It has been many weeks and I have had many battles with Female-that-Walks-Dogs.

I am definitely wearing her down.

The Dog Walker Saga - Part 3

Today, I tried the screaming maneuver in front of my house. Den-Female seemed a bit worried. I sensed that she was thinking of not letting me go. But then Female-that-Walks-Dogs picked me up and loaded me into the moving den.

Onto the battlefield!

When we reached the wooded area, I went through my usual repertoire of ninja moves. I could tell that she was losing her cool.

The Shiba Scream - A big favorite in my repertoire of ninja moves.

But wait … what is this device?! Suddenly she put this metal chain around my neck. It was very painful when she snapped this *new* metal collar.

I decided to play it cool and again lull her into a false sense of security, but she did not take it off. I suppose 2-legs are not always stupid. Worse, Female-that-Walks-Dogs did not take me home but made me stay with her all day. Then she took me to *her* den.

Is this to be my new life?!

NOOOOooooooo. Save me Shiba Gods!!

Save me Shiba Gods!!

Luckily, after a bit, Female-that-Walks-Dogs took me back to *my* den. After this horrible day, I never had to go with her again.

Whenever I saw her in my neighborhood I made sure to let her know that I wanted her gone!

The Gods must have answered my prayer. The Shiba Gods are powerful!

Shiba Wisdom

Note from Den-Female:
Prolonged use of choke chains can injure your dog. This is especially true for Shibas because they have short tracheas. Calling a choke chain a *humane* choke chain does not change its nature, or its risks.

I stopped dog walking sessions because I did not want the walker to use a choke chain on my Shiba. In addition, his behavior was getting worse because he was practicing bad behaviors during his walks and the walker was not able to effectively control him without the choke chain and muzzle.

A much happier and well-behaved Shiba after we stopped using physical aversive training.

It was very exciting today. A female that smells like many dogs came to visit.

I followed her around everywhere because she had such an interesting scent. Then, lucky me, she loaded me into her moving den where I got to meet five other friends!

The Dog Walker Saga - Part 1

Some of them didn’t like me very much – I think they are just jealous of my Shiba-ness. I’m not worried – if I pester them enough, I’m sure they will come around.

After a little while, the moving den came to a stop and we found ourselves in a nice wooded area. I was very excited and wanted to jump right out and run around and play. However, the dog-smelling female stopped me and jerked my collar really hard.

This collar jerk thing is getting REALLY annoying. First my followers, then this new female. Do they have classes where they teach all 2-legs this silly maneuver?!

Shiba Sephy exploring a nice wooded area.

It was an epic battle!!

Next time I will have to sell tickets. Finally I decided it would be more interesting to explore the new wooded area so I gave up the ghost. This battle may be over … but the war has just begun.

This battle may be over … but the war has just begun.

Shiba Wisdom

Punishment may work initially, but eventually it just becomes annoying. My Shiba spirit is too strong to be defeated by silly forceful maneuvers.

1. Too Hot or Too Cold

The weather is probably one of the most frequently used excuses.

• It is raining – I/my dog will get wet.
• It is snowing – I/my dog will be too cold.
• It is too hot – my dog will overheat.
• It is too cold – my dog will freeze.

It may look like nice weather - but it is too hot and the ticks are out!

We can’t walk the dog during Winter because it is snowing, raining, or too cold. We can’t walk the dog during the Summer because it is too hot. Spring is too wet so that leaves us with Autumn.

But wait – that is when the ticks are out so that is no good either. Besides, Autumn is a great time to sleep-in.

Makes me want to curl up and fall asleep too!

2. There are Vicious Dogs in My Neighborhood

I was talking to a dog owner today and she tells me that she doesn’t walk her dog because there are vicious pit-bulls that live a few houses away from her. They are always at the gate and barking at her, so she is protecting her dogs by keeping them in the house all day long.

Beware of those nasty wicked teeth.

I must admit that that is a pretty impressive excuse. No walking involved, and a protector at the same time.

There are also many dogs that charge the gate or bark in my neighborhood. Sometimes, they can be pretty intimidating.

Occasionally, there are also dogs that escape and run loose. These escapees usually avoid contact with people, but there are some who are friendly, and also others who are territorial or aggressive.

