bradpattison.com

Firstly, in my sleep I realized that I only post pretty much in the Park and general Questions. I forget to put things into their little categories... So here I am trying.

Yesterday as part of our obstacle course walk, I pushed a grocery cart all around the one side of the strip mall back to the grocery store. Ella wanted to surge in front of it badly.

I did it partly to see how she handled the noise and to see how she handled walking beside something like that.

She has walked beautifully next to my grandmother's wheelchair in the house, but I want to introduce her to my new friends who have a toddler (same name as my dog. Think that didn't go over so great with the mom at first ) The dad said Ella means "fairy princess" so I think I may need to rethink my dog's name... Actually, their kid's no fairy princess either. She's a hard core, adventurous little thing!

Anyway, they are dog lovers without a dog right now (had a great dane mix that died a few years ago) and want to wait until their Ella is older, but have offered to dog sit should I ever need it. SO

this prime time to introduce my Ella to wee ones and walking with a stroller. Their Ella is 2 and mobile so a matter of teaching the dog to be gentle and calm when she is streaking around the yard ... and walking BESIDE the stroller.

When my 5 year old nephew visited in the spring, the one time that Ella was innapropriate in a dangerous way was when he ran the length of the basement. She went YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO and chased after him, slamming him with her front paws and nearly taking him down like a playmate.

How can we go for nice walks so that I am not having to go in circles and jump over things? Because if they ever walk her for me they can't be jumping over benches and flying around trees with a baby stroller?

And selfishly, I'd actually like to be able to not think so much about the dog and be able to converse with my new friend while we are walking.

THANKS for suggestions!

Scout6 wrote:
[quote]
When my 5 year old nephew visited in the spring, the one time that Ella was innapropriate in a dangerous way was when he ran the length of the basement. She went YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO and chased after him, slamming him with her front paws and nearly taking him down like a playmate.
quote]

That's what Abby does... I put her in a soft pin or give a leash correction. You'll have to keep a watchful eye then for lundging. Especially, if she runs.

You can buy one of those cheap umbrella strollers. Practice with that and give it to Ella for her dolls when she gets a little older! :P

I love that name. If I had another daughter (wich will never happen) ;) I would name her that.
:cheer:

haha.. hopefully she will get used to it.. since im expecting in a few months i've started getting jazz used to walking around the house and down the street with the stroller. the first couple times she tried to run infront of it but she got her little paws ran over a few times and now knows, if she doesn't pay attention she gonna get hurt. she can now walk off leash, on leash tied to the stroller handle or on umbilical beside it just like it was nothing.

oh, and if she gets tired, she will look at me, whine, then of course i stop to see whats up and she jumps in the bottom carrying thing on the bottom.. haha.. back out she goes.. lol

If you have a Petsmart or other store that allows dogs try doing that around the store with a cart. Not quite the same as a stroller but she should get the idea and in the store you can go around the aisles which should get her paying attention to you. It would be easier to block her from getitng ahead of you with the cart too.

Is it possible to use the stroller/cart to interrupt Ella, like Katie was saying if she gets her toes pinched a few times she might respect it more. Granted you cant go off road strollering but you can weave, take sharp turns, stop suddenly and change your pace. Perhaps it might help.
Meaghan/DragonRider

Both of mine have learned the wheel radius of the stroller when walking- the hard way. Their toes only had to be squashed a couple of time to get the hint. In practice you can take sharp turns, etc., but once there is a baby/toddler in there you (obviously) have to be more careful. It just takes practice. Lots! Sharing the sidewalk with others can be tough too.

Good ideas.

There are always carts all over the mall lot so I could easily do that every day and walk like a mad woman and run her over every time she tries to get ahead. Not cruelly. You guys know what I mean. I have this dog walking like a dream on stairs now doing the same kind of thing.

I think my friend might be up for a bit of fun too and we could make it a bit of a game the first few times to teach the dog the rules. Heck, maybe even set up an obstacle course on their street and have races or something. Their Ella might find that fun too.

As for the yard. I think I will keep Ella on umbilical as this will allow me ample opportunity for correction if their Ella is anything like she was the other night. Here, there and everywhere and in the paddle pool and on the swing and driving her toddler ATV around the yard ...

Thankfully, as I said, their little girl is not a princess but is pretty rough and bloody nose tumble and the parents are the kind that say, Well she\'ll learn not to do that again as they clean her up. They are not overprotective people so this could be a lot of fun.

As for jumping up on other people ... Ella has mostly quit doing it to me unless she is way too excited when we are playing She does however still jump at others.

I was thinking of handing out invites to a Teach Ella to Stay Down open house. I am new here and have not had anyone over. If I had even 5-10 people come on an afternoon at different times with prep and warning on what to do when the dog approaches them, it would be great teaching for the dog and a nice way for me to have my new co-workers and friends over.

Drinks and snacks... Does that sound like a lame idea? We are all dog people, but what do you think others might think?