A new twist in our morning walks

[nanajoy]

It is now approaching mid-to-high eighties even early in the morning as summer is approaching here in Florida. Our gated community has two "loops" equaling approximately one mile, and we have been taking the boys around each morning. The last few days my little imp, Gus, has happily pranced in tagalong manner behind my husband and Tyrone, but balked when he comes to make the turn into the second loop. Ty's coat is long, but silky, and he doesn't seem to get too hot...however little wooly Gus seems to be getting uncomfortably warm despite his very short puppy cut. Jim had picked him up for a short distance, then put him back down for the last two days, and he continued happily along. Today I had his leash and he laid down on the sidewalk at the corner. I gave him a pet, and he looked me in the eye, got up, and led me to cross the street to the sidewalk on the other side. I let him cross, and he happily walked straight home, then turned into our driveway and went inside for a long cool drink. After he finished drinking he sat by the garage door and waited for his brother to come home from his longer walk.

The fact that he knew exactly how to get home did make me feel good. Neither of the dogs have ever been off a leash, but I am now convinced that he would know his way home if he ever escaped through an open door when the grandkids are visiting.

[yavenay]

They do their way back home. One of the main reasons besides exercise that I walk Duchess is so she will know her neighborhood. She knows the way home from several different directions, living in a small town, we have the option of walking in multiple directions and she is familiar with her immediate surroundings.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Hooray for a great nose that scientists theorize he followed from a familiar, targeted scent around the home & followed it all the way in. Amazing "technology" these little guys have built-in they can use most any time they need. Further away from home, that nose will pick-up scents of other, further-off neighborhood dogs, garbage, pee markings on a tree, fence, etc., and use that to get back closer to a familiar scent from the home. This is why leaving our personal clothing or a favorite toy, bedding outside front and back should he go missing can help him reorient and work his way back.

It's said that scent trails do fade over time so I imagine the more often a dog can get out and around the far neighborhood helps him stay current on denser scents surrounding and near his home and strong scents overlapping those from further off. Some dogs with more sophisticated noses & other on-board navigation tools can use those to find their way home from afar months/years after most home scent & neighborhood trails are thought to have vanished and nobody really understands how.

This navigational awareness and the dog's obvious use of neighborhood scents and sights, perhaps sounds, etc. is another, important reason to allow your dog to stop and sniff, memorize scents and other tools he might use ringing his home and surrounding neighborhood all he wants during his walks. Scents, sights and things he becomes aware of during those walks may one day guide him back home in the awful event he is ever lost.

[Lovetodream88]

Joey seems to be a lot more reactive to heat then his siblings. It’s great he knew his way home! Would maybe taking water for him help? I have this but the older version and a sling https://www.amazon.com/H2O4K9-Water-...NXTAKATA7&th=1

[nanajoy]

Thanks for the suggestion regarding water, but we have several water containers which he uses when we travel. He doesn't really want to stop and drink when we are walking. I think he is just too warm, and the half mile seems to suit him better on the really hot days...I don't blame him. When you combine 90 plus percent humidity during the rainy season it really is uncomfortable. Combine that with the fact that his little legs are half as long as Ty's making him take so many extra steps. As long as he is satisfied with a shorter walk on the hot mornings, and gets his exercise with play sessions during the day, I will be fine letting him come home earlier than his "big brother" on the hot, humid days. I want him to continue to be excited to go on his walks, and be ready to resume longer distances when the weather is cool, rather than pushing him. On nights when we have had a late afternoon storm which breaks the heat we will try a walk; however it is frequently mid seventies to eighties at midnight!

[matese]

It's really great Gus knew the way home just for the reason you stated.

As much as I really hate walking Cody around my community because of lose dogs, dogs dashing out of homes when door is opened, staked dogs at front of houses, I force myself to do the walk for that very reason. Cody is a door dasher, my fault, I allowed him to dash out onto the gated front deck when I first rescued him. Then realized how dangerous that was when someone came to my door and did not close that gate.