Dogs do these things because they are bored and frustrated out of their mind from being protected in the house all day.

A life lived in fear… is a life half lived ~~[Strictly Ballroom]

If we are afraid of neighborhood dogs, we can always drive to a nearby park, or to a more quiet neighborhood and walk our dogs there.

3. My Dog is Reactive or Aggressive with Other Dogs

Enjoying a hike in the hills.

Some dogs are more reactive to other dogs than others. Guard dogs, for example, are bred to be more territorial by nature, and may not like other dogs encroaching upon their space.

My Shiba Inu does not like dominant dogs, or dogs that come in to smell his butt without his permission.

Some dogs are protected in the house all day, every day, so they naturally have a lot of excited and frustrated energy when they finally get to go out.

I have found that the more I walk my dogs, the more confident we all become, and the walks get easier and more enjoyable. I can now anticipate their walk triggers (usually cats and squirrels), so we mostly have a nice and relaxed routine punctured by moments of Cat or Squirrel Pow.

I have found that the more that I walk my dogs, the more confident we all become, and the walks get and easier more enjoyable.

My Sibe used to be afraid of the garbage truck, but she is better with them now because we see them once every week, and we are still here to tell the tale.

The way to deal with reactivity issues is not to totally avoid contact with others, but rather to train our dog and ourselves to better handle external interactions including dog-to-dog interactions.

4. My Dog Pulls

Most dogs, especially young dogs will pull because they are so excited to be outside where there are many interesting smells and sights. My Siberian is a 3-legged dog, but when she really wants to pull, she has mad skillz.

I use a combination of the red-light/green-light technique and the 180-turn-around technique while we are out on walks to control the pulling. Both are helpful, but there will be situations where she loses control and starts to go. Usually a cat or squirrel is involved! 😉

However, we are both improving in small steps, and enjoying ourselves along the way.

Siberian Husky Shania has mad skillz!

5. I am Too Tired

Shiba Sephy is too tired to walk.

Sometimes, we get busy. Issues may arise at home or at work, and we get swallowed up by them.

Life happens. Skipping a few daily walks in a year will not have any adverse effects on our dogs.

However, I find that walking with my dogs actually helps to clear my head, and gives me a much needed break from my problems. When we get home, I am more energized, and end up making more progress on my projects than I would have otherwise.

So …

What are you waiting for?

Time to strap on that iPod, and treat yourself to a nice walk with your dog.

It is a good day to be with dog.

It is a good day to be with dog.

Three legged dogs find it easier to walk at a faster pace, and may have difficulty making quick or sharp turns.

They also have less balance, and are more prone to falling down.

Walking with a 3 Legged Dog

1. A Harness Can Provide Support

Using a harness can give our three legged dog more support, when we are out on a walk. I found this to be especially helpful, in the beginning.

We can also use the harness to quickly and safely turn, restrain, or move our dog. This is useful to stop a tripod dog from running ahead, and to get her safely away from dangerous objects, for example broken glass.

I was using the Ruffwear Web Master Harness on Shania, and it worked out well. It is strong, provides good back support, and has fleece material over the leg straps, so that they do not overly chafe her at the joints.

However, this harness may limit air flow during hot days, and cause the dog to heat up more easily.

Another weakness of using a harness is that it gives the dog a lot of pulling power. Shania has very strong prey-drive, so it was very difficult to control her pulling, whenever she spotted a squirrel, cat, or deer. For leash training exercises, I find that it is more effective to use a thick, no-slip collar.

Siberian Shania wearing her RuffWear harness before a walk at the park.

2. How to Stop Pulling

Siberian Shania is good at hand targeting.

Being a Siberian Husky, Shania does a fair amount of pulling during walks. To stop her from pulling, I have tried using the Gentle Leader head halti.

The halti works well in controlling the direction of her head, and redirecting her away from undesirable objects and situations. However, Shania really dislikes wearing it, and she will occasionally plop down on the ground in passive protest. It is difficult to get her up again, by just using the head collar.

The same applies when she decides to hang back, dig in, and not move forward. For dealing with these situations, I usually have Shania’s collar or harness on, in addition to the halti.

