Letting Go To Master the Walk

Hi, my pawsome friends, it’s Monchi again! Now that you know more about me, I’d love to share with you the story of how my mommy and I embarked on my rehab journey.

We got off to a good start with my mom realizing that I couldn’t be the furbaby and the leader at the same time, and that she had to take my place as the leader. Let me tell you, this alone was such a relief!

It was exhausting to be the pack leader! I’d usually be the one to pull us forward on the leash and be the first to step out of the house or jump out of the car. I’d pull toward all directions without a real sense of orientation, and all of that was making me really exhausted.

I’m glad my mom took control of the situation because now I know exactly where to go. I just trust and follow her directions. It took us a couple of weeks and tons of patient and deep breathing practice for my mom before I fully learned to let her lead. I must have gotten her stubborn genes because I couldn’t stop pulling the leash!

Every time I pulled, she’d stop walking and took long deep breaths as she stood still (I think she learned this trick from yoga class). Anyway, only after I finally sat down and stopped pulling the leash, would she continue walking. But every time I pulled the leash again that prompted my mom to stop once again. It took some persistence, a lot of breathing and positive thinking but I finally realized that fighting the leash wasn’t going to take me anywhere.

So now I patiently wait by the door when she’s getting ready to take me out. I sit on my car booster until she tells me that it’s safe to head out. And when we walk, she rewards me for not pulling while walking by taking lots of breaks so I can sniff around in areas where there is a lot of stinky stuff to smell.

Whenever she stops during our walk, I sit next to her and look at her eyes waiting for her to continue walking, as that is my queue to follow her and continue with the walk. She likes to test me sometimes, alternating from slow to fast walking and other times we do short runs. It’s so much fun! Especially at the end, when we head back home and I’m rewarded with delicious chicken soup - specially prepared for me by my grandma - and lots of hugs and kisses from my mom.

If you are like me, I’m sure you want to take care of your pawrent too and control the walk, but sometimes it’s just better to let go and let them become the pack leader.

Love & Paws,

Monchi