1 BLOG
Thanks Zavier
Ginger and Gotti got along. Throw steak on the floor, they shared. The one time a donut fell on the floor? They almost got into a fight. Haha. Ginger was great.
Thanx Jason. Gotti and Ginger got along great. He was one or the few.
I’ve noticed that if I allow snoopy to get familiar with other dogs he calms right down. It’s when I try to stop him from seeing other dogs that he freaks out. I think more often than not we cause our animal to act like this accidentally.
Thanks Ariel