Fran on Friday
I’ve talked about Tango, my (now) 7-year-old Brussels Griffon who hated everyone and everything when I first got him at 11 months old. I’ve worked very hard ever since then to make him a civilized member of canine society. He doesn’t have to love everyone, and he certainly doesn’t have to socialize with everyone. But he does have to have manners and not try to attack everything on 2 or 4 legs.
We have a fenced back yard and let the dogs run around in the yard without leashes (except for Booker who sometimes likes to play “keep away,” but that’s a blog post for another time). We do always go out with them, because you never know if someone wandering around the neighborhood left a gate open, or if a hawk is close by.
Our next door neighbors are very tolerant people (thank goodness!) who put up with our dogs jumping on the fence, wanting to say hello to them. Tango is very loud – he barks at anything he doesn’t like, which is just about everyone and everything. And he barks at our neighbors when he sees them. Now, he is a little dog, and to most people his bark is not at all threatening, but I know that his bark signifies, “Keep away! I’m going to attack you!”
Lately, though, he’s started barking but when I call his name he comes running to me! Yes, running to me, even though he sees the neighbor! Up until a few weeks ago Tango would have ignored me and kept on barking! Of course I give him many treats and tell him what a wonderful boy he is! This is stupendous! Training really does work!
