New Routes

Yesterday, Melanie and I took a long walk and ended up at a different end of the recreation trail, where there are small cliff paths along the ocean. I hadn't walked this route in many years but Melanie made it seem simple. Although I it wa a beautiful day and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I think that part of the route was still a little too new for both of us. Melanie does love walking along the ocean trails and paths and when I head her toward home, she starts to drag her feet and keeps looking back at the ocean. I have to keep encouraging her to take the route to home.

This morning, I took a different route away from the ocean, which route she did very well, but as soon as we started back down the towards home (you can only go up away from the ocean or down towards home, where we live 3 blocks from the ocean), she started to pick up energy expecting to go to the ocean again. In fact, when we stopped at a street corner, she just about refused to turn right towards home as she wanted to go towards the ocean. Well, I did the obedience sits and downs, used the leash correction and still got a stubborn response. I finally put on the Gentle Lead, which finally did the trick and she reluctantly headed towards home. This afternoon, I took her out on a fairly short route, but one that didn't go by the ocean and she responded very well, apparently realizing that she had been disobedient and also that she does not like to wear the Gentle Lead. For the next few days at least we'll take only walks that do not include the recreation trail so that she can concentrate on her "real job".