Today was Honey's first day at the dog park.

[intheflow]

First of all, she HATES going into cars, has to be picked up and put on the seat. Once in the car, she settles down just fine, pretty much just curls up and sleeps. So we got through that hurdle. (Bear delights in car rides, knows they almost always lead some place awesome for dogs. I'm hoping she learns from him.)

Once at the park and off-leash, she was very shy and wary of other dogs, and stayed very close to me and my boyfriend, or Bear. This illustrates what she thought most of the time:



But after a while, even though she still stayed very close to us, she thought some of the doggie play around her was pretty fun.



Especially when Bear was in the midst of it.



This dog park is 10 acres fenced, with another 5 acres of unfenced trail around it. She experienced bot the fenced (unleashed) area and the unfenced (she on leash, Bear off as I know he won't wander off). She met all kinds of dogs, including huge great danes and huskies and a rolly polly little 13-week-old puppy (who wanted to follow my still-lactating female). By the end of our hour there, she was beginning to get the hang of it, even running up to one dog in the unleashed area very playfully, like she plays with Bear in the yard. I think she's showing great promise for growing up to be a very well-adjusted pooch. She just needs to learn she has a safe and stable home. I'm so happy I can provide that for her!

[Auntie Bush]

1. You're doing a great job...keep it up and you'll have a great pup.

[2theleft]

2. Yay for Honey!!

and yay for you for rescuing her!

[BainsBane]

3. She's got a sweet face

and that looks like a great park! I bet she'll become more comfortable the more she goes. My dog hates going in the car. She never sleeps. She pants and looks out the window and stands most of the time. I need to get a restraint for her.

[intheflow]

4. It is a great park, but sadly, about an hour from my home.

Because of that, we only go once or twice a year. Bear doesn't do well in smaller dog parks, humps every. single. dog. if enclosed in a normal fence. He's great off-leash, though; we live in a pretty rural area and he gets off-leash time almost daily to run through fields and chase prairie dogs. I wanted to judge how Honey would do off-leash in a safe environment for her and still not so confining to Bear that he'd become hump-happy. I think she'll eventually be able to be off-leash to chase prairie dogs, but right now it's more important for her to come to me every time she's called, knowing I'm safe - family.

What kind of dog do you have, BB? How old? I was reading up about how to get a dog in a car tonight, but your dog sounds like she won't get in and also is stressed once inside. Have you talked with the vet about it? The internet suggests taking her fun places, the more the better so she'll have positive reinforcement, but says it could take months or longer if the dog is older. And of course you have to have the kind of life where you have time and money and health for car rides to fun dog places. I hope she'll come around to it one of these days. Bear loves car rides almost as much as eating and humping dogs in small dog parks. I wish every dog could experience that level of joy in car rides!

[BainsBane]

5. mine is a 4-5 yr old boxer mix

named Lola.


I'm trying to see if I can upload this photo.

Edit: I created a photobucket account and uploaded a picture there but I can't get the link to upload here. If anyone knows how, I'd appreciate advice.

[intheflow]

7. Just go back to the photo on your photobucket account.

Copy the code called Direct Link (usually it copies itself when you click on it). Come back in here and post the direct link in the text box. I'd love to see a picture of her. Lola is one of the best dog names ever: What Lola wants, Lola gets!

[intheflow]

11. OMG, look at those eyes!

How can you resist those eyes anything?! That's a face that will wrap you 'round her fingers. Or paws, as the case may be. Very cute dog!

[BainsBane]

12. She's the best

and she says hi.

[TorchTheWitch]

16. that's the face they practice in the mirror

when we aren't around. LOL! Lola has it down to perfection!

[BainsBane]

9. it worked!!!

I had been trying to use the DU link function.

[intheflow]

15. The link button

has to have text attached to hit. Like if you link to a news headline, you have to type out the headline, highlight it, then click that link button and paste the actual link in it. But even then, I've had some problems using that link button in posts, so it's probably buggy. It's not you!

[intheflow]

13. Is she mixed with lab?

This picture makes it look like someone stuck a boxer face on a lab body and head. The big butt is definitely lab-ish!

[BainsBane]

14. LOL

I was told boxer hound, but I don't know. Her butt probably looks bigger because of the angle. She's also had pups.

[stopwastingmymoney]

21. She looks like a Rhodesian Ridgeback to me

They often don't have ridges

[BainsBane]

22. she actually does have a kind of ridge

I think she looks like one too. She's a rescue, so I can't know exactly what she is without a DNA test.

[stopwastingmymoney]

23. I bet she is a ridgie then

They also 'box' and use their paws in surprising ways

Super smart dogs, yours is beautiful

[BainsBane]

24. thanks

She's incredibly sweet and loyal.

[BainsBane]

6. This is Lola!

[link:|



She's a 4 1/2-5 year old boxer mix. She'll get into the car easily enough but doesn't like the ride. She's hopeful the dog park is on the other end of the ride, which sometimes it is and sometimes it isn't. I purposefully bought a car with good cargo room for her in the back thinking that would make it easier for her, but it doesn't seem to. She's so nervous she won't even eat a treat while she's riding in the car.

Bear looks like a sweetie too.

Edit: I first included the link and saw it in the preview. Then I wrote the message and now I can't get the photo to be visible.

[roody]

17. Practice loading up when you are not

going anywhere. Throw a high value treat into the car. Have her go in and out with both doors open. She will like the car soon.

[intheflow]

18. Here's the problem I have with her going in and out with all doors open:

What's to keep her from taking off down the block? This seems like the most unrealistic advice I've read in how to train an unwilling dog to get in a car. This is not a slam on you, roody, I've read it all over the internet, but it seems to assume all car entry training can happen in a fenced environment, or somewhere so rural the dog couldn't get hurt if they ran off.

Also, tried the high value treat - bacon! - to no avail whatsoever. For a dog who was found nearly starved to death, she's not very food motivated.

[roody]

19. In this situation, with a long long leash.

I trained such a dog at the shelter last summer. I sat in the back seat reading while he refused to come in. I threw all kinds of treats around. It took some days and time, but he eventually turned into a car-loving dog.

[Curmudgeoness]

20. Oh, how nice for Honey.

You are doing a great job, and I have no doubt that Honey will come around. You have to figure that she is so new to all of this, and to you too, but already she is getting on well. You are doing good. And Honey is obviously an intelligent dog. She will do well.

Kudos to you for taking all the effort. And kudos to Bear for making Honey feel at home.