I had trained Cody to sit, stay and wait but never used it when we went to sit at the front of the house. Now he sits and waits to be invited to come out but, that is not to say he would never dash at the open door. So he must get to know his way home if he ever got out of the house.

[nanajoy]

On their last trip, one of my grandkids opened the kitchen door to the garage when the garage door was open...Jim and I always keep the garage closed until the dogs are secured in the house. Gus chased after my granddaughter, and crossed the threshold into the yard. He only went a few feet, but did not respond immediately when I called "come". Jim gave him the "sit" command, and he responded and let Jim walk over and pick him up. Although he was no more than a few feet from the door, I was very frightened, especially due to the fact that he had never been off-leash, and I could not predict his response to cars. When he wanted to go home yesterday, he led me to the corner to urge me to cross the street, but he sat and waited for me to tell him it was OK to cross. I will still never let him off leash, even when we are in our yard and I am standing right beside him.

[matese]

You are very lucky Gus listened and obeyed, most will dash off to check out their new freedom.

Last year Cody got out of the gated deck twice on the same day, while I was 50 feet away head down planting flowers for 15 minutes. I never saw him get off the deck.
I was finished and came to the deck to take a break, the dog was gone, OMG, he is gone for good is what I was thinking, now I am crying and shaking, quickly I start to head to the back where the woods are thinking that's where he headed because that's where the deer are, I was shouting his name over and over, here he comes behind me OMG, I snatch him up praising him like crazy for coming to me when I called him. I couldn't believe he came to me because he is always trying to get at the deer.
I was puzzled how he got off the gated deck, I blamed myself for not checking the latch was locked.

So what do I do, I give Cody a treat for coming when called then I go to finish planting the rest of my flowers, this time I'm 100 feet from the deck and was there for an hour. Break time, I come to the deck, Cody is gone again, again emotional break down, beating myself for trusting he was safe and leaving him alone again. I am shouting and shouting his name, here he comes from the side of my neighbors house, again I swoop him up praising him, gave another treat for coming when called.

I know that gate was latched how did he get out, so, I leave him on the deck, come in the house and peek out of the window, I see him jump at the latch and pop it open I holler Cody want a treat as I'm heading to the door that is only 4 feet away, I was on the deck before he could think treat or run, in the house he came. So now that he has learned how to pop the gate latch he is never alone on the deck.

I was amazed that he came when called because this dog is a runner, I would never let him off leash never. I was lucky to get him back twice in one day, I know the man upstairs helped with that.
With these terrier's and their hunting instinct and curiosity of the world beyond their domain should never be trusted off leash no matter if they obey all command words in the house, once loose they are focused on exploring and don't hear commands.

[nanajoy]

OMG Joan, how scary for you! Those little imps of ours are SO smart that they seem to be able to figure out how to escape anything we put in their way. We have a very big home, and confine the boys to our kitchen/greatroom area. Years ago we used a baby gate when we had our little Ozzie. One day, not long after he came home, my husband and I crossed over to our bedroom to collect laundry, then turned around to find little Ozzie right at our ankles. We thought that we must not have closed the gate, and went on our way. When the laundry was finished, we took the clothes out of the dryer and went across to hang them in our closet. Who do you think we found right there with us again? We placed him back behind the gate, then took a few steps before stopping and turning around...just in time to see little Ozzie squeezing his front leg and head through the space between the rungs! When he saw us looking at him, he pulled himself back into the kitchen and looked at us with a sheepish little "grin". Jim then stapled screening material over the rungs...problem solved.

We now have a much more attractive wooden dog gate in place, but we have to velcro it shut on a ring that Jim installed due to the fact that Beau taught Gus how to hook the bars with his paw to pull it open. And the saga of escape artists continues...

