Is WussyCat Getting a Trail Dog?

Описание: Well, I'd like you all to meet Layla.
Isn't this a bit odd, since I've got cats? Well yes - she's an odd-looking cat... 😂

Layla is (as far as I know and understand) a Labrador. She's a rescue that was somewhat randomly surrendered to my mother-in-law on a walk!
Apparently, she's a bit of a marriage-wrecker...
We visited, and she sort of wormed her way into our home...

Right now, she's about 5 1/2 months old, and honestly, we don't think her previous family trainer her much (if at all!)😭

I guess quite a few dogs are now finding themselves in this situation, as plenty of people would have got a dog during lockdown, only to find that they destroy things when left unattended, and it only gets worse when the puppy-teeth start to fall out!

So - We are giving her a trial-run, in the hope that our cats will actually accept her (She seems fairly chill about the cats, herself).
Unfortunately, Benji has already taken a bit of a dislike and launched himself at her repeatedly (lots of yelping ensued). Either way, she has a home lined up, if it doesn't work out 👍

As We are working on the assumption that she'll be staying, we've already got ourselves some help in the form of our dog-trainer, Aimee.

We also realise that getting her trail ready is a bit of a process, and as there aren't actually all that many really good resources, we will try to capture it along the way.

One of the biggest things is Recall, and being able to walk at Heel.
But getting to that point... we honestly don't know if it's going to be possible, as it really should have started earlier.

Riding with an untrained dog on a leash is a bit hazardous, so we had to figure out a way of getting some riding in regardless. (Family being generally far away doesn't help)
Diggers Downhill MTB trail (and the other trails for that matter) at Rother Valley Country Park are basically ideal candidates, as you can do a few runs, then swap.
We chose to take Mathew's bike, as it's somewhat easier for me to size up...
Despite the seat tube being quite long, and the suspension being quite firm (for me) - heck, that bike felt fast! A bit too fast 😂😂😂

Let me know in the comments if you have specific questions about how we are going about training Layla - and even better if you have some pointers for us!