Neely running with scooter!

[Lorraine Bromley]

I am just pleased that today Neely and I had a long trip up town and around our river and park system. I drove the scooter we have and had Neely stay along side me and get used to it and also did some regular training as well. He did really well running along side the scooter. He did stray a few times across the path in front of the scooter and tryed to get to the other side. I had him walk on the left like he would for the heel position.
I could see he was having such an internal struggle being only 6 months old and walking along the river with all those ducks laughing at him and those big white swans honking at him, and coming right towards him with thier new fluffy signets too! Those geese chattering behind his back!! But when the ducks all splashed into the river and he couldn't follow for a dip and chase game it was too much. What a sad looking Doodle. He didn't even want a treat for not jumping in and taking me scooter and all in too! He was so interested in the sights and smells he couldn't even stop for a poo! The scooter was up to full speed and so was he with the wind in his face and his nose turned up to scentsitive his eyes keenly aware of every feather on fowl or fallen. He kept on trotting along with a puppy poo poking its smelly self out from under that high flying tail. So smart was he that instead of slowing down and squating he decided that trying to throw that turd of his trail.. uh I mean tail, was the way to go.He started to zig and zag and really wag! It worked he had done it on the fly! Neely wasn't smart enough to understand that even though he didn't want to stop and poo I had to stop and stoop to scoop!!! He sat and stayed so well too. Wouldn't ya know it while I was stooping to do the scooping and he was staying instead of playing the duck had another idea! What is a dood to do when the drake wants to tease when sees your on a leash. Neely looked at me and pleaded for maybe a second before he broke his sit and stay to send that duck away!
I was really impressed with him being near the scooter and even closer on the way home. He was very aware of it at the start and didn't want to get too close but while those dang ducks were distracting him he did get too close and got bumped a couple of times. That did help him to stay on the left too. He did the sit stay and wait quite well for a busy and new place though. He did get to say hi to some people too and he crouched down to meet with them instead of jumping to get petted. That was a really hard training place with all those other distractions not to mention other dogs out for walks too. I think we'll do it again but work on training too not just positioning with the scooter which was my main goal today.
He was panting pretty hard after it all and thirsty too. He had a bit of a lay down on the cool tile floor but he has already had a couple of sessions of fetch the ball. Then a chase and wrestle session with his human brothers too.
I bet he has some sweet dreams tonight!

[Lorraine Bromley]

Pretty tough to understand that he can't play and chew on the ducks that look just the same as the stuffed sqeaky toy duck he has at home too!

He had another walk with the scooter tonight and only crossed over once as we were both getting off the street and onto the sidewalk (it narrowed) My driving could have been the issue though!!

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Sounds like he had a lot of fun even if he was exhausted afterwards...great exercise overall for him,

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

Wow, he must have been so tired after that. Maybe next time he should get at least one shot at chasing those ducks for being so good the first time.