I hate walking Inara

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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 21st, 2009, 10:18 am

This is just a rant, so feel free to completely ignore me. I just feel like I'm going to scream or cry right now (or, more likely, both).

I hate walking Inara. With a passion. I absolutely hate it. We have two kinds of walks - short training walks where she's on only her flat collar and we do "penalty yards," so we pretty much end up walking back and forth over the same quarter mile. Or we do exercise walks, where I put her Halti on her and we WALK. These are at least 45 minutes long, much longer if I don't lose my temper.

I lost my temper today so we cut our exercise walk short. There was a person walking a dog towards us on the sidewalk across the street. They were still pretty far down and Inara hadn't noticed them, so I decided to turn it into a training opportunity. I put her in a sit and we worked on eye contact, and then once she noticed the dog I clicked for glancing at the dog. No luck though. This totally inoffensive, well-behaved dog who didn't even make eye contact with her just pushed her over the edge. She didn't bark and act out, but she also forgot I existed. So I took her collar in both hands and physically restrained her so she couldn't stare at the dog. What pushed me over the edge was the other woman - she gave me this look like I was swinging Inara around my head by a prong collar, just horrified. I smiled sweetly and said, "good morning!" and she hurried on by. But for some reason that just did me in. I can't freaking win. She wasn't even barking and lunging like she used to do and I still get the looks like I'm abusing my dog. She pulls non-stop on the Halti and it takes every ounce of self-control not to pick her up by it and scream at her, literally. I have to just tuck some fingers into my jeans to keep myself from punishing her with the leash/Halti. I hate myself for feeling that way, but I just want to hit her. So badly.

I came home and locked her in her crate right away. Fed her breakfast in there and now she's sitting in there giving me doggy eyes. But I'm afraid if I let her out I'll snap at her for something stupid, and this isn't her fault. I can't stand it. I really want to train her using only positive methods but I can't train MYSELF to have the patience to do so. Right now I want nothing more than to slap a prong back on her, give her a couple really solid corrections and be able to take a nice long walk with her.

I know all the ways to get her to walk nicely on a loose leash, and she'll do it for a few minutes here and there during our brief training walks, but we both just need some exercise. How long will it take me to get away from my "training with positive punishment" roots??? I truly just hate myself right now and feel like the worst dog owner in the world. I can't stand it.
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby ArtGypsy » November 21st, 2009, 10:45 am

OH LIz.................... :hug3:

I feel your pain....................I really do.

Although I can't offer you any advice, but I can offer you this little Hug-ana-Pat.......

Your frustration sounds exactly like the same kind of 'pushed to the edge' feeling parents of children get as well..

I wish I could help you............... :(
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby mnp13 » November 21st, 2009, 11:44 am

Of course, there is nothing wrong with training how you are training... but you are experiencing the problem that steers me away from it with some dogs. At some point, it's nice to just get out there and enjoy life with your dog. :|

I do not think P+ is a "short cut" method of training, it's a different method. You are not a "bad" person for thinking about using P+, or having used P+. Yes, in the past you went to a P+ trainer who was horrible and shut Inara down - but when you were here she was fine with me on her prong collar. She needed fair, and that other trainer was not fair. She responded very well to the trainer that you went to with the e-collar, have you thought about going back to that at all?

Make no mistake though, even with a prong collar, there are times when I end up in the exact same position that you are in right now - dog in the crate and me ready to explode because even with a prong they are acting like a jackass and my temper is getting the best of me.

Give her one of her deer legs in her crate and she'll be happy for the rest of the day in there.
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Postby BigDogBuford » November 21st, 2009, 12:08 pm

No advice but trust me.....we've ALL been there! I'm super frustrated with Farrah right now. My usual training methods aren't working and I've had it up to here! *points to top of head*

*hugs*
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Postby Patch O' Pits » November 21st, 2009, 12:41 pm

IF I am feeling frustrated or think I don't have the patience to deal with training. I just skip it.

I am not a fan of halti's as I feel they can cause damage when used on strong persistent dogs JMO though...

I think the prong is a safer and more effective tool in most cases for stronger dogs who need something extra to help with training.

If you want to stay more positive you can still use a correction collar and treat and praise when she does as asked, so a combo of methods.

If she is very food drivy you can also try using dehydrated green tripe which most go bonkers for and even with distractions around her, that may help you.

here is an example of one type:
http://www.drharveys.com/products/show/22
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Postby Patch O' Pits » November 21st, 2009, 1:45 pm

OOps forgot to ask this.... Have you ever tried a martingale and or a harness for walks?
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 21st, 2009, 2:10 pm

Thanks for the kind words, all. It was a rough morning so I went and chopped off about 6 or 7 inches of my hair. I feel better now and I'll post a pic later.

I think I may end up resorting (not resorting, CHOOSING) to use the prong for our exercise walks. I can still practice loose-leash walking on her flat collar, but when I just want to take my dog for a freaking walk around the block, maybe I'll put her prong on. And I'll combine it with treats.

Therese, we've tried martingales (no help), regular harnesses (no help) and an Easy Walk harness (they lie with that name). Inara just doesn't care if her face is getting pulled on, or her chest/shoulders are being pulled sideways. She muscles right through it.

But thanks for listening. I really just needed to vent this morning. And I allowed her to come out of her crate after my hair cut and she was super lovey and is cuddled on the couch beside me right now.
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby Malli » November 21st, 2009, 2:12 pm

definitely not alone! I only don't notice it so much anymore because Oscar is older and mellower.

