There were lots of visitors and volunteers at the shelter today so by 1:30 just two dogs had not yet had a volunteer walk. Lucy, a three year old Catahoula Leopard dog looked so happy and enthusiastic, she was my choice for today. She is a medium large dog, I guess around 50 pounds but solid muscle; so I was pleasantly surprised that she pushed into her collar then immediately sat when I told her to, as I opened the back door to her kennel. Once out into the hall she pulled me practically in skid mode all the way to the exit door. Hindsight I should have picked up a no-pull harness, but she was desperate to get out to a potty area so we were off!!!
Once in the exercise yard and after everything was taken care of, we did some fetch to burn some of her boundless energy. She likes fetch and is quite good at it; she also likes sitting and coming on command for treats and pets. As we started our walk into the open desert she continued pulling even when I wrapped her leash to prevent it; she is so incredibly strong for her size that she just pulls along because she does not know another way. This is just her fourth day at the shelter and it is obvious that while she is smart and eager to please, she has had no leash training.
When we were returning to the shelter, I glanced up and saw another volunteer with a dog approaching and, in the process, tripped. Lucy shrieked, raced back and sat next to me, wagged and began nuzzling my face. What a wonderful little nurse!
As we approached the shelter Lucy was reluctant to return, but she did cooperate. She is such a sweet dog and she will be so devoted to whoever her new family happens to be. Hunting, devotion and protectiveness are some of the characteristics of this unusual breed.
