I finally got something under control ...
... though sadly, that something that I have under control is the dog when we go for walks.
Abby is a nut. I've decided that her birthday shall be celebrated on Feb 4th ... reason for this is that when Dave got her in early April, she was declared to be 2 months old ... and 02/04/06 sounds like a cool birthday to have ... that said, Abby is now 7 months old. She is like most 7 month old, 75lb black lab puppies - INSANE. She's hyper. She barks at people walking by like she wants to eat their faces off, then runs up, sits down and licks them to death. She's hyper (though at the current moment, she makes an excellent foot rest). She pees whenever, and wherever she feels like (today's spot of choice was smack in the middle of someone's driveway, despite the fact that the grass was a mere 6' away). She eats too fast and doesn't drink enough water. BUT SHE'S ADORABLE, *except* when Mommy takes her for a walk, or should I say, she takes her Mommy for a walk.
With the black nylon collar on, she's uncontrollable ... she takes off running, she pulls until you go the way she wants you to go, she lays down in the middle of people's yards and won't get up until she's damn good and ready, and instead of sitting to greet new people, she jumps on them and scratches them.
... Once the choke collar is on her, she's a different dog. Calm. Cool. Collected. Still pees everywhere though. Took her for a walk today and there was slack in the leash, when she pulled, she backed off after gasping for air for a second or two, stopping to sniff the trash pile or lap up the gutter water was ceased with a light and quick jerk/release and a *whistle* and a "Abby, c'mon". Strangers approached - not such a big deal - "Abby, sit" and she would sit first (then spaz out) ...
... her barking today stopped a 6'5" rather strapping** man in his tracks as he was trying to take the trash out ... I jerked/released her collar "Abby, sit your ass down and let the man take his trash out" and she complied ... the man laughed and then came over and petted her.
... had a run in with the crazy lady that lives a block over that is obsessed with Abby - she walks her dog every day behind my house (my house backs up to a church parking lot/yard) ... she gives Abby toys and treats all the time (my wallet secretly thanks her) ... she was *SO EXCITED* to see that Abby goes for walks (she gets a walk almost every day lady!) and that "someone loves her now" ... aawwwww ... then she went on to tell me that Abby would be a good healing and prayer dog if she could calm down a bit, though "she does seem calmer today" (please reference above comments about choke collar = different dog) ... then she went on to tell me that choke collars are bad for dogs and cause nerve damage if pulled too tight for too long (also, see above comments about quick jerk/releases) ...
... and now I'm home. The stinky dog is passed out, occupying about 6 sq. feet underneath my feet leaving a rather impressive drool puddle on the ground ...
... *sigh* ... she's just so happy all the time.
(I think I said a lot about my dog then, and nothing else - overnights are going pretty good - just tired - which is why I'm going to bed now (and yes, I know it's not 8:00) ... good night everyone ...
** - I'm using the word strapping because this morning in the break room there was an argument going on about how Steve Irwin (Crikey!) holding his baby and taking him to an alligator was no different than Michael Jackson dangling his baby over a balcony ... the defense to that was that "a 110lb freak show holding his baby over a railing is way different than a strapping, healthy man who spent his whole life around wildlife was completely different
Abby is a nut. I've decided that her birthday shall be celebrated on Feb 4th ... reason for this is that when Dave got her in early April, she was declared to be 2 months old ... and 02/04/06 sounds like a cool birthday to have ... that said, Abby is now 7 months old. She is like most 7 month old, 75lb black lab puppies - INSANE. She's hyper. She barks at people walking by like she wants to eat their faces off, then runs up, sits down and licks them to death. She's hyper (though at the current moment, she makes an excellent foot rest). She pees whenever, and wherever she feels like (today's spot of choice was smack in the middle of someone's driveway, despite the fact that the grass was a mere 6' away). She eats too fast and doesn't drink enough water. BUT SHE'S ADORABLE, *except* when Mommy takes her for a walk, or should I say, she takes her Mommy for a walk.
With the black nylon collar on, she's uncontrollable ... she takes off running, she pulls until you go the way she wants you to go, she lays down in the middle of people's yards and won't get up until she's damn good and ready, and instead of sitting to greet new people, she jumps on them and scratches them.
... Once the choke collar is on her, she's a different dog. Calm. Cool. Collected. Still pees everywhere though. Took her for a walk today and there was slack in the leash, when she pulled, she backed off after gasping for air for a second or two, stopping to sniff the trash pile or lap up the gutter water was ceased with a light and quick jerk/release and a *whistle* and a "Abby, c'mon". Strangers approached - not such a big deal - "Abby, sit" and she would sit first (then spaz out) ...
... her barking today stopped a 6'5" rather strapping** man in his tracks as he was trying to take the trash out ... I jerked/released her collar "Abby, sit your ass down and let the man take his trash out" and she complied ... the man laughed and then came over and petted her.
... had a run in with the crazy lady that lives a block over that is obsessed with Abby - she walks her dog every day behind my house (my house backs up to a church parking lot/yard) ... she gives Abby toys and treats all the time (my wallet secretly thanks her) ... she was *SO EXCITED* to see that Abby goes for walks (she gets a walk almost every day lady!) and that "someone loves her now" ... aawwwww ... then she went on to tell me that Abby would be a good healing and prayer dog if she could calm down a bit, though "she does seem calmer today" (please reference above comments about choke collar = different dog) ... then she went on to tell me that choke collars are bad for dogs and cause nerve damage if pulled too tight for too long (also, see above comments about quick jerk/releases) ...
... and now I'm home. The stinky dog is passed out, occupying about 6 sq. feet underneath my feet leaving a rather impressive drool puddle on the ground ...
... *sigh* ... she's just so happy all the time.
(I think I said a lot about my dog then, and nothing else - overnights are going pretty good - just tired - which is why I'm going to bed now (and yes, I know it's not 8:00) ... good night everyone ...
** - I'm using the word strapping because this morning in the break room there was an argument going on about how Steve Irwin (Crikey!) holding his baby and taking him to an alligator was no different than Michael Jackson dangling his baby over a balcony ... the defense to that was that "a 110lb freak show holding his baby over a railing is way different than a strapping, healthy man who spent his whole life around wildlife was completely different