Yesterday Diogo and I had our initial consultation with the dog trainer/behaviourist.
Part of the consultation saw Diogo going out for a walk, much to Dolly’s disgust. The intent of the walk was to allow the dog trainer to see how Diogo reacted towards other dogs.
Obviously getting ready for the walk allowed the dog trainer to see how Diogo reacts, and his excitement that is vocalised as barking.
We headed off to Tillery Park. A five minute walk.
Back as a teenager when we lived in Princess Road, Tillery Park was literally opposite the house. It was where each day I used to walk our dogs Timmy (a jack russell) and Rex (mostly lab). Back then there used to be a fallen tree in the middle of the park. A tree as an even younger kid, like many others, used to be climbed all over.
When we got to the park there were people present on the benches. But alas no dogs.
We didn’t see a dog until near the end of our circuit of the park. Diogo reacted with his usual response of barking.
Having not seen another dog until that point, we saw another three or more on the way home.
The trainer confirmed my assessment of Diogo getting excited at the start of the walk, and that he was pretty good on the lead.
The barking at other dogs she thought was more to do with frustration that Diogo couldn’t just run up at them. Which is what he would do back in Peru living on the streets.
It was a positive that not only would Diogo respond/get distracted by food, especially in his excited state.
Back at the house the trainer went over the structure of the sessions. Two of the five will be in a paddock with another dog to teach us both how to handle the situation.
The rest will be indoor training. Which will see us working on the vocal excitement.
The trainer did recommend that Diogo and I take part in one or two of her socialising dog walks that she holds. And I will do that. But Dolly will be on those too. I saw on Facebook that they take place in places like Hunstanton beach or Shouldham Warren. The latter Dolly and I are familiar with.
Our first session should be at the end of the month once the trainer is back from her holiday.