Fyodor's first proper walk
We took Fyodor for his first proper walk today. The weather decided to give us a break, and the sun came out!
We decided to go round a local park to let him experience the sights and sounds of the area and to get a proper assessment of his behaviour when meeting ofher dogs and people. I’m delighted to report that he’s a delight to take out for a walk. He’s really accomodating with people he doesn’t know, so long as they don’t try to pat the top of his head or back. He’s still really touch sensitive in those areas, and we let people know it’s better to stroke under his chin; he really likes that.
He’s pretty much unresponsive to the approach of other dogs, but will reciprocate with a curious sniff if that’s what he’s presented with. He met quite a few other dogs during the walk and we’re learning to trust in his indifference. He met an over-inquisitive elderly staffy that he was really tolerant of, and he remained aloof when a huge, young and bouncy GSD almost bowled him over on the path.
His lead-walking is pretty good. He doesn’t pull, which is a huge relief, but has a tendency to veer under my feet if I allow him to get a little too far in front. The slightest pressure through the lead corrects this though, and I’m sure it’ll get better in time when he’s walked a lot more with us.
He has a habit of doing an occasional happy little gallop before settling back into his normal gait, although this is more endearing than problematic.
He took the distance in his stride, and he seemed to really enjoy the exercise! I don’t think he’s walked through too many muddy puddles in the past, but his confidence doing this will improve in the near future.
Keep up with Fyo’s growing photo collection on pixelfed here!
