May 11, 2011

Today's dilemma and a question

OK so I have two dogs, right?  And they are very good dogs for the most part.  My primary complaint is - and always has been - that one of them [Maggie] is horrible on the leash.  She's a tugger and I'm sure everyone who has ever had a dog knows what I'm talking about.

Because she's so hard for me to control, I've just stopped walking her.  And you can forget my trying to walk both of them together!  Bo, whom we rescued when he was probably five years old, was trained extremely well by his original parent and is very well behaved on a leash.  Unfortunately, Maggie's bad behavior is rubbing off on him and he's getting less and less easy for me to handle.  So yeah, I don't walk him either.  The only dog I've had that I've been able to handle on a leash was Wags but he had to go and get sick and die on me the bastard.

So what we have now is two overweight dogs and a frustrated mommy.  Does the husband help?  No.  His answer is I must be doing something wrong.  So my response has been, "Fine, then help me walk the dogs.  You take Maggie and I'll take Bo and lets go for walkies."  That conversation has been repeated multiple times a month FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.  I cannot even tell you how many times he starts the [weekend] day with, "Let's take the dogs for a walk today", but then doesn't get out of the damned bed until noon.  I cannot tell you how many times I've said to him, "Honey, my energy level is better early in the day, I can not/will not go outside and walk the dogs when it's eighty or ninety degrees outside."

So I've been interviewing professional dog trainers to help me get Maggie to where I can comfortably walk her.  Everyone I spoke to came to visit [for free] to meet with me and the mutts, gave me their training recommendations, fees, etc.  Believe me, they are damned expensive.  Hubby started yelling at me when I told them what I'd been up to, repeated the same lecture about how I'm not doing it right and he'll work with me every evening starting tonight.  Let's just say I'm not holding my breath and I haven't canceled the lesson [my money, not household money] I've scheduled for next week.

I am alone with these dogs for the vast majority of each week, including weekends.  I'm tired of waiting for him to make time for myself and the dogs.  If it costs me money, I think it's a sound investment.  Am I being unreasonable wanting to train my dog to walk with me in a way that is best for ME?  What are your thoughts?

4 comments:

Suzan said...

I think you are being reasonable. He either needs to put his words into action or as it is said - Put up or Shut Up.
Love, Suzan

Muffie said...

I think men see such training as a waste. I think you're doing the right thing. My daughter had a trainer for her two before and after the baby was born, so they'd understand how to behave. It was worth the expense.
Peace,
Muff

Anne P said...

Suzan that is so much more polite than my "shit or get off the pot". LOL

Muffie, thank you for your support on this. You are the first MS-er who sent a comment back, either here or on facebook. Really, unless one knows what we live with, they really don't get just how hard the simplest things can be, right?

Herrad said...

Hi Anne P,
I think it is a very good plan, dogs need training and they need walks.
Good luck.
Love,
Herrad