Dog Days of Summer Funniest Dog Story Winner
Come!
“If your dog doesn’t come when you call him,” the instructor shouted through the cold wind and rain, “call your dog, then quickly jerk on the choke and run backwards, pulling on the leash. Jerking the choke will get his attention and pulling the leash as you run backward will show that you want the dog to run toward you.”
We lined up, then one-by-one took the leashes and demonstrated proper technique. Most of the dogs came when called, but the ones that did not provided perfect examples for correction. Simple. But no one knew Gorby. Dumber than a box of rocks. And uncoordinated—unusual for a Borzoi. Russian wolfhounds were elegant and speedy.
I trained Gorby in the back yard for weeks. He came when called, sat, laid down, shook paws, rang the cowbell on the door handle to go outside, and played several other tricks.
Out in public was another story. I jerked until my wrist was as sore as Gorby’s neck, and both of us had taken our share of spills. We both tipped the scales at 100 lbs. He was so big and so top-heavy, it was not unusual for him to lose his balance and tip over into a ditch when I pulled the leash. It was a bit like cow-tipping, but on a smaller, fuzzier scale.
After weeks of training, Gorby began to respond. The day came when I let Gorby off-lead. We had only made it through the front yard to the street, when a squirrel ran in front of him. “NO!” I yelled. “Gorby, come!”
Gorby stopped on a dime, twisted his head around as though an invisible leash were pulling him, and fell over. Borzoi-tipping, anyone?
Thanks for sharing, Terry Cox-Joseph!