The tactic lately has been to take new boy, and old girl on long walks (when I have the energy myself to do said walks) and get them both, but mainly new boy, suitably tired so that he doesn't run off, or listens to my call if he considers it. He's a great listener, until he decides to make a break for FREEDOM! Should have renamed him Braveheart, except he's kind of scared of things, a lot of things. Possibly a good call on the no name change.
As part of the get them tired to make bonding easier plan I took them both on a 2 hour hike to the ridge of the mountain the one morning I had no work this week. It was supposed to give more time to get on with things when we got back to the house, thus allowing me more to play bonding games later when he was less tired. He got home suitably thirsty, hungry and tired. Unfortunately he also had diarrhea that day, and there wasn't much resting going on when we spent all day going in and out, in and out, in and out the house to deal with his runny stinky poop.
Talking about stinkies, not sure why old girl is farting what smells like split pea soup on my lap. Must be the new food.
Anyway, got through that fun day of diarrhea and many walks and somehow survived without him running off that day in the process. Maybe something clicked but there hasn't been too many moments since then when he hasn't responded to calls of wait or stay when he has been tempted to get out of range, and he has been even more affectionate and needy. Let's hope. All these walks up the mountain are sure making me tired and its going to be a pain in the butt, back and legs if he's just lulling me into a false sense of control, again.
That wandering look, that spells trouble
