Getting there

Today we went out sans the belt but with the under-leg halter.  Things were better, but it was because TootSweet was somewhat cautious after yesterday; the fall upset him.  Maybe that's the key to training him--I can crash to the ground periodically.

He did well today, because even when a dog went past him, he kept one eye on the end of the leash in case I wanted to whop him.  He was completely aware of why he was getting whopped, too.  It is hard to train a dog that is smarter than you are and is certain he is the boss of the household.  I did a search yesterday on the Internet about leash problems, and I've never read such a pile of garbage in my life.  One so-called "expert" went into a long spiel about how a misbehaving dog is stressed and needs understanding and gentle coaxing.  What balderdash.  A dog that is misbehaving needs correction, not a shrink.  An undisciplined dog puts himself and his owner in danger.  All the real experts say so. 

It is an enormous advantage to go out with a long-legged, active dog.  It has forced me to walk with a vengeance, doing 5K in 40 minutes even at a walk.  When summer hits, I'll have to be out at four a.m. in order not to overheat TootSweet, but we'll be there.