[Dailydrool] ramp issues

[Beverly Szaton]

When we were kids riding horseback, there was an old wooden bridge we had to
cross. Inevitably one horse, having been across the bridge maybe twice the
day before, would decide it was dangerous, crazy, panthers lived under the
bridge and there were poisonous snakes waiting for some stupid horse in the
middle of the Bridge.
So we did one of two things. If the other horses-- just one-- was not
dancing around having heebie-jeebies, he was ridden across the bridge and
once he was on the bridge the others followed quietly.
IS there someone in your neighborhood who would be willing to come over with
her dog and walk the dog up and down the ramp with your dog watching?
Give the guest dog lots of delicious treats as she does this, then make the
same offer, your dog on leash, following right on the heels of the lead dog.
(Hopefully.)
And don't put the treats down on the ramp. Hold them in your hand right
under your dog's nose and literally stuff them in his mouth. The idea is to
make something more interesting than thinking about the ramp.

The second option was to get off the horse, walk him in a tight circle two
or three times and then right onto the Bridge. This worked about 99% of the
time.

Maybe a doggie version of this-- walk the dog on a leash in small circles
and then try just walking him right up the ramp. My guess is this one is
doomed to failure but you never know.

You say his sight is not good. You may have to put sides on the ramp so the
dog can clearly see that he will not fall off the sides.
One more thing. Never get angry. If he just won't go, put one front foot on
the ramp, praise him wildly, stuff him with goodies and quit for the day. No
session should be longer than about 10 minutes and no matter what happens,
end each one with a foot (even if you have to forcibly hold it there) on the
ramp and praise and goodies.

These are just ideas. You should know that my success rate in getting
Bassets to do something they don't want to do is about zero.
So good luck and May the Force Be With You.

MomPerson to Nigel,(no, I won't) Llewis (If he won't I won't), Conley (let's
all won't!) and Cooper (Oh for heaven's sake!!!!)
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