Getting The Wind Up

Wind presents some of the biggest training challenges for dog handlers. Like many other animals, dogs are sensitive to the changes in barometric pressure that herald windy weather. They also react to subtle changes in temperature  and humidity. Some owners can tell by their dog’s behaviour changes that a storm or even a tornado is on the way. With horses, people talk about them getting the wind under their tail; horses can become excited or agitated and so can dogs.

With Travis, wind brings other challenges – litter blows straight at him so it’s much harder to stop him eating it, or worse, it whizzes past and he hauls on the lead to try to get it. The clothes of passers by billow out in his face and he needs no better cue for snatching at them and/or jumping up. It is a guaranteed recipe for trigger stacking too.

As we are now in full blown gale season (did you see what I did there?), there are plenty of opportunities for training manners outdoors. I confess though, I don’t always feel that grateful when in the teeth of a grit-filled blast my legs are lashed by stray cardboard and other detritus and Travis is behaving like a rodeo pony. To a bold puppy, all the world is exciting and never more so when it is flying past him at a rate of knots and Travis is experiencing all of these things for the first time. With a bit of luck, we may even get snow this winter. Here’s hoping. meanwhile, Travis continues to get the wind up.

Next week: Re-Cycling – Travis vs Bicycles 

If you need help with adolescent dog behaviour or would like to join us on a Social Dog Walk to practice your skills in the “real world”, contact R+ Dog Training to book your course.