Luke is making quite good progress with his loose lead walking - but it's still very hard work, much patience and perseverance and strange looks from neighbours, lol....and it all goes to pot when he spots a cat! He goes bananas and really lunges and is difficult to hold. I tend to do a smart reverse and hope the cat disappears before we have to got to that spot again (today it was almost opposite our house so in order to get home I have to do that :D: ) but has anyone any other tips? We're still using a 6 foot lead so if I don't notice and shorten it in time it's really quite dangerous - I want to preserve my 62year old bones (birthday today!)

No idea how to help but Happy Birthday. I am 60 years young and also have problems holding on when a cat appears.

I would use a shorter lead and a head collar :D

I walk my five on 4 foot leads, but usually only play out half that length for the ones at my side giveing a bit more to the ones bringing up the rear.

Mine like cats but do react to the suden appearnace of one, or if it runs, or worse just freezes in the middle of the road.  You really need to tech the leave command around other circumstances and apply it to the cat.  I tended to stand still with my lot until the cat had passed if they were really on their toes, but otherwise a leave it before they had even spotted it stopped them from going into cat alert mode.

Hi Carene - I think considering your circumstances I may have resorted to a master plus spray collar by now?  However, this isn't for all dogs, I know of one who quivers in his boots just having one put on - whereas others couldn't care a less.  I know of a dog at our training class that lunges and she is now fitted with a master plus and sprayed every time she lunges...They soon get the message!  They are expensive though so if you intend to try one I would suggest hiring one first.
Sarah

If it is while the dog is on lead anyway a squirt bottle would be a lot cheaper than an expensive collar to distract the dog. :D  I use empty frontline boittles well rinsed and set to a jet not a mist. Canovel fleaspray also do a good triggerspray bottle which is tougher.

Well, of course there's the Jif lemon (with water!) which worked with the barking at ringcraft.....last time we went. I had wondered about trying that. Thanks! Headcollar - he was the one who developed a bleed behind the eye last time we tried that - so no, I'll persevere with a flat collar - he is actually doing well with that, apart from the cat issue!!

By the way - re the six foot lead - we've used this since the "Walk with me" seminar - the theory being that the dog gets the message about having to return to the "hot spot" more effectively by having to return further, if you see what I mean?? (Not 100% sure Luke does, actually........lol)

The beauty of the masterplus is that the 'correction' is not associated with you.  The timing can be very accurate and at the press of a button you have a short, sharp immediate correction.  But yes, they are expensive - however very effective ;)
Sarah

The theory is great and truw, but of course the further away the dog is from you the more leverage he has, and the less control you have so sometimes you need to compromise in order to reamin in control. :D

What kind of head collar did you have the problems with as there are different designs, some work better than others depending on the headshpe etc.

He had the bleed using a Halti, but we've also tried a dogmatic. The vet suggested a harness might be better, so we used a Walk-eezee harness, which has been very good but the velcro fastening is no longer very effective. So I really want to persevere with the "Walk with Me" methods, but I agree it is necessary to shorten the lead at times for safety's sake. Thanks for your help.

Hiya
I think that we exchanged emails earlier in the  year.....I've since been on the April versioin of the 'Walk with Me' course and there were only 5 people on it!  Much better than the 20+ that I hear you had to endure!  :-) Anyway, if Luke has been making good progress in the meantime then before you go off down any other route, why don't you email Kay L or any of her team for advice?  Use the links on the Learning about Dogs website that you booked the original course on.  Explain who you are and I am sure they will be willing to help.  Alternatively, you should have a phone number for her on your green confirmation slip that they send out.  Call her! 

Cats are off the richter scale for most dogs and you can't expect Luke to cope with those if he is still distracted by other lesser items.  It does take time - I'm not far behind you in years either, so I know how it feels, but if you are on the right track and seeing progress, hang on in there!

I know Kay can be a bit intimidating sometimes, bless, so if you prefer, try Helen Phillips or any of the others.  I am seeing Helen on 25th, so could run it past her then if you like if you don't get an answer from any other route in the meantime.

Good luck!

I was wondering if you actually got to go on the April course! Helen was my tutor, and we got on very well - although I was handling Maggie, Luke's mum, whilst my OH had Luke. They got a lot of individual attention, and we do intend to stick with it. Are you going on any more of Kay's courses?

We used to have this problem, even tho' Ta-ri lives with a cat very happily, he hated those he met out on our walks. He lunged, growling and barking like a thin possessed, which is no fun in a residential area at 6.30 in the morning.
I started bringing his very favourite treat and made sure that he knew that I had it, by offering it for a sit at the end of our drive.
I always tried to spot the trouble (cats) first and made a big thing of getting his attention and only offering the treat when he had sat and was quiet. Then holding another one and asking him to walk quietly on. Within a week he had sussed it out and would spot the cat, then look to me for a treat.
Funnily enough, only this morning we saw a cat, he had a bit of a huff/puff but then passed on quietly.
It can work

carene 20.04.05 13:42 GMT

>Headcollar - he was the one who developed a bleed behind the eye last time we tried that<

Hi Carene, what do you mean "bleeding 'behind' the eye"? it's the 'behind' the eye I do not undestand.

Sorry it was a while back and I can't remember the exact anatomy (ageing brain, you understand - lol) but that was what the vet said, anyway. Yes it could have been a co-incidence - we'll never know.