Two Friends’ Journey to Creating a Peaceful Pack
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by Judy - Online Dog Coach
Editor’s note: Do not try this at home. All of the dogs in this article are highly trained in their home situations, knowing all of the Basic FUNdamentals and having advanced training in Agility. Both handlers have years of experience training their dogs.
In the beginning we were just trying to get our dogs to tolerate each other, and walking together seemed to be the best solution. As two friends who are both certified dog-a-holics, we could not understand why our dogs did not like each other. We determined that long walks would be good discipline and one way to let the dogs get used to each other.
We started this adventure late in July of 2008. We had six, sometimes seven feisty dogs. Six Australian Shepherds and one rescue dog (our honorary Aussie). All of our dogs are different ages with the oldest being nine years of age and the youngest one year old. We have three males and four females. Five dogs belong to Claudia (Breeze, Relay, Rookie, Jax, and Duce) and two belong to me (Yazzie and Ryder). We joke about the dogs’ personality shortcomings. Labeling them: “The Fun Police,” “The Paw of Justice,” “Goofball,” and other not so complimentary names.
If they could not be best friends, we hoped our dogs at the very least would not try to eat each other. After reading many dog behavior articles and watching hours of Animal Planet programs on behavior, we knew that walking as a pack was one way to achieve stability.
This idea came from a magazine article about a blended family. The adults and children all got along well, but the dogs did not get along! The adults argued about which dog(s) to give up. Walking the dogs away from the home environment was the answer, and they were able to get the dogs to bond, creating a happy family, including the dogs.
On the Trail
In the beginning we tried to walk at least three times a week, for at least 45 minutes. The first few times were a little crazy and the dogs snarled, jerked, pulled, and acted stupid, eventually settling down to walk. We are always searching for a good place to walk where we would encounter other people and dogs. For the seven weeks we walked, we took turns leading and following, we practiced passing each other, and greeting strangers. Sometimes we had good experiences and sometimes not so much. All the while, we were concentrating on the dogs’ behavior and trying to be consistent in our training techniques and commands. Some of our biggest challenges came not from our dogs, but other people who did not have their dogs under control (people talking on the cell phone, their dogs pulling on their flexie leashes, and generally out of control). 
The following excerpts are from my diary of our seven week journey to creating a peaceful pack. Somewhere I heard that a tired dog is a happy dog. I believe this is true, and a long walk is key. Our walks have really progressed and many of the behavior issues have become less of a problem thanks to training, consistency, and persistence!
Excerpts from Judy’s Diary:
Friday, September 12:
Walked around the recreation center lake in the fog. The sidewalk is very wide and we were able to walk abreast! All six dogs side by side! WOW!!! They are still snappy towards each other, but while walking they are paying attention to what is in front of them, not who is at their side. This could be a breakthrough!!
Wednesday, September 17:
Walked the Evergreen Lake, just Yazzie and Ryder. Good walk, confronted strangers with dogs and made it through without difficulty.
Thursday, September 18:
Changed it up a bit today. Claudia took Rookie, Relay and Yazzie. Judy walked with all the boys, Duce, Jax, and Ryder. The early going was a little rough and undisciplined. We were able to control the situation, and after a few yards they settled down and concentrated on the task at hand… the walk!!
Monday, September 22:
We have decided to persevere; meeting at the same lakeside location, but taking a different path. And we have changed the cast of canine characters. Jax got to stay home today. We have added Breeze, a female Aussie with an authoritarian personality.
We made a big mistake at the start. We allowed the dogs to meet head on. It was an accident. The way we parked and exited our cars contributed to this confrontation. Claudia had the leashes of Deuce, Ryder, and Breeze. In an instant Ryder and Breeze exploded into a frenzy of snapping, growling and gnashing of teeth. Rearing up at each other, engaging and behaving very badly. Claudia was able to get them under control, and we were able to move forward.
During this altercation, I had the leashes of Yazzie, Rookie and Relay. They were contributing to the craziness by barking and pulling and inviting themselves to get involved. I pulled them away, got them sitting and under control using firm voice commands and eye contact.
There was tension in the air. Once again as we moved forward and they settled into the walk. After a few minutes we were moving briskly, six abreast along a wide up hill trail. We encountered a few dog walkers along the way and passed them uneventfully.
Thursday, September 25:
We met at Claudia`s house. Hooked up the dogs and started up the driveway. UNEVENTFUL!!! After a few yards we exchanged leashes, and kept walking. Claudia had the leashes of Ryder, Rookie and Relay. Judy had Yazzie, Deuce, and Jax. The walk was mostly an uphill climb. We stopped a few times and practiced sitting and starting up the walk again using the ready, O.K., move out command.
