We still see him retreat when he gets overwhelmed -- and we really can't tell what triggers that sometimes -- and he doesn't do a lot of things (yet) that our dogs have always done. But he tests the waters to see if what we're suggesting is reasonable, and once he's content that no harm will come to him, he's willing to give it a chance.
But I'm reporting in today because the three of us went on an adventure, and while we didn't know what to expect, I personally had a hunch it was going be a good move, because the one kind of training Mojo has clearly had in his past life was leash training. We have no idea why someone trained him to walk at heel so well when they mucked up every other part of their relationship with him, but he is excellent on a leash. So, we decided it was time for a trip to the Forest Preserve.
And, as luck would have it, we happen to live right across the road from a great one.
So, we combined two new experiences in one today: car riding and public walking. The car ride was the trickier of the two: he wouldn't get in the car on his own, but Jay rode in the back with him and he didn't shake or whine or anything. He was willing to jump out on his own, and then we did almost 2 1/2 miles on the pathways. He stayed at heel all the time, walked tall, and kept up with us the whole way. Frankly, he had a blast and so did we.
We didn't encounter any other animals, wild or otherwise, this time, but we plan to add walks to our regular routine and I think he's going to be a willing participant from here on out. How much more fun a walk is when you have a dog with you who's good on a leash!
And Wednesday, we all start our 8-week obedience class ... so I imagine there will be many progress posts coming down the line once we get going with that.
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