Tuesday Topics 3 - How to Deal with Dog Distraction

I like how Cabana's tail fur goes into a little spin at the end. Hey, is that what a tailspin is?

But wait, that's not my Tuesday Topic question. Here it is.

Cabana's biggest obstacle to good behavior is dog distraction. She is fairly good on the leash when no one else is around, but when there are other people, especially with their dogs--and especially with their dogs OFF-LEASH (my biggest pet peeve in the world)...then it's difficult to keep Cabana under control.

I do what I can to minimize distractions. I only walk the pretty, popular walking paths on rainy or overcast days and avoid them when it's sunny because I know everyone and their uncles will be there. On nice days, I walk on busier streets where people are less inclined to allow their dogs off-leash. Or on weekends, I try to go extra early, before the sleep-in types get their butts in gear.

When people/dogs are approaching, even at quite a distance away, Cabana goes into alert mode, walking briskly with her head and ears raised up, and the pulling begins. Then, when the person passes, she will often try to jump on them. Sometimes, after the person passes, she still has that residual excitement and keeps turning to look at them or jumps around or even tries to bite her leash. Sometimes, it makes her plain ornery, like she's telling me, "You always spoil my fun." As a mom, I've definitely heard THAT before!

I try to be ready when this is happening. To get Cabana focused on me, I talk to her, call her name, have a treat ready to give her, hold her leash/head collar down so she can't jump....It all helps, but it's a lot of effort. I guess that's why I'd rather avoid people than go through it a bazillion times each day.

Really, it comes down to the fact that I don't really know what I'm doing, doesn't it? What am I doing wrong? Exactly when should I give the treat? At what exact moment do I give a correction? And (insert whiney voice) when is it going to get better?!?

Pet Peeve

Our county has a strict leash law, which states that all dogs must be on-leash and under control at all times (except in fenced dog parks or your own fenced yard). The owner is also required to clean up after their dog.

However, it SHOCKS and annoys me how many dog owners let their dogs run around off-leash. Sure, their dog may be well-behaved and voice-trained. But the leash law doesn't stipulate that well-behaved dogs are allowed off-leash and only ill-mannered ones have to be leashed.

On the walking path near my house, I see at least 2-3 dogs being "walked" off-leash every single day. How can the owner clean up after their dog if he's just defecated way over on the other side of the field? And what if I don't want their dog coming over and sniffing out my dog? By having their dog off-leash, I am subjected to their lack of control, and my rights are being encroached.

As a dog owner myself, I can understand the desire to let your dog run free. But I also understand that not everyone loves my dog, something that most dog owners don't seem to get. Just because YOU love your dog and don't mind it jumping on you or sniffing you or even coming up to you in a well-mannered fashion, doesn't mean that everyone else is okay with it.

My sister is deathly afraid of animals, and I always think about her when I see dogs off-leash. She would not be able to go for a leisurely walk through our neighborhood because she would be constantly accosted by dogs off-leash. Her fear is not a rational one, so it doesn't matter if the owner says, "My dog is friendly." She just doesn't want to be anywhere near a dog. Because these dog owners are not abiding the leash law, my sister and others like her can't even take a stroll through their neighborhoods. What a travesty.

But what a creep I would seem to be if I told all these dog owners that I pass, "Can you please leash your dog?" I can't even imagine it. So what is the answer? Should policemen patrol the neighborhood to hand out fines to all my neighbors? I don't have any good ideas, except to blog about it here.