All of this talk about leash training, or more specifically, whether
or not our berners need to exercise freely off leash couldn't have
come at a moreironic...time.
We have a large backyard that is slightly broken into segments.
There is a large grass area, patios and, beyond all of this (behind the
gates)
is a forested creek. Many OLD oak trees throughout the entire property.
Dog nirvana, you think?
Well, the wood fences on either side of our property are extremely
old and are only standing because of the thick row of shrubs bracing it.
Because of this Zeus is clipped to the end of a long tether line, so he
cannot leave our property through the fence.
To make a long story short, I've always felt so guilty about this tether,
thoroughly convinced that he needs FREEDOM to run and play
without being attached to anything. So, I finally became serious
(after seeing that constantly nagging hubby wasn't gonna do it) and
decided to fix the damn fences myself. All of them.
This decision inspired me and I announced to everyone that I was
not only going to fix the fence THAT SOMEONE ELSE WHO
LIVES HERE SHOULD FIX BUT HASN'T AND BETTER BE
FEELING GUILTY CUZ THIS IS HIS LAST CHANCE TO STEP IN
AND BE A DOMESTIC HERO (he didn't), I was going to make
the entire yard Air Tight! Zeus would have absolute freedom to
go anywhere his little heart desired, so long as it stayed on
Sufi ground.
After carefully measuring (with a leashed Zeus excitedly by my side)
and budgeting, I made multiple trips to carry boards, beams, and
bags of Home Depot goodies home.
After spending WHO KNOWS how many hours out there nailing, bracing,
cutting (had to get through all the shrubs just to get to what was left of
the fences),
stringing water misters all along the length of both (Zeus will need
something to cool him
off since he's going to be speeding through all this, right?), finally I was
done.
I was so excited to set Zeus free!
That was a week ago.
He still prefers the couch.
Every day, at least a million times, I lead him out on his leash, chirping
HAPPY
SEE, ZEUS? SEE? and throw toys for him in a HAPPY frenzy.
He will run after a toy, up go my hopes, only to grab his favourite one and
race back into the house. On the couch.
Currently there are treaties thrown randomly throughout the yard to
encourage
grazing, maybe lure him further out. The cats, squirrels and raccoons love
them.
The one who's loving this the most?
My husband
SO, this debate about free range berners, combined with my recent
experiences ( expenses)
has taught me that some berners are probably very happy receiving their
exercise on the leash
(hello, Zeus), while others seek more freedom of movement..
Living and learning in the Bay Area,
Antoinette Zeus the (very lazy) Moose
