Living with a Cairn and a Westie and a husband

[Izabella's Mom]

My darling husband is dog challenged. Izzie is around 6.5 months and I have a Westie youngster as well. The last time he tried to walk them without me, he told me it turned into a big stress fest trying to get them out of their crates onto their leashes and out the door. I am afriad of how he handled it because he stinks with dogs.

I am the only ones who can walk them. They only have eyes for me. When my 9 year old son tries to walk them one at a time, Izzie lays on her back and the Westies sits down and cries.

I have not too much trouble and walking them although their leashes can become tangled and I sometimes have to break up their wrestling matches and nudge them to behave but so what?

I'm going to give my husband some treats and see if that works.

Barbara

[Darcy's Folks]

I would recommend that you BOTH walk them together, but that you keep them seperate on their walks. It sounds like you are trying to walk two youngsters together too early. I would suggest you try doing walks where one is walked by you, the other walked by your husband. That way you begin to teach the dogs that the walk (although for them) is done on your terms. Once they grow up a bit and don't feel the need to romp during their walk it will become far easier for them to be walked by one person. This way you are also incorporating a "family" activity for everyone AND maybe you can give your hubby some slight, but gentle pointers about the dogs while you are on your walks????

[toomanypaws]

My dh is a great help w/ all of our pets, but he doesn't walk the dogs. We have a huge backyard, so there's alot of times where running and playing is the exercise they all get. My dd loves training the cairns and works each of them in the backyard on leash and w/ commands. I never walk my oldest, Kiara outside the backyard. She's really not enjoying the walk, just hoping for the chance the harness breaks and she can escape. Sometimes dd will walk Abbey while I'm walking Hannah, but Hannah prefers to walk w/ me and the lab. I usually walk my lab in the early evening while my dh and dd are playing w/ the ferrets. My westie is 8 mths and I still work w/ him alone. He gets too excited if I try and walk him w/ anyone else yet.

[Scruffys Mom]

My heart goes out to you. My husband loves our pups,but he indulged me in allowing the second pup. As I just retired in Dec 06, I completely took on the responsibility of walking, training, feeding, vets, dog parks, etc. My husband enjoys the puppy love and puppy frolicking but the rest is up to me. I have to have surgery on my shoulder in 2 weeks and I can not move the arm for 3 weeks. I spend a ton of time on trainers and obedience school, so the dogs are good dogs. They are still a challenge and one I do not exactly trust my husband with. I now wish I had included him in all aspects of the dog. Ironically, I am a board member for a local pet rescue and we will not adopt a pet of the entire family is not on board and understands the role they must play and contribute and why we have that principle.

As far as your walking issues, please watch, rent or buy the dog whisperer tapes. 90% of all of my dog behavior problems ended once I understood how to walk them.

Also, a suggestion I have not tested, but just ordered, is the 2 dog lead on Colonel Potters web site. Seems to be a solution for me after surgery as I will be limited to one arm. I have an issue with the 2 dog lead as my dogs stay to my side or behind me and I am not sure I will have the control.

Good luck

[tlwtheq]

Sounds like your family members need human training (seriously.)

Don't know how you will make that happen, but it will improve

your situation tremendously.

Keep your chin up...we're here for ya.

[Teri9672]

I have it worse....

Girls don't like to go potty outside or eat when hubby does it.

They are obsessed with me

[mrskti]

i feel your pain Teri, same situation here. I just told my dh this a.m. that ellie was like velcro on me!!! I always know where she's at all the time!

How nice would it be to have someone else to help with puppy chores!!!!