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by nanajoy

Thanks for the suggestion regarding water, but we have several water containers which he uses when we travel. He doesn't really want to stop and drink when we are walking. I think he is just too warm, and the half mile seems to suit him better on the really hot days...I don't blame him. When you combine 90 plus percent humidity during the rainy season it really is uncomfortable. Combine that with the fact that his little legs are half as long as Ty's making him take so many extra steps. As long as he is satisfied with a shorter walk on the hot mornings, and gets his exercise with play sessions during the day, I will be fine letting him come home earlier than his "big brother" on the hot, humid days. I want him to continue to be excited to go on his walks, and be ready to resume longer distances when the weather is cool, rather than pushing him. On nights when we have had a late afternoon storm which breaks the heat we will try a walk; however it is frequently mid seventies to eighties at midnight!

I totally get that. I'm in Maryland so our whether is less humid I think. I also get the short legs thing because I live with that daily lol. As long as everyone is happy

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by matese

You are very lucky Gus listened and obeyed, most will dash off to check out their new freedom.

Last year Cody got out of the gated deck twice on the same day, while I was 50 feet away head down planting flowers for 15 minutes. I never saw him get off the deck.
I was finished and came to the deck to take a break, the dog was gone, OMG, he is gone for good is what I was thinking, now I am crying and shaking, quickly I start to head to the back where the woods are thinking that's where he headed because that's where the deer are, I was shouting his name over and over, here he comes behind me OMG, I snatch him up praising him like crazy for coming to me when I called him. I couldn't believe he came to me because he is always trying to get at the deer.
I was puzzled how he got off the gated deck, I blamed myself for not checking the latch was locked.

So what do I do, I give Cody a treat for coming when called then I go to finish planting the rest of my flowers, this time I'm 100 feet from the deck and was there for an hour. Break time, I come to the deck, Cody is gone again, again emotional break down, beating myself for trusting he was safe and leaving him alone again. I am shouting and shouting his name, here he comes from the side of my neighbors house, again I swoop him up praising him, gave another treat for coming when called.

I know that gate was latched how did he get out, so, I leave him on the deck, come in the house and peek out of the window, I see him jump at the latch and pop it open I holler Cody want a treat as I'm heading to the door that is only 4 feet away, I was on the deck before he could think treat or run, in the house he came. So now that he has learned how to pop the gate latch he is never alone on the deck.

I was amazed that he came when called because this dog is a runner, I would never let him off leash never. I was lucky to get him back twice in one day, I know the man upstairs helped with that.
With these terrier's and their hunting instinct and curiosity of the world beyond their domain should never be trusted off leash no matter if they obey all command words in the house, once loose they are focused on exploring and don't hear commands.

What a great story. You and little Cody make a happy little family! Even prey-driven, willful little Yorkies can learn over time that doing what mom asks to enjoy her delight in him, get rewards & heartfelt praise in return for getting it right, keeps him fulfilled and wanting more. You've got a good thing going. Good boy, Cody!

[Lovetodream88]

Originally Posted by nanajoy

On their last trip, one of my grandkids opened the kitchen door to the garage when the garage door was open...Jim and I always keep the garage closed until the dogs are secured in the house. Gus chased after my granddaughter, and crossed the threshold into the yard. He only went a few feet, but did not respond immediately when I called "come". Jim gave him the "sit" command, and he responded and let Jim walk over and pick him up. Although he was no more than a few feet from the door, I was very frightened, especially due to the fact that he had never been off-leash, and I could not predict his response to cars. When he wanted to go home yesterday, he led me to the corner to urge me to cross the street, but he sat and waited for me to tell him it was OK to cross. I will still never let him off leash, even when we are in our yard and I am standing right beside him.

We do that with our garage too most of the time. My mom went out to smoke and she leaves the garage open until she is done. Well something happened where I needed to tell her something and Penny escaped but luckily she went straight to my mom. When Callie was a puppy she got out many times and would only come when strangers called her and scared the crud out of us multiple times. She finally learned to not go out the door but it took a while because she is stubborn. Ollie and Penny when he was a puppy dug a hole on the fence line and he got out and we were in the fence and called him and he came right back in the hole luckily. We also have a above ground pool and Ollie jumped out and its not in a fence and he had no interest in going anywhere luckily so we got out and got him but I still wouldn't trust him off leash because he is a hunter so if he saw anything her would go in hunting mode and that would be it. I swear when they get lose like that and you get them back safely it feels like your heart is going to just beat out of your chest.

