Patience is a Virtue

Update: No longer do I use 'no' but rather distract and teach them how to trust me that good things will happen when we me.

The walk after work was really good. I stopped to talk to a neighbour and Ben was, of course, his usual charming self, sitting and wiggling his bum like a happy guy. Someone went by and I wasn't paying attention. Yes, Ben attempted to leap but I was able to stop him in time and said 'no'. Next time, someone went by and I watched him. He wanted to leap but I said 'no' very firmly, even though some would say my firm is like a pat on the head. He listened and looked but did not leap. Much praise. Then he became bored and stretched out fully on the walkway. That's my boy.

After we took our leave, I checked over my shoulder down the road for vehicles at which Ben might bark. A dump truck. I waited until he went by us and watched Ben, kept a shorter but loose leash. Ben looked intently and I said 'no Ben, no' and left the leash loose. He was such a star and didn't leap but instead, listened to me. Much praise was heaped upon him.

That good part was forgotten when I muzzled him and started the desensitization to the nail clippers. When I got to the part where I tried to pick up a foot, he was nasty. I had Don holding the leash up short but loose so he couldn't lower his head to paw the muzzle off. Ben's reaction, even with the muzzle on, still shook me up. I wanted to end on a good note so I simply moved my hand across his paws and put a little pressure on his pads. He was okay with this. I praised him a lot for that. I then made him sit, gave him a treat and removed the muzzle.

There is a lot of work to be done in the nail department. Patience, patience.