Macrame

Leash walks are sometimes the best option for certain dogs.  Sometimes the whole dog park experience just doesn't meet their needs.  Either they don't have the manners for it, or it is too much exercise for them.  If you have ever seen a dog walker with oh, say ten dogs on leash at one time, I am sure your first thought was...how the heck do they do that?  Well, I can tell you, it is not always easy. 

I have one group of three that I take together than usually do pretty well, and they are quite the group.  Elliot is a bit-bull mix and is the oldest and largest of the three.  He is sort of a "Darwin" dog.  He does fantastic with people, but tends to want to help natural selection on by eliminating the meek and aged dogs.  Basically, he is a bully.  So the dog park is not the place for Elliot. 

Hank is a skinny butt dog.  He came from Taiwan and is exactly the opposite of Elliot.  He is the best dog park dog I've ever had.  He will play with any dog matching the other dogs level of temperament and play exactly.  He can be aggressive with aggressive dogs, and gentle with gentle dogs.  I have seen him play with the smallest of dogs, and Danes.  He plays chase, he wrestles, he plays tug, and he'll fetch if that is what is asked of him.  So why is he getting leash walked?  Well, Hank has a little issue with humans.  If I could get all of the people to leave the park, things would be perfect.  But as that isn't going to happen, he did almost two years in a cage muzzle.  Only had to wear it in the park, didn't mind it, and the cage variety allowed him to pant and drink and do everything he normally would, but not take a piece out of the humans.  Now that we've gotten him through his teen years, past the Hank the Destroyer stage, he leash walks very happily, and he and Elliot are able to function really well together.

Finally, there is Moki.  Moki is the middle child of the three.  He is the smallest by far, but the biggest Chihuahua I have ever seen.  He would be fine at the park, but since his two companions can't go, he gets stuck with them, such a middle child.  With the two big dominant dogs, you'd expect Moki to be their victim.  But if you watch their interaction carefully, Moki is actually the trouble maker.  He instigates all of the trouble the other two get get into.  Ultimately, I think Moki is the one who rules the roost.

So walking these three together involves a lot of good coordination and footwork.  It is like a ballet, switching leashes from hand to hand, behind my back, and stepping over whoever happens to be attempting to trip me at the moment.  There are essentially two kinds of walks.  Walker in control...dogs following, or dogs being allowed to follow their noses, walker keeping them safe...The latter is what these guys get, hence the ballet.  Sometimes I swear they are actually attempting to macrame a straight jacket for me!