[matese]

Originally Posted by Lovetodream88

I swear when they get lose like that and you get them back safely it feels like your heart is going to just beat out of your chest.

Originally Posted by yorkietalkjilly

What a great story. You and little Cody make a happy little family! Even prey-driven, willful little Yorkies can learn over time that doing what mom asks to enjoy her delight in him, get rewards & heartfelt praise in return for getting it right, keeps him fulfilled and wanting more. You've got a good thing going. Good boy, Cody!

I was totally shocked that he came back twice, more shocked that he didn't head for the woods, he would have been gone forever. All my fault, it will never happen again.

Originally Posted by nanajoy

OMG Joan, how scary for you! Those little imps of ours are SO smart that they seem to be able to figure out how to escape anything we put in their way. We have a very big home, and confine the boys to our kitchen/greatroom area. Years ago we used a baby gate when we had our little Ozzie. One day, not long after he came home, my husband and I crossed over to our bedroom to collect laundry, then turned around to find little Ozzie right at our ankles. We thought that we must not have closed the gate, and went on our way. When the laundry was finished, we took the clothes out of the dryer and went across to hang them in our closet. Who do you think we found right there with us again? We placed him back behind the gate, then took a few steps before stopping and turning around...just in time to see little Ozzie squeezing his front leg and head through the space between the rungs! When he saw us looking at him, he pulled himself back into the kitchen and looked at us with a sheepish little "grin". Jim then stapled screening material over the rungs...problem solved.

We now have a much more attractive wooden dog gate in place, but we have to velcro it shut on a ring that Jim installed due to the fact that Beau taught Gus how to hook the bars with his paw to pull it open. And the saga of escape artists continues...

My Matese was a climber if she was gated off. This guy is just to smart, all the times I latched that lock to throw out the trash, the lil stinker must have watched. I have him 6 1/2 years and still learning about him.

Your crew lol are just to clever. You have to out fox the lil imps lol.
Gardening time Cody is now in the house, no more trusting locks thinking he's safe. I could never live with myself if he ever got out and never came back. I'm just so grateful twice he came back when I was screaming his name and shocked that he did.

[Bluebells]

Originally Posted by matese

You are very lucky Gus listened and obeyed, most will dash off to check out their new freedom.


I was finished and came to the deck to take a break, the dog was gone, OMG, he is gone for good is what I was thinking, now I am crying and shaking, quickly I start to head to the back where the woods are thinking that's where he headed because that's where the deer are ....

I understand your feelings. Our house is on an acreage completely surrounded by woods. Most directions, the woods are far enough from the house that Jax probably wouldn’t get there without stopping to investigate ... something ... but to the right of the front deck, it’s only maybe thirty feet to the tree line. If Jax got out and headed that direction, I know I’d never see him again. Good job training Gus so well! That’s my goal, although we haven’t made much progress yet.

[matese]

Originally Posted by Bluebells

I understand your feelings. Our house is on an acreage completely surrounded by woods. Most directions, the woods are far enough from the house that Jax probably wouldn’t get there without stopping to investigate ... something ... but to the right of the front deck, it’s only maybe thirty feet to the tree line. If Jax got out and headed that direction, I know I’d never see him again. Good job training Gus so well! That’s my goal, although we haven’t made much progress yet.

Never under estimate these lil terriers, they are fast runners, and I mean fast.

Cody knows the deer and chipmunks are at the back of the house as is my deck. When he sees the wild life he goes insane, bites at the lattice trying to rip it off to get at a little squirrel, chippy and the deer OMG, the deer. If he ever got into the woods, he would be gone forever, he would never find his way home. I am very watchful of him when we are on the back deck.