Montana October 2009 Part 4

I took the dogs away from the yard so they would not be disturbed by the other dogs. As I left the area, I would walk them through a grove of trees, leading them around in circles and back and forth between the trees to get them used to following me and keep them from running back and forth and wrapping the line around my feet. Silver managed to get me all tangled up and jerk my feet out from under me. As my knees hit the ground I bellowed a loud NO. The fall and the command startled him and he started to quiver. I had to pet and reassure him that everything would be OK. After that, he behaved well and followed along. I fell again near the end of the day when Penny tried to get into an old abandoned dog house and I dismantled it with my feet. She was still very shy and would need a lot of encouragement. The rest of the dogs performed well except for Tennille. She ran without purpose, did not pay attention and kept getting herself all wrapped up in the lead line. Sometimes she would get her leg wrapped; on a towline this could be dangerous. Dogs have had their legs ripped off when their legs get wrapped. My stars for the day were Princess, Fiver, Dandelion, Leyla and Beth. Bonzo would not do well on a sled with me. He was directionally challenged, just like me. As I was bringing Dandelion back to the yard, we were met by Fiver, who had broken the ring on his collar. A dog fight ensued and I had to break it up by keeping him away with my foot while pulling Dandelion away with the lead line. It all worked out and nobody got hurt. I have always said, “Don’t send your hand where your foot should go.” I have sewed up too many hands of people who tried to break up a dog fight by reaching in to grab one of them.