Also note that the head collar is not a long-term solution. It does not train our dog not to pull, but just prevents the pulling. Once we remove the halti, our dog will likely start to pull again.

To train Shania not to pull, I use a combination of hand-targeting and treating, when she is voluntarily walking by my side. If she starts to pull, I first give her a verbal warning to slow down. If she does not listen, then I stop her, make her do a Sit and Wait, re-target her on my hand, and then move on. When I am using a collar instead of a harness, I sometimes use my hand to hold back her chest. This gives her more support, during a forced stop.

Some trainers suggest doing a 180-turn-around, to stop pulling. This does not work as well with three legged dogs, because forcing them to turn quickly may cause them to fall, and place undue stress on their feet. When I need to turn or change direction, I make sure to do it slowly, and at a pace that Shania is comfortable with. It is also possible to use leash-jerks to discourage pulling, but I no longer use aversive techniques for a variety of reasons.

Nowadays, I almost always use a flat collar while walking Shania. She is better at walking now, and although she still pulls when she sees a squirrel or other prey, she will usually stop when I tell her to. I use the Premier Nylon Martingale Collar, which works very well for preventing collar escapes. It is also nice and thick, which helps to distribute the force around the neck, when a dog pulls.

Shania seems most comfortable with just a flat-collar.

Ready for a nap after a morning walk in the hills.

3. Short Walks and Rest

Three legged dogs tire more easily, so take them for short but more frequent walks. During longer walks, make sure to stop often (in a shady spot if possible), provide plenty of water, and keep our dog cool.

Three legged dogs will take some time to build up their walking stamina, so start with brief walks, and increase the distance slowly.

Stairs, uneven ground, and raised surfaces, may be difficult to navigate, so be patient, and provide help as necessary.

4. Protect Our 3 Legged Dog

Three legged dogs may feel vulnerable in the presence of new dogs.

Siberian Shania deals with new dogs mostly through appeasement.

Three legged dogs may feel more vulnerable in the presence of new dogs. When threatened, there are four possible dog responses – fight, flight, freeze, or appease. Conditions are often fluid, and a dog may decide to change from one strategy to another.

My Husky Shania deals with unknown dogs, mostly through appeasement. She will roll onto her side or back, and offer them her tummy. Sometimes, when there are highly active dogs nearby, she will choose to run away.

It is important to step in, and protect our three legged dog from unwanted attention.

Sometimes, I bring Shania to a dog playgroup. When there are overly hyper dogs about, I step in and body block them away from Shania. In this way, she does not have to deal with stressful situations alone. If necessary, I do the same when she meets new dogs during walks. By keeping things positive, she will hopefully gain more confidence, and feel more comfortable when interacting with her dog friends.

Be vigilant and keep bad social experiences from occurring, as that may cause our three legged dog to become fearful. This may ultimately lead to dog aggression, depression, or other dog behavioral problems.

In fact I would step in and protect any of my dogs from rude dogs and rude people, although I have to admit that I am more protective over Shania.

Protect our 3 legged dog from unwanted attention.

If we have multiple dogs, be aware of how the whole pack acts in the presence of unfamiliar visitors. The rest of the pack may feel the need to protect their more vulnerable sibling, and become aggressive to other dogs.

My Shiba Inu is very protective of Shania. I always supervise very closely when introducing them to new dogs. Usually, I keep Shiba on a lead, and let Shania interact with the new dog first. Once they are getting along fine, I let Shiba loose, and continue with close supervision. If Shiba displays any aggressive behavior, play stops, and he goes on a mini time-out. What the whole pack should understand, is that we are in charge of their safety, and we do the protecting when it is needed.

My other dog, a Shiba Inu, is very protective of Shania.

5. Socialize Our 3 Legged Dog

Socialize our 3 legged dog at a pace that she is comfortable with.

Note that three legged dogs may feel more vulnerable, and may be more fearful of new things.

It is important to socialize our dog to as many new experiences (garbage truck, umbrella, all types of people) as we can, so that she gains confidence, and is less likely to show fear aggression.

Let our three legged dog approach new experiences at her own pace, and make sure to reward and praise her well for taking small steps.

Let our three legged dog approach new experiences at her own pace.