As some of our friends know, Pono and I had a little incident the other day, Friday the 13th of all days. We were doing our usual perimeter patrol before we get in the car to drive to the park for our walk. What we do is walk along the sidewalk in front of our house. I let Pono get sniffs of what ever critters have come by since last time we were there. And as usual, the chihuahuas across the street let us know very loudly that they are extremely jealous of the life Pono leads. Getting daily walks, attention and training is something they have never experienced. Their only excitement is when a person or dog gets into their perceived "territory". IE: their side of the street.  I normally keep a very close eye on Pono and if he lunges I am ready. And he get lots praise for NOT lunging. But that day Pono thought those dogs were particularly annoying and lunged at the exact moment I had turned my body away from the dogs. Pono had had enough of them and went with the full force of his 84 pounds toward those annoying little pipsqueaks. And since I was on the other end of the leash and not ready my body followed Pono, That would have been fine, I could have taken a step or two in that direction and stopped Pono and got his attention off the dogs, except for one thing....The city in all its wisdom, put a big metal light post right where my body would have stepped. So instead of a few forward steps, the side of my head slammed smack into the pole stopping  me quite abruptly. And I kinda did a slow slide to the ground. (Cue the little cartoon birds around my head). Pono's Daddy was not far away in the carport, so I started yelling...ok maybe it was screaming...anyway,

Pono ran to me, "What are you doing down there Mom? Is this a new game? We don't usually play here..?" Pono pawed at my head. Hubby finally came and moved Pono back so so he could see the blood on my head and side walk. Hubby helped me up and quickly hustled Pono into the house and me to the emergency room.  They stapled my head back to together and sent me home to rest a few days. 

I was supposed to rest my eyes and my brain, but my brain never seems to stop so while resting I, of course, was thinking about the dog training aspect of it.

It would be easy to blame Pono, In fact many people in my neighborhood would not only blame him but also resort to physical punishment to 'teach him a lesson'. We have seen some of that in our neighborhood lately and it tears a whole in my heart.

But Pono was not at fault, neither are the dogs across the street. They are just being dogs, its what they do. My online mentor, Susan Garrett often says that our dogs are doing the best they can with the education we have given them in the environment we have asked them to perform in.

And that exactly what happened. I should have never put Pono in a place that he was not ready for. He got over excited and over whelmed and acted as any dog would. I have not taken enough time to help him navigate that situation. 

So what to do now...I am going to take all the information I have learned from this and come up with a training plan for both of us. (as soon as my head stops hurting).

I am looking at where we are now and where we want to be, then going to build in all the layers and steps to get us there. I have all ready come up with a new training game called "Mama is in the well, go get Daddy!" Kinda like hide and seek so if something else (Heaven forbid) happens Pono can channel his inner Lassie and run for help.