After the better part of an hour walk, we returned to the house. We discussed letting the dogs loose in the yard. Putting them all on a sit stay, slowly without sudden moves we unleashed them. Still on a stay command, quietly we gave the O.K. command. Careful not to have any excitement in our voices. The dogs casually got up and began milling around. They headed towards the water trough. Deuce and Ryder both got in the tub. Ryder showed teeth, but we were able to put a stop to it before it became an incident.
We were planning to go down the hill to the agility field for a little practice as a reward. The dogs were off leash for five minutes at this point. Judy opened the car door to get the treat pouch, all hell broke loose!!! Ryder and Relay got into it. Scrapping, deep guttural ferocious sounds, both down fighting. Hard to tell who is on the top, hard to know who is the aggressor. This is Relay`s house, but Ryder`s vehicle. This was a struggle over possession, or of personality. We pulled them apart, no injuries and we calmed the situation. Relay was crated.
After a short period of calm time Yazzie and Ryder got to practice some agility skills. We walked back up the hill, said our good byes. We will see what next week brings. We are learning and progressing.
Agility trial this weekend.
Friday, September 26:
Thinking back on the events of yesterday, 90% of our outing was very successful. However the 10% was awful. We created a potentially dangerous situation, and it erupted into bedlam. Our dogs were controlling the situation with a bad reaction. An inappropriate response to a normal situation, and we were responsible. We were unable to redirect their attention and head off the disaster.
Today Yazzie and Ryder will be walking alone, I must be on high alert, they will not get away with anything!
Monday, September 29:
Today we have decided to walk around the recreation center lake, where the walkways are wide and we meet a few people and dog walkers, enough to make it a little challenging. We started out very smoothly. We were greeted by a bunch of mothers and toddlers in strollers out for an exercise class. We stepped to the side and allowed them to pass, uneventfully! Claudia had the leashes of Ryder, Relay, and Jax. Judy had Yazzie, Deuce, and Rookie. This day of walking was off to a very easy start. We had participated in an agility trial over the weekend and we were hoping the dogs would be as tired as we were.
We were moving along. Ryder was positioned next to Jax, and a few times Ryder gave Jax the Elvis sneer, lifting a lip showing a hint of pearly white fang. Claudia gave Ryder`s leash a quick snap, got his attention and all moved along without incident.
During the outing we split up a few times, taking different paths to wind up at the same place. Ryder carried on a bit to be separated from the whole group, especially his buddy and house mate Yazzie. Mostly he whined and pulled, but not crazily. He calmed quickly, but not completely. This day was marked by no big events! YEA!!
Tuesday, September 30:
Yazzie and Ryder alone. They like it this way, but it is not helping us to accomplish our goal. We will be together again on Thursday and Friday.
Thursday, October 2:
Our adventure today was very different. Mostly an uphill climb along narrow trails. Not easy to walk abreast, we practiced leading and following, and passing. We walked through the old cemetery, it was dark and overgrown very unfamiliar territory. The dogs behaved beautifully, NO problems!!! In and out of the paths, sniffing and curious. Lose leashes, everything was great.
Tuesday, October 7:
Taxing walk in the afternoon, three times around the lake, walking 5 dogs. The first time around was eventful. The dogs were excited, and the time of day was different. A lot of people out and about. We encountered a woman being pulled around the lake by her three Samoyeds. They were out of control from a distance, and as they got closer the ferocity of the frenzy was insane. Now our dogs were adding to the craziness, with pulling, whining and barking. Fortunately we came to a wide spot in the path and we could pull our dogs aside and try to redirect their focus. This was not easy. We went around twice more so that the experience could end on a positive note.
Editor’s note: To redirect focus, you can use Watch Me and issue various commands as found in our FUNdamentals courses
Thursday, October 9:
Just Yazzie and Ryder today, uneventful easy walk. They really are good citizens when on their own. But this does not help the cause with the pack behavior issues.
Thursday, October 16:
Walked the lake with Deuce, Rookie, Ryder and Yazzie. A little out of practice, but after a few yards they fell right into step. Lose leashes, staying right by our sides.
Thursday, October 23:
Another afternoon walk. We were trying to wait out the cold wind. I think the dogs behave better in the morning. The dogs, Deuce, Rookie, Ryder and Yazzie were a little edgy. We had some snapping and some low grumbling growling noises. It was very windy, we encountered a few people and dogs, nothing special.
Afterword:
We have continued with our walking adventures as the cooler months have progressed. We do not get to go as often as we did in the warmer weather, we are working around the cold, the flu, school projects and the holiday season. But, we are still at it and have not had any wild aggressive incidents in many months. For Christmas, Ryder got a saddle back pack, he now carries the water on the walks. He is very proud of this new responsibility, and prances in the beginning of each walk. He has a job!!!
I believe the statement “a tried dog is a happy dog” is true, and a long walk is key. Our walks have really progressed and many of the behavior issues have become less of a problem thanks to training, consistency, and persistence!