Acid Mud

Well with things moving quickly on the moving, not moving front for us Oddjob's training and blogging about it has taken a bit of a back seat.

He has adjusted really well to living with the collies and him and Rhyme are best pals.

So the last training I did was a basic - sitting.

I have since been informed that sit is not a basic exercise for Pugs and it doesn't come naturally to them either mentally or physically.

That explains it. I know he isn't unwilling to try to do things and I know he isn't daft so I did wonder if my training skills were letting me down as he was not quick to learn this behaviour.

Luckily I was told about them not liking the sitting before I had cracked it and he will now sit either for a treat, a toy, to be let in along side the others (staying there once the door is opened is next on the list) and randomly at my feet when I am near the fridge where the chicken treats are kept LOL.

We have now find exactly the right house and so all should go through ok now. We may have to spend time in a small holiday let and I mean small. I don't think it has internet so I may not be able to write for a while.

When we had looked at the house the owner told us of a nice walk nearby. A 3 hour car journey meant we wanted to ensure the dogs were walked before we went back again.

It was a lovely walk, along a track, through some woods and along an old disused railway track.

Well it was a lovely walk for people with boots and Border Collies. However due to the acid mud it was the most miserable walk Oddjob had ever had. He was so very unhappy about this and could not understand why on earth we would expect him to walk through it.

I say acid mud as the look on his face as he stared down at where his foot nearly touched it was one of pure distaste. Poor Oddjob.

I had been told that Pugs don't like rain but he has been out quite a few times in the rain and run about with the boys ok. This was another matter altogether.

Just avoiding mud or picking him up is not a brilliant option so my next mission is to see if I can get him to be comfortable with his feet in mud.

When I was just starting out at work I started in a bank with a few other recruits. We did those newbie jobs on a rota. The worst of all tasks was the post. It was the lowest of low, the acid mud of banking jobs. for some reason I decided to be the best post clerk there was. I labelled the baskets clearly so it was easier to sort, I activiely went round asking if I could take anything extra to the post office for the staff (just take my club order back etc). Eventually I actually began to look forward to doing the post and suddenly my colleagues became the same.

So I know that with the right attitude and lots of positive feelings even acid mud could be fun to be in :)

Initially I am getting Oddjob to just put his foot in water in a bowl for he best reward - chicken.

Out and about I am rewarding him for putting his foot on the edge of the mud, on a mole hill and in a puddle. I want him to enjoy his walks with us and not to be unhappy about anything as he is such a bubbly boy. I do need to take care I don't overdo this as having a pug sat in by the fridge is one thing trying to dry a muddy wiggly pug every time we go out will be another matter :)