About the ecollar...

I meant to write a post on Tuesday... Our walk was NOT fun. The battery was dead on Red's ecollar so we went for a walk without it. I must admit I have not been good about trying to prevent him from becoming collar-wise. Well he is very wise now and I could've kicked him on Tuesday's walk.

First of all, he ran through the woods and ripped his sweater - which obviously had nothing to do with not wearing his collar, but it sucked all the same. The first 3/4 of the walk was fine, but its always on the way back down the trial that he tests me. He ran ahead - which he is not allowed to do - and ran into the woods. Not usually a big deal, he usually circles around and comes right back out. I watched... nothing. I stopped to listen for the jingling collar or rustling of running... nothing. I started calling him. Nothing. I called and called for probably a good 60 seconds. I was SO pissed. If he had his collar on, I'd be shocking the shit out of him right about now. Finally he came bursting out of the woods, waaay up the trial. I didn't shout at him - I never want to yell at him for backing back to me. No matter how long it took. So while I was boiling inside, I decided that I will never take him for a walk without his ecollar again. Then about 30 seconds after we started walking again, he saw an animal and took off after it. I didn't know what it was, so I didn't want him chasing it. I said "leave it!" and he usually stops dead. He paused, but then turned and kept going. I screamed at him and he stopped and went down. I marched up to him, put his leash back on him and took him straight back home. I made him walk right beside me the whole time and didn't look at him or say a word. I was so mad. Maybe I was more mad than the situation warranted, but I was also mad at myself for creating this situation. It's my fault for not training him better with the ecollar, and my fault for not having it on him. But I know he KNOWS better than to not come when he's called. I was just disappointed, that's all. We made up after we got home and everything was fine. I felt bad for being so mad at him.

Anyway, we went on another walk today - this time with his ecollar on and fully charged. And didn't need to use it one time - he was a perfect gentlemen again. So yeah, he is totally collar-wise. I feel like I've failed him and maybe now its too late to fix the damage. *sigh* I know its probably not but I'm ashamed that I didn't put more effort into this.