Training & Behavior

The lead went in his mouth at the gate. Every morning, Pip, my puppy, the collie-cross, the one with the mouth that's always busy, and the busy was the lead, the woven one, the one he'd grab the second we stepped out, and the out was the walk, and the walk was the battle, the one where I fought a six-month dog for a strap, and the strap was the thing, and the thing was the game to him, the best game, the tug he invented, and the invented was the problem, because a walk isn't a tug, and the tug made the walk a fight, and the fight was the start, every day, the worst start.

I tried the no. The firm no, the one that means business, and the business was ignored, because a puppy who wants the lead wants the lead, and the no is a word he's still learning, and the learning is slow, and the slow was the morning, and the morning was the bite, and the bite was the strap, and the strap was fraying, and the fraying was the cost, the new lead every month, and the month was the bill, and the bill was the annoyance, and the annoyance was the search for a fix, and the fix was the handle, the spare one, the one I'd never thought to give him.

I gave it to him. The handle, the loop end, the one he could carry without the strap going tight, and the tight was the tug, and the tug was the game, and the game ended when the handle was his, and the his was the carry, and the carry was the job, and the job was the thing he'd wanted, the mouth-thing, the purpose, and the purpose was the lead in his own mouth, loose, carried, not tugged, and the tug needs resistance, and the resistance was gone, and the gone was the bite, and the bite became the carry, and the carry was the walk, calm, finally, the calm one, the one without the fight.

He struts with it. The handle, the loop, the puppy carrying his own lead like a trophy, and the trophy is the pride, the collie pride, the working dog who's got a job, and the job is the carry, and the carry is the walk, and the walk is his, now, not a tug from me, and the from is the freedom, the small freedom of a dog with a strap in his mouth that's his to hold, and the hold is the calm, and the calm is the stride, and the stride is the puppy who's stopped biting to start carrying, and the carrying is the training, the sideways kind, the one that gave him the thing he wanted and took the thing he shouldn't.

The lead lasts now. The fraying stopped, the new-lead bill ended, the month became the year, and the year is the handle, carried, not chewed, and the chewed is the memory, the morning bite, the gate game, the tug that wasn't a walk, and the walk is the carry now, and the carry is the puppy, grown into it, the collie who walks with his own strap, proud, and the proud is the point, that a dog who's given a job stops making one up, and the made-up one was the bite, and the real one is the carry, and the carry is free, and the free is the fix, the one that cost a handle, not a collar.

I keep a spare handle. The loop, the spare, the one for the carry, and the carry is the ritual, the gate, the hand, the handle, the puppy-takes-it, the walk, and the walk is the calm, and the calm is the win, and the win is the mouth, busy with the right thing, and the right is the handle, not the strap, and the strap is for me, and the me is the holder, and the holder is the one who stopped fighting, and the fighting was the morning, and the morning is the carry now, and the carry is the puppy, grown, proud, lead in mouth, walking like he owns the street, which he kind of does, the handle proving it, every gate, every day, the small trophy, the big calm.

He drops it at the door. The handle, the loop, the job done, the walk complete, and the complete is the signal, the dog who carries knows when the carry ends, and the ends is the door, and the door is the home, and the home is where the handle goes back on the hook, and the hook is mine again, and the mine is the rest, and the rest is the puppy asleep, the mouth finally still, the lead-thing satisfied, the job done, and the done is the calm of a dog who's been useful, and the useful is the carry, and the carry is the fix, and the fix is the handle, and the handle is the spare, and the spare is the win, and the win is the morning, bite-free, walk-calm, puppy-proud, lead-in-mouth, home-at-door, asleep, finally, the mouth still.