He's been Frustrating! Frustrating! Frustrating!

Our odd dog at four and a half months.

The Pack Leader (PL) and Alpha Female (AF) have had a difficult week with the dog.

He is becoming much more MALE and opinionated. He has started to 'cock' his leg when peeing and loves PL he just has to 'b**k' him to show just how much.

Not a good week in many ways.

The dog walks quite nicely to heel until I want to take him down a particular lane past the field with the dreaded electric fence. The dog then puts on all his anchors, spread eagles himself onto the ground and refuses to proceed any further. If he's off the lead when we reach 'the spot' he takes off back to the house. It needs a firm and strong hand to persuade him to carry on and sometimes he wins!

I was taking him for an extended walk through a wood. We got so far and I let him off the lead. Big mistake! Maybe he didn't like the cattle grid, could hear strange noises, or decided he had had enough, I don't know, but I was quite breathless by the time I caught up with him 600 yds. away. I kept him on the lead for the rest of the walk!

He's a funny dog like that hearing and seeing things that he doesn't know about and doesn't want to, thank you very much. We've just got to keep on exposing him to various noises, sights and people.

We took him to a large, open, grassed area one day. He loved the woods, the views and the other dogs. Great. Then within sight of the exit gate he sat down and refused to go any nearer to 'that car'. Calling and whistling had no effect. Eventually another dog passed by so whilst he was playing I persuaded him to come for a treat and then into the dreaded car. Before long he will be too big to lift in and then what?? I will be saving petrol I suppose.

In his favourite spot with AF.