Chandler & the turkeys

This is an old Chandler story from August 2007; he was two at the time.
I am very thankful that his recall has improved.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

*********************************************************
8/16/2007

Chandler has been discovering the joys of suburban life.
Late last afternoon I was out in the yard "walking" my two indoor cats,
while talking on my cell phone. I had just hung up when I see the
local wild turkey and her seven chicks walk around the corner of the
house.

My first thought was"uh oh."
Yes, Chandler had already launched himself, and he *totally* ignored my
recall yell.

Turkeys and dog disappeared around the corner of the house to a
soundtrack of much gobbling, and then some sort of poultry explosion
happened. Suddenly there were turkeys flying everyplace.

My second thought was "wow...I don't think I've ever seen a turkey fly
that far." Chandler had managed to scatter them across three or four
sizable suburban lots.

My third thought was "Bad dog!"

When I managed to get to the scene, Chandler was frantically rushing
about in the woods next to the house, looking for turkeys. There was no
way I could go catch him on that slope, and it took multiple commands to get him back
in the yard and calmed down. He rushed down in response to my recall once,
then zoomed off to search the woods again. Finally I managed to get him
to come out of the woods.

The cats were looking at Chandler in disgust like he was a maniac...
or had ruined a perfectly good chance to stalk turkeys.
I retrieved his 30 foot lead from the garage and practiced a few recalls
in the back yard.

Of course, he did those recalls just fine...the distracting turkeys were gone.

The joys of suburban life: turkeys!

Late last afternoon I was out in the yard "walking" my two indoor cats,
and just disconnecting after a conversation on my cell, when I see the local wild turkey and her seven chicks walk around the corner of the house.

My first thought: "Uh oh."
Yes, Chandler has already launched himself, and *totally* ignores my recall yell.

Turkeys and dog disappear around the corner of the house to a soundtrack of much gobbling, and then some sort of poultry explosion happens and suddenly there are turkeys flying everyplace.

My second thought: "Wow...I don't think I've ever seen a turkey fly that far." (Chandler has managed to scatter them across three or four yards.)
My third thought: "Bad dog!"

When I manage to get to the scene, Chandler is frantically rushing about in the woods next to the house, looking for turkeys. There's no way I can go catch him, and it takes multiple commands to get him back in the yard and calmed down. And of course I can't yell at him once he has come...

I retrieve his 30 foot lead from the garage and practice a few recalls in the back yard. Of course, he does these just fine. The cats are looking at Chandler in disgust like he's a maniac...or ruined a perfectly good chance to stalk turkeys. He stays on the lead for the rest of the outing.

Honestly, it was rather funny, except that he didn't listen and someday he might decide to rush into a street after something. It looks like he'll be wearing his long lead while the cats are out,
and I'll be practicing more recalls with distractions, if possible.