Day 89: Willow - Into the abyss · Dog Training Community

Day 89: Willow - Into the abyss

I had a busy work morning and Willow was determined to show her contempt and remind me at every possible opportunity that I hadn't taken her for a walk yet, culminating in her digging my new plants out of their planter. 😠

I finally got her out to a part of the river Avon that used to be a no-go area for us, intending on giving her another go off-lead. It was going well.

Wins

Recalling well
Walking to heel well - I find when she's been given a bit of free reign, she's so much more willing to walk nicely by me
Whistle sitting before a junction and staying while I go and open the gate and check the next field - even 30m away - before releasing

She then runs up to a part of the bush (marked in one of my photos) next to the river and looks at me, waiting for an ok. I give it to her - she's been running down every gap to the river anyway - and dives into the bush. A minute goes by and she hasn't returned so I go to inspect.

The bush sits above a 3ft overhanging drop and then a steep bank of about 7ft into the water. My dog is stood knee deep in the water looking a little confused, but causing very little fuss. I lie down to get a good look inside the bush and at the river - getting a few stings from nettles and thorns for my troubles - and try to strategise on how I'm gonna get her out of there. She runs up as far as the overhang and I get hold of her harness, but I'm too far in to actually lift her out and am lying on my stomach.

Then her chuck-it falls out the thrower on my waist and falls into the water. 5 minutes of keep-away ensues. I finally get her back to the overhang and this time I've got leverage and yank her ungraciously out of the bush.

She looks at me like nothing has happened and is keen to crack on with the walk, her resilience amazes me sometimes. We did the rest of the walk off lead until she ignored her recall to chase a bird, so we did some training and then she went on the longline for a bit until she'd calmed down

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