Walking the dog

Walking the dog – is that a rabbit over there?

For a dog or pack of dogs the purpose of a walk is to hunt. They sniff, circle, go off track, all with the aim of looking for prey. Our job as pack leader is to lead the hunt. We want our dogs to be vigilant of us so they remain safe, in communication with us and don’t get into mischief with other people or dogs. We do this by ‘hunting’ together.

What ‘the walk’ isn’t

As humans we tend to think of ‘the walk’ as a means of going from A to B and then back again. We get to where we are going by the shortest means possible and then hurry home.

But dogs don’t think of ‘the walk’ as a process of travel, but an activity. They aren’t going in a straight line but are out to investigate the terrain with their pack.

How to do this?

Imagine you are a dog. You are padding along the track, joyfully sniffing and suddenly you smell the tantalising aroma of a rabbit or maybe you see the blur of a white cotton tail, and you are off, we need to catch our dinner!

As pack leaders we are doing the same, leading our dogs in finding things to investigate, hunt and eat.

We can imitate this by simply changing direction (what’s that sound I heard?); step off the path (nice smell over here); change tempo (ooh squirrel, chase! Or slowly, let’s stalk and get in position around this rabbit bush) or hiding behind a tree (better check out who’s marked here lately). We just wait till our dogs find us and then off we go again.

Doing the unexpected

Pack leaders job is to decide when to go and where to go. The followers make sure they keep the pack leader in sight because it’s their job to follow. As we change direction, tempo, position or go off track our dogs need to stay close by, so they know what’s going on. They are part of our Team Dog and need to be aware what the leader is up to so dinner doesn’t get away.

The more unexpected we are in our behaviour the more our dogs have to mentally work and communicate with us. Where’s pack leader? Oh over there. What’s pack leader doing? Has s/he found something? We wait whilst pack leader decides where to go. Pack leader has decided.  Now we move off, together.

So now, instead of us seeing the far away view of our dog’s behind, they keep their eye on us, so they know where we are. As we keep them guessing, they stay close.

 Strange is best

‘The walk’ in these terms is strange. Remember we are no longer doing a walk in human terms but in a dog’s terms.

We might get funny looks from others as we meander around, seemingly without purpose – they don’t know we are imaging stalking rabbits. But remember our dogs will love it as they realise they don’t need to worry about who’s in charge anymore, we lead the activity they just have to relax and follow.

But best of all we will love it as we realise our dogs are staying close, calmly sharing with us their joyous experience of being a pack member on a hunt.

Anne Duguid 

Walking classes 08.09.2013

Liebe Freunde,

Laut  Wettervorhersage werden wir Sonntag anfangen mit 16 Grad.

Deswegen ist mein Vorschlag das wir nicht mehr um 8.00 order 9.00 Uhr anfangen sondern wieder um 10.00.

Vielleicht ist es unter diese Umstaende moeglich fuer Carmen und Roger mit zu machen, weil die dan nicht ZU frueh aufstehen mussen.

Gerne moechte ich diesen kommenden Sonntag mit Ihnen in Orba spazieren.

Ich schlage vor das wir uns am 08.09.2013 um 9.45 fuer 10.00 am Friedhof in Orba treffen. Falls sie sich nicht erinnern koennen wo das ist, warte ich bis 9.45 an unsere Bibliothek in Jalón/Xalò.

 

Vergangene Woche haben wir in Alcalali 3 schoene Hunde gesehen. Schau mal hierunter.

Dear Friends,

According to the weather forecast we will have this coming Sunday 08.09.2013 a temperature starting at 16 degrees. For that reason my suggestion is NOT to meet at 8.00 nor at 9.00 but at 9.45 for 10.00.

Hopefully Carmen and Roger will be able to join us again, as they do not have to get up THAT EARLY anymore.

I would like to walk with you in Orba this coming Sunday and my suggestion is to meet at the Orba cemetery at 9.45 for 10.00.
If you have forgotten where that is, I will wait for you till 9.45 at the library in Jalón/Xaló.

 

Last week we met 3 beautiful dogs during our walk in Alcalali.

Un abrazo de Bruno