Day 4 - 7.00AM

We did our usual morning walk at the park @6.30AM (that is just 6hours after his last walk!)

Good weather and he just had his morning dose of Flowers. Maybe that explains his good mood. :)

He got to do his usual play-chase thingy with Braun for about 10-15mins in the big green field.

After which, I let him walk off leash for about 100metres or so.

We walked past about 5 - 6 different sets of joggers. No problem. I saw a bicycle coming fast at us and I didn't want to risk it so I leashed him up. Help him succeed. Help him succeed. That's our recent training philosophy. Although I know this mantra is being frowned on by traditional trainers, but the more I think about it, the more it makes complete sense to me.

Punishment suppresses behavior. Reinforcement builds behavior.

So I leashed him and we continued walking. The bicycle came really close AND fast towards us. Why speed in a park where there are joggers and people and...... dogs? I always wonder. Anyhow I digress. I held my breath.
 
He glanced at it and then get this. He turned his little head towards me and gave me the sweetest (in my opinion) "What should I do now?" look.

AWWWWWWWW!!!! I was so proud of him I almost threw a party for him there and then! At that moment in time, honestly I don't care if it's the Flowers working or if it's the placebo effect of me having more confidence in him since the Flowers therapy OR if it's the long term result of constant shoving of cookies into his face whenever a bicycle goes past us at the park, but what I do know is, at that moment, we tasted victory.

Small but nevertheless honey maple-syrupy sweet victory.

If you are reading this and have a dog who is naturally calm and collected and he or she has absolutely no interest in fast moving objects, maybe you wonder if I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. That's ok. I understand that you don't understand but that does not negate a single bit the great leap this little furball beside me has just made with the an emotion which has eluded us forever. Self Control.

WOWWEE.

I'm still in awe.

Now, if he can do the same with motorcycles, I really will throw a party for him. I promise.