Finally we are making it.
The little beagle (Boomer) just hated riding in the back of the pickup. I don’t know if he was afraid we would dump him off somewhere or if he would fall out.
Its taken lots of work….he wanted to ride up front. But not enough room with Terry, I, and two dogs. Since this is the truck that goes to the rivers and up to check on things like head gates and other farm related activity Boomer had to learn to go.
Or stay home.
Staying home was N.O.T. F.U.N. He was howling the whole time until we got back.
So….If Fuzzy will get in first then Boomer will get in.
If Fuzzy will let Boomer look out the SAME side of the truck AT the SAME time, then Boomer got so he didn’t just lie down in the truck and try to hide his eyes.
Gradually we’ve made it. Fuzzy (who hates to have his photo taken) showed Boomer (who wants to be ANYWHERE there is a camera) that the back of the truck is cool. There are neat things to see, fun smells to smell and no one is going to dump you out because no one is dumping out Fuzzy.
—When we got Fuzzy we had trouble getting Fuzzy to ride in the car—but that is another story for another time.
After we got Boomer to ride…we had to teach him to STAY! (Just because the truck STOPS it doesn’t mean you can jump out!) After several times of him really listening and not panicking I can say I think we’ve made it.
Boomer is now moving into being a good farm dog. I’m sure we will have to work with him as we do more and more farming activities, but he is smart so I’m sure we will make it.
(Cows were terrifying also, but he doesn’t chase them and has stopped barking at them when they come close to the yard).
Linda
Life on a Colorado Farm 
So happy for Boomer and you guys that he has overcome his fears…well for the most part (o:
The golden corn in the last post was beautiful.
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Our dogs loved being in the car. The little poodle would crawl in under the passenger seat, and the spaniel would curl up in the passneger footwell. When we went to visit Malcolm’s parents – a journey of over two hours – the poodle would emerge from under the seat when we were almost there!!
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Boomer reminds me of a dog I had just before I went away to college. The Beagle is a smart breed but they don’t want you to know that.
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They do like to go…….if they can come home. I call it dog politics.
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It sounds as if Boomer is becoming a real farm dog. It’s good you had Fuzzy to show him the ropes. Boomer is very handsome.
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We always had Queenies, and they owned the trucks. It’s in their genes. A car not so much. I’ve caught stray Queenies when I’ve found them along the road or somewhere just by telling them to “load up.” I got an injured one in the back of my station wagon that way once, but when I got home I couldn’t get him out, he’d just snarl at me, it was already HIS car. I put a sign out by the highway and in an hour his owner (who had been looking for the dog) stopped by and coaxed him out.
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The learning process always seems to take a while. Both of our dogs love to ride, even though RJ is usually ready to get home in a very short time, he wants to go but I think the ride is what he doesn’t like. Jake our lab loves to go and ride! But he will jump out so we have to watch him.
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Sounds like Boomer is pretty sharp. I love how his ears fly in the wind.
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Hi Linda, Sounds like Boomer is learning fast.. Being smart helps!!!!!! Soon he will have the ‘routine’ down —and be a big help.
Have a great weekend.
Hugs,
Betsy
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You have a lot of patience to train the dogs and it sounds like you are doing a good job. He still looks a bit worried. We had a mad blue cattle dog who couldn’t ride in the back of our ute. She would bark and run round in circles. She jumped out once and we nearly lost her.
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Boomer looks like a beautiful dog. I love Beagles but they can have an annoying bark at night during full moon, at least over here they do.
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So glad Boomer has Fuzzy to show him the ropes!
I once had a sheppard-mix – also a former stray – who was terrified of riding in the car. The poor girl would shake and drool uncontrollably, even on short rides. I just know she was afraid of being dumped again.
It made moving 1200 miles away from home quite an adventure. By that time, we had a second dog who loved the car, but it would take hours for the old dog to calm down each day.
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Dogs are great, aren’t they? With all their whims, personalities, and idiosyncracies! My Treeing Walker coonhound, Hank, aboslutely LOVES his truck and won’t let me go anywhere without him! He kindly allows me to make the payments on it and fill it with gas, though. 🙂 It’s funny – sometimes I even look over and see him falling asleep while sitting upright in the passenger seat, just like a lot of people get drowsy on the longer trips.
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If anyone can teach a lesson to another dog it would be a Border Collie like Fuzzy. Boomer will figure it out. Some dogs never learn to stay in the truck. We had one that every time we stopped at a light would try to get out. We finally had to make a strap that held him in. After awhile he stopped trying but we never took a chance to find out. He hopped in the back and waited while we connected his leash to the sides of the truck.
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I love beagles. We have two. They are such great family and farm dogs.
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Good old Fuzzy, he is a true pal.
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Fuzzy is doing a good job of teaching Boomer the ropes:)
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Well I guess that’s about the sweetest tale I’ve read all week.
That face!
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Oh, I missed this post! But glad to have found it now…what a delightful story! It’s so good when our pets learn to trust all the situations in which they need to feel safe and confident. So pleased you’ve all “made it” !!!!
I love how you describe each of your dog’s personalities 🙂
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Hi Linda, It’s been a little while since I visited, so am working my way through all your posts.
Life on your farm is so interesting to follow.
I loved the story of Boomer’s progress on truck travel. You really know your dogs and their personalities. Delightful to read about!
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