Blocked by a Great Dane

This morning I took Bogie for his walk.  Just him.  Not with Angel.  We walked/jogged about a mile and a half.  No I didn't jog the whole distance.  Maybe a third.  

We got back to the front door.  I opened the security door and took the lead off, as I have for the past 3 or 4 months.  As I opened the inside door to enter, Bogie got distracted and took off.  Well, that answers the question of whether he will still run off.  

Now, we’re working on Come Here.  But Stop works.  Stay works.  I thought.  Apparently, they only work when he is on the leash. 

Arghh! 

I've learned my lesson and don't try to catch him on foot.  I rushed to the car and drove after him.  After our long walk, he wasn't as ambitious as in previous escapes.  Bogie had only gone 4 houses away and was sniffing at their gate.  I stopped in the middle of the street, opened the car door, and called to him.  He jumped right in.

Shunning is my punishment of choice.  Back at the house, I left the Gentle Leader on him because I know he doesn't like it.  I took Angel and we went for her walk.  This is more of a meander that covers only about a quarter mile.  When I got back, I ignored Bogie except to tell him to Sit and take the Gentle Leader off. 

I fed them, washed their bowls, took my vitamins and ate my breakfast.  All the while ignoring Bogie.  I wasn't sure he even noticed he was being shunned.  When I finished reading the newspaper, I went outside to feed the birds. 

As I topped off the water bucket, Bogie stood right in front of me, leaning up against my legs.  I still had barely spoken to him.  

I went to step forward and he didn't move.  I pushed him lightly with my knee, but he didn't budge.  "Move", I said quietly.  He looked at me.  I took a step back, intending to go around him.  He followed. 

I was now pinned with the water bucket to my right, the metal hose container behind me, and Bogie blocking me.  I looked at him.  He looked at me.  I petted him.  And he let me move. 

Apparently he *had* noticed he was being shunned.  

And didn't like it. 

I was embarrassed by my dog's ill behavior

A couple weeks ago, I was walking Bogie, my Great Dane, by himself.  We were walking south down a main street and spied another dog walker two large black Giant Schnauzers walking north.

Hers were being very well-behaved.  There was a point where our paths were going to cross.  I needed to turn east to go home.  She wanted to continue north.

Bogie was being uncooperative, ignoring my commands to Heel.  I had to struggle to keep him under control.   We made the turn at the corner.  I couldn't fight him and walk, so I sat him just past the corner.  Or that was the intention.  He wouldn't Sit or Stay.  She and her dogs were about 10 feet north of the corner.  All was well.

Not.

I had a grip on it, but Bogie slipped out of his Gentle Leader halter.  Until that moment, I hadn't realized it was too loose.  He ran straight to her dogs with me chasing after.  I said, "Don't worry.  He's friendly."  just as he started to growl at her male dog.

Cringe.

I captured him before anything could happen, but I was so embarrassed.   His bad behavior reflected on my skills as a trainer and pet parent.  I wished often that I could see her again to apologize.  And to explain that he was actually better behaved than when I got him.

So I was kind of glad when I was walking both Angel and Bogie this morning and we ran into her again.  We were on opposite sides of the street.  I had Bogie under much better control, although he did fight me a bit.

I hollered "I'm sorry."  

She hollered back, "It's okay.  They have to learn,  But it sucks for us."

That moment of understanding erased the guilt I had been holding onto since our last encounter.

Not related to the story, but these are the beasties involved.