I meant to post about this yesterday morning - but my life got ahead of me.

Bear has been pretty decent on the leash (we use a cheap halter we bought from the dollar store since he'll outgrow it in a flash anyways) but as of late he's been starting to pull - especially when we round the bend and turn onto our street. Pull pull pull!

Well, yesterday I was maxed out on stress from life and I was running late but I told Bear I wanted to take him for some walkies but we had to be quick. "15 mins, Bear. We have to be back in 15 mins." We got suited up and off we went.

He started pulling and I stopped walking, "Bear *sigh* you're pulling. Remember what I told you about pulling? You should not be doing that. Now walk like a gentleman."

Bear came over and sat at my right side, just like we've been working on for 5 weeks now. "Good pup. Let's go." Trot, trot, trot away we went. About three corrections again (mind you, he's never pulled hard as if my arm was being ripped from it's socket - but pulled enough that if I was lighter (ha!) and he was bigger (haha!) we'd have an issue.) and by the halfway mark he started schooling himself!!!!!

I've never seen an animal do this before. No treats were involved b/c I forgot to grab the baggie on the way out the door. But he'd walk a little fast, feel the halter press on his chest and slow down or even take a step back. He'd look back at me whenever he did this and I always praised him b/c he was such a good young man!

Him and I haven't taken a morning walk in about a week, maybe a week and a half. We've compensated by having my husband take him for walks in the afternoon. I think he's missed the "us" time. His tail was wagging fericiously the entire walk.

Once we made it back to the house, I stopped our run/walk tracking do-hickey and we did everything in 15 mins and 36 seconds. Still counts. Oh. the best boy ever!

I even left him unsupervised in the house for 20 mins while I watered the lawn and killed a widow spider. He just sat by the back door and waited for me to come back.

This morning, we went for some more walkies and he did pretty good. Less spectacular then yesterday but over all decent. I fell down - but that's a whole nother story there. I left him out and about while I was in the back of the house showering, changing and getting ready for work. I gave him a carrot before I started and he promptly took it to his pillow in the living room, laid down and ate it slowly while I did everything.

*dreamy sigh* I hope I don't lose this boy during his teenager phase. I don't think I'm ready for that.

Thanks for listening!

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LOL How cute is this? Congrats on the learning. It's all a process. One day a a time...

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~Jaime~

Rosie, born 4/24/2012

Calling him a gentleman gets him EVERY TIME!

When he see another dog and gets over excited, I'll look at him and say, "Excuse me. This is not how a gentleman behaves. Now, sit and be good."

He'll look at me like I just licked my hand to smooth down a cowlick.

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Thanks for sharing such a sweet retelling of the occasion. I'll be sure to refer back to it when my young lady and I are at odds.....

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L, wife of a soldier, mom to 4 humans, 2 felines, and 1 adorable puppy

Thelma Lou is already 6 months old! Time flies....

I love that!!! So happy for both of you, way to go!!

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He totally got me back this morning though. I slipped on some (grrrrrrr stupid) mud, scrapped my knee and my palm and landed hard on my hip. Covered my whole left side in mud.

What does Bear do?

First he stops cause he reached the end of his leash, turns, sticks his nose in my mouth (I was in the process of saying "ow"), deduces that I'm alive and then POUNCES on me. "Mom is on the GROUND! SUDDEN DEATH STYLE!"

I got to limp home looking like I was ran over by a muddy truck. Non-existent tail tucked between my legs, covered in mud on my left side from the fall, and my right side from Bear - clean in the MIDDLE!

Puppy was happy.

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