Holy Crap!

Holy Crap Dog Walk

That is the only possible phrase to describe today's walk. I wasn't feeling very well and didn't think I could handle two walks, so I decided since Eddie has made some progress, I'd take both at the same time. We had every possible trigger:

• Two dogs off leash playing with their owner: no issues at all. T & E were excited, but neither pulled enough at any point to make me feel out of control.
• Passed by funeral goers: both dogs walked calmly beside me, though Turtle did try to flirt for attention.
• Large lawn tractor: Eddie's biggest nemesis: the cemetery riding lawn mower tractor. Not a little one. One of those that looks like a John Deere tractor. We successfully passed it and walked in front it it as it followed us to the point where we enter the trail. I had to do corrections on Eddie, but at no point did he attempt to attack Turtle and I had him in control the whole time. No bucking or whining. Un-freakin-believable.
• Barking dog behind fence: we have a point where we pass a black lab that Eddie cannot see, which is almost worse for him than if he can see it behind a fence. This dog, understandably, barks when we go by and Eddie gets anxious. I was able to make him sit and the lay down in front of the house with no issues. He didn't whine, he didn't require correction, he wasn't happy, but he did it.
• Trucks and cars passing us galore: after I finished our usual 1.5 mile route, I was feeling confident, so I kept going through the unknown parts of the neighborhood (meaning those parts we don't normally walk, so the dogs are more excited about the new smells, etc).
• Kid on skate board: granted, he wasn't moving (thank goodness), but both dogs walked calmly by this 7-year-old boy sitting there. I wouldn't have actually expected Eddie to have a problem with this except for the fact there was a skateboard involved.

Anyway, I am about as pleased as I can be. The progress that has been made by making the changes in the house and doing corrections before he reaches the level where I can't snap him out of it is amazing. I don't know how progress much is related to the dialing down of affection and changes within the house versus the corrections when we're walking, so we'll have to see how much we can go back to "normal" when this rehab period is over. However, any doubt I had that where a dog sleeps and how s/he is given affection affects dog walking is now gone. I know they are related. Undoubtedly.

Sad Kid
When I passed by the little kid with the skate board, it was sad because he said, cute dogs and I said thanks and then he said, "I"m waiting for my mom. Our parents are divorced." That's it. Just announced this to a complete stranger walking by. He seemed so sad. Poor kid.