It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done one of these posts. You’d almost be forgiven for thinking this was just the Ace show.
Diogo has finished his five sessions with the trainer.
The first session was about stopping Diogo from barking while we get ready for our walk, and get out the door. Diogo gets very excited and expresses that excitement vocally.
Diogo isn’t perfect but he’ll never be that. However he has made massive improvements. Plus it’s a work in progress.
The remaining four sessions were working on Diogo reacting to other dogs.
Two of the sessions were at an enclosed dog park with another dog. The third session was at the main Wisbech park. While the fourth session was a socialisation walk with another dog (a female Doberman) at Shouldham Warren.
Diogo when he reacts to another dog isn’t out of aggression but excitement to see them. His tail is wagging. But mean me is stopping him from going to say hello.
We still have a lot of work to do. However he is improving.
But that’s part of the excitement of him going on a walk. He wants to meet other dogs.
The socialisation walk was funny because after meeting the other dog he basically ignored her as we walked round Shouldham Warren.
Although he did react to other dogs we came across.
At the end of the walk at the car park were a couple of horses. I wasn’t sure how Diogo would react to them. I know Dolly would react to them. She barks at them in the telly, and has done in real life in the past.
Diogo was unsure what to make of them and growled a couple of times. I suppose he might have been more sure if they were alpacas or llamas.
Then last weekend we went on another socialisation walk. But this time Dolly joined us, and there would be several dogs on the walk.
It was hot but not as hot as it had been. I had plenty of water with me, a tarp, a couple of jungle knots. If we needed to stop I was prepared.
Overall my monster squad did ok, especially in the later half.
On the home stretch Dolly started to feel the heat. So we hung back, and let the others go ahead. Dolly is pretty good in telling me she needs to rest. We went at her pace. When she stopped I offered her water. Sometimes she drank, others she didn’t.
Near the end I picked her up and carried her. It wasn’t fair on her. And she is a kilo lighter.
I will sign them both up for more socialisation walks.
I did make Diogo a new lead using about six feet of climbing rope and a couple of carabiners. Obviously one end clips onto Diogo, and the other onto my bumbag. It means when he’s pulling he’s pulling against my body weight and not my arm strength.
I think we are seeing more and more of Diogo’s personality coming out as he feels more and more at home and safe. Since the passing of mums cat Ramsey, Diogo when we are round hers likes to lie under her dinning table for some reason. I’m not sure if that’s a feeling safe, secure thing. Diogo is also a digger we have discovered. He doesn’t just like digging, he likes lying in the hole he’s dug.
So that’s the end of this major update on Diogo.