I think I've pretty well decided to use corrections for leash walks and try positive for the rest - I just can't have him being a knob on leash and I don't think my patience(or lack there of) can have it either.


Hang in there!
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Postby furever_pit » November 21st, 2009, 7:48 pm

I feel your pain. And it sux to not enjoy going for a walk with your dog.

I'm going through a similar thing with my Gator pup as he is a wild child and likes to pull and dash all over the place. I started by doing just the positive reinforcement but have already started popping him with his flat collar. The prong will be put on when he is a little older still.

Good luck with Inara!
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Postby ArtGypsy » November 21st, 2009, 7:55 pm

furever_pit wrote:I feel your pain. And it sux to not enjoy going for a walk with your dog.

I'm going through a similar thing with my Gator pup as he is a wild child and likes to pull and dash all over the place. I started by doing just the positive reinforcement but have already started popping him with his flat collar. The prong will be put on when he is a little older still.

Good luck with Inara!



I can "pop" Dar all I want, with his prong, but If he's really 'focused' on something, he totally ignores me. Sometimes I worry about walking him and he goes totally ape-shit over a squirrel or something and I fall on the Ice/snow, or he gets away from me, and runs into a car........... :o
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Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby amazincc » November 21st, 2009, 8:41 pm

Damned dogs... you know they're gonna be the death of all of us, right??? >( :nono:

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time, Liz. It's a good thing she's cute, huh???
Cuteness prevents people from strangling their unruly heathens a lot of times... I speak from personal experience. :wink: :hug3:
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Postby madremissy » November 21st, 2009, 8:49 pm

ArtGypsy wrote:

Your frustration sounds exactly like the same kind of 'pushed to the edge' feeling parents of children get as well..

I wish I could help you............... :(


Funny, that is exactly what I thought. Been there, done that with kids. My mom always told me that "some days you will not like them but you will always love them"

I wish I could help also.
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 22nd, 2009, 12:32 am

Thanks guys! She really is so freakin' lucky that she's adorable! She wouldn't have made it past puppy-hood if she wasn't. Little holy terror. :wink:
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby Hundilein » November 22nd, 2009, 12:33 am

pitbullmamaliz wrote:Thanks guys! She really is so freakin' lucky that she's adorable! She wouldn't have made it past puppy-hood if she wasn't. Little holy terror. :wink:

I know what you mean. Renee's ears have saved her so far. I just love stick up ears! :wink:
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Postby iluvk9 » November 22nd, 2009, 8:56 am

Good thing Inara can't read or she may be insulted by the title of this thread. :neener:
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Postby kera09 » November 22nd, 2009, 10:15 am

dont feel bad, i hate walking ava, she is horrible!!! but she is so stinkin cute!
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 22nd, 2009, 1:07 pm

Joyce, Inara probably feels the same way about me - "I hate walking my mom!" lol

Took her to my girlfriend's football game today on her prong. *sigh* What a difference. No pulling, mannerly, just a pleasure. She still over-reacted to a couple dogs and jumped on some people to say hello, but honestly, it was so much nicer. I feel guilty breaking the prong back out, but I know it's only temporary, until I can teach her to walk nicely on her flat collar.
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby call2arms » November 22nd, 2009, 1:25 pm

I feel for you too, Liz. Some days are ok, I'm more patient, and some days I lose it too.
Last night, it as with a cat. The damn thing sprung out of a corner and just stood there, hacles up and back rounded. Jessie went apes*it, lunging and growling and her leash was around my legs and almost made me fall... She's on a 1.5 inch flat leather collar, I lost it and as I grabbed her collar and pressed her butt to force her into a sit and calm-the-f*ck down she let out a yelp (come on, I give her play-butt slaps that hurt a lot more than grabbing a collar)... We kept walking, and the damn cat kept running after us! It was looking for it, I swear. Obviously with all the growling at the cat and yelping out of no-pain I got a real good dirty look from a guy who just came out of his driveway.

Then this morning... We walk, and someones comes into the same street (other side) as us with a samoyed on a flexi. It didn't even look at Jessie, but as soon as she heard him, she was all hackles up and pulling to get past the car to see him. I was able to really calmly make her sit, and then lay down (she was whining in protest) and you should have seen the look of the samoyed's owner... It was like I was torturing her or something, even though I was standing up straight as she was whining in her down.

But most times I don't care about the way people see me... Because I'm doing my best to keep my dog under control while their dogs just do whatever they want, pulling is ok, barking is ok, running around on a flexi is ok... My dog is simply not allowed to be a jerk and while I'm also trying to keep it positive, sometimes I lose it and just give her a correction/force her into a sit so that she'll actually snap out of whatever she's doing.

Sometimes I do wish I was better at being consistant, she was great in training class, would heel even with tons of other dogs around, but dammit, even the treat-distributor method loses it's interest in the streets.
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Postby airwalk » November 22nd, 2009, 7:12 pm

Can I join the sometimes I hate my dog club? Liz Magic is very nearly the same. I can take my two red dogs on walks together and manage their behaviors and walks easily (yes even the pup)...but Magic, I take him by himself because he requires my complete focus to walk properly and yep there are times when I get back I'm ready to kill him.
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » November 22nd, 2009, 7:13 pm

Is it wrong of me to be glad I'm not the only one who gets murderous ideas towards my dog?
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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