My mother is mid 70s and lives several hours from me. She’s always loved dogs but likes big boisterous ones that she then struggles to control! Last week her dog pulled her over while out walking and she’s broken her arm. In the past 18 months that’s now 3 bones she’s broken by being pulled over by the dog. She lives alone, doesn’t have any really close friends. I’m miles away and we don’t have the best relationship anyway. Although I did actually go and help her out last time when she broke her wrist. Anyway, she’s now saying she’s scared to walk the dog.
I don’t really see a solution here. I know some people use dog walkers but usually I think that’s while they’re at work and they still walk their dog at other times. I don’t know if you can get one to do 3 walks a day and if you can, I suspect it’s probably way too expensive (my mum only gets state pension). Even if my mum gets over her fear, which bone will she break next time? How long before she breaks a hip or something and ends up bed bound for weeks?
She’s gone to behaviour classes with previous dogs she couldn’t control (it’s a bit of a long-standing issue!) but it never works because she doesn’t seem to be able to be authoritative with the dog. The dog is the boss basically.
I know she loves the dog and if anyone has any other ideas then I’d be grateful to hear them. But I just think that if she can’t control the dog she has to consider rehoming, but maybe IABU.