[Gracie's_Mom]

My nephew had his last soccer game this morning. His dad requested that we bring Gracie. So we took Gracie along with us and boy was it a tough to keep her in line. All this work I have been doing with her didn't do a thing.

One of the kids kicked the ball out of bounds and it hit Gracie right in the bum. So Gracie jumped up and went to grab the ball, hubby stopped her and all the kids were around her to throw it back in. Gracie went to jump up on the little girl that had the ball to throw it in. So needless to say we couldn't get her out of there fast enough. We had to keep telling her to sit or lay down. My neice got tired of hearing us tell her to sit or lay, so she went and found a huge stick for Gracie. As soon as Gracie got the stick she became her normal self and laid right down and played with her new toy!

So next year we plan on taking her again but I am going to be working with her so much more to get her use to HUGE crowds. How can I do this? Where ever we go there isn't really any huge crowds for her to get use to. And for the most part people walk away from her instead of towards her. We did have a group of adults watching her the whole time laughing at her trying to play soccer. Lol. A few kids came up and would try to reach out to pet her while she was laying down. I always tried to stop the kids because I don't think you should try to touch any dog you don't know from behind. We made her sit before they could pet her but some of the kids just would not listen to us. How can I correct this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Also thanks in advance.

 

[Dobe_Paws]

Where have you been working with Gracie? Is it just at home, in her usual surroundings or do you take her to different places and work with her?

With both of my dogs, I found that once we got the commands down at home, we'd move to different locations. I'd start them out in quieter places like the woods or a field, some place that's isolated from people but a different area for the dog and gradually move them to different areas with various levels of distractions.

We made her sit before they could pet her but some of the kids just would not listen to us. How can I correct this?

Do you mean how do you correct the kids or the dog? lol

 

[Gracie's_Mom]

Both I guess. I have been working with her at home. I will work on getting her out and about..

 

[TracyJo]

I agree with DP... Once you get her solid at home with little distraction start moving out and about to places with varying distractions. Remember to start small and work toward big though. Ideas on where to go - your vets waiting room, local parks, maybe across the street from a school. As far as the kids... Make sure you're assertive with them. If they refuse to listen and Gracie is not receptive to them, then you might just have to move rather than risk one of the kids provoking her.