Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Early this evening Llewellyn and I walked out to take the air, he wearing his training collar.

He behaved very nicely. We went down the far end of the block, then across the street to visit with an elderly gentleman sitting on his porch. Llewellyn let the nice man pet him and tell him what a good doggie he was, and he did not pull into the open door of the house to try to find the cats he scented. He didn't try to race across the yard to tree the squirrel that cheekily crossed the street just to tease him.

We took our leave and went down to the park above the river. All was well.

But down the river road, on the other side, I could see a couple with a wee little Yorkie with them. Ah. This will show how well the Halti collar works when Llewellyn spies other dogs.

So we walked that way, still on the other side of the street.

And the answer to the burning question is . . . at this juncture, not very well. Barking and jumping in his wrath, he pawed at the collar till the muzzle strap was in his mouth. Soon, he had the muzzle strap off altogether. The Yorkie didn't say a thing, surprisingly. And his people just stood there across the street, exchanging pleasantries about dog training, while I'm thinking, "Go! go! Don't you see my dog won't calm down till you've got yours out of sight?"

But I didn't, because I have my silly pride and I don't want Llewellyn getting a reputation around the neighborhood as a mean or out-of-control dog.

After a bit they did go, and we went round the other side of the block and took a longer way home, even though it looked like rain.

I do have to give him credit. Even when he was barking and jumping, he let me put the muzzle strap back on him. I got it on without undoing the neck strap, which says "loose" to me. Maybe I need to get him the next smaller size? His muzzle's so narrow, he slides out of this one too easily.