I started my work day @ 6:30 AM this morning meeting with an 88 year old client and her rescue dog with "exuberance" issues at Pine Point Beach. Our goal was to make the young dog more aware of where people were when she got to playing. Young dogs learn body awareness over time, and this one, sometimes "forgets" everything except the moment, which can be quite dangerous for her aging human.
All my kids know to speak loudly when dogs come thundering towards them. My youngest daughter can often be heard chiming "watch out for me!!!", and for the most part that works. My client also uses a walking cane and she plants that firmly in front of her to help make a barrier. Often her friends will step right in front of her to protect her.
I showed everyone how to stand tall and use their energy to keep the dogs away. I showed them all how body posture can be mistaken as in invitation to approaching dogs. Think force field. It is why your dog doesn't jump on me (usually!) Dogs have a big thing about "space".
The dog did get one brief time out so she had a chance to calm down and regroup and we are also working on endless sits. Maturation is really what this dog needs and that will take a bit more time.
This dog and owner relish their morning walks and it does wonders to help the dog be calm and manageable in the house. It was great to see the community pitching in to help her manage the dog. I will write more about this dog soon, and about how we have successfully taught her to meet and greet visitors at home even in times of great, over the top, busting in her britches excitement.

After they went home, my 5 year old daughter and I let our 2 dogs out of the car.

Pine Point is open to dogs in the summer off leash from 6-9 AM.

It is a horrible place.

Ugly and depressing.

The dogs hate it.

Don't go.

Next Dog Beach- Peaks Island
Charlee and I, along with Jenny Yasi and her dogs, will be doing another Freestyle demo at the Common Hound Fair on Sunday. This is part of the weekend long Peaks Fest.

Update! Of course it is a fish head!

E-mail this entry to a friend