Buster has had limited excersie in his life (due to crippling ed as a pup), we have stuck to the same route as changes in terrain/slopes could start off a limp.

This has left him reluctant to ever change course and has limited his experiences of the big wide world :( As he is physically much more stable now (he'll be 4 years this summer) we want to try to give him more experiences.

There was a car-boot sale on today, in the field next to the one we usually walk in, so we decided to see if we could get him there.

With a stroke of luck, we met another dog-walker heading the same way, so Buster happily follwed the other dog (he'll go any where with another dog with no other encouragement needed). We entered the 'car-boot' field with bated breath, it was very busy & niosy - kids running around, loads of poeple, noisy hotdog vans,bouncy castles, we thought Buster would refuse to go in (I would have sat at a comfotable distance for him to take in the sights/sounds/smells if he refused to go in).....
However, he trotted in!!! He was a tiny bit out of his comfort zone, which made him very attentive & obedient, following my every command (LOL, makes a change!), but he really enjoyed himself.

He got very excited at seeing a traffic cone and dragged me over to greet it!! The only ever time he's seen a traffic cone before, was an abonded one plonked in the field when he was about 9 monhts old. He was frightened of that cone and refused to go near it, so I left him where he was (on a long line), went over to the cone, knelt down while petting it cone and talking to it like a beloved pet, Bust came to greet it too. Seems as if that greeting and memoery of the scarey cone that turned out to be friendly, had a lasting impression!!! :-D

The car boot is laid out perfect for a 'newbie' dog, with huge walk-ways, so we stayed back form the stalls - keeping to the more open areas in between the rows and wandered around. Buster was in his element looking at all the people (he loves greeting people) and willing them over to him. We had lots of people come to pet him and ask about him and he was such a good boy, even when we had a little croud all around us :)

He enjoyed his little trip out :) This car boot will be on weekly through the summer, so he'll be going every week :)

Right, that's a start to getting him more comfortable at going different places/routes. We're making great progress on his fear of footballs, so the thing I have left to tackle his is fear (and subsequent refusal) to get in the car!!

He'll be a different dog by next year at this rate!

Aaaaaawwwww, didn't know whether to laugh or cry for him, especially at the traffic cone ;-)
Glad he enjoyed his 'day out' :-)

> Aaaaaawwwww, didn't know whether to laugh or cry for him, especially at the traffic cone

LOL, bless him, he loved greeting the cone :-D

He's sprawled out accross the floor, snoring in contentment at his fun trip out. LOL, it doesn't take much to keep Bust happy :)

Car boot sales are great for dogs, my old GSD Louie used to get very excited at the prospect of a car boot, although that might have been down to the doughnut he always got for being such a good boy lol. Agricultural fairs were another big favourite, all that horse poo, and ice cream...yum yum.
Well done Buster, car boot sales today, tomorrow the world !.

> He was frightened of that cone and refused to go near it, so I left him where he was (on a long line), went over to the cone, knelt down while petting it cone and talking to it like a beloved pet

Have memories from my last GSD of standing half way down a sloping grass verge on a back road into the village, I had my arm round and petting this very savage 30 sign that was ready to attack any GSD that was within range...............He ended up peeing on its post (that will teach it for scaring him :-D )
Great work with Buster, heres to his future
Chris

He'll want to buy something next time he goes ! :)
You really work hard with him, well done. He is lucky to have you.

> He was frightened of that cone and refused to go near it

Not an evil cone or vicious speed limit sign in my case, but there was a terrifying motorcycle helmet on the pavement which my boy when he was younger, completely refused to go anywhere near. Yep, I did the cooing and petting at the very end of the lead, on my knees, while my bf of the time (ex soon after!) quite literally pretended he didn't know me and walked off, and the bloke mending his motorbike by the side of the road was rolling around in the gutter peeing himself laughing!

mastifflover

Seriously - I fear for your sanity!!  :-)  :-)  :-)  :-)

No really, I love your updates (still remember you doing angel wings in the snow!)  :-)

But it's amazing how the right approach works, and it helps people coming on here with their dog problems, and they realise that it isn't just them.  So your posts give positive encouragement to any newcomer.  (As well as making me smile!)  :-)

We now have several people able to give the right advice for positive solutions whatever the doggie problem may be, and it's what makes CD a great club to be in.

Long Live Buster.  :-)

> Seriously - I fear for your sanity!!

LOL :-D

Glad you enjoy my waffling updates :)

I'm very relieved that other people have also looked like raving loonies in public, while attempting to help thier dogs over-come fears of 'frightening' inanimate objects :)

Yes, been there!! Sat every day in the boot of the car feeding the pup, playing with him, I then progressed to the drivers seat, I eventually turned the engine on after a few days and then after a week I drove round the block. I could see the neighbours curtains twitching as I always did it at the same time and I'm sure I was the talk of the Neighbourhood Watch Meeting. Pup was a terrible traveller but after my regime we managed to do a weeks trip to Dorset ( about 500 miles) with no incident!! These things have to be done!!

Has he got another outing soon?

> we managed to do a weeks trip to Dorset ( about 500 miles) with no incident!!

Well done you :-D

>Has he got another outing soon?

I was planning on taking him to the same car-boot this weekend so fingers crossed it's not rained-off :)