Calming down

[Sargeant_C]

Due to the fact Sarge does not see me as much he gets really excited when I gather him up. For example he was in the kennel outside last night when I went to him and he is jumping up and down all excited a small bark and just the wiggly galore.

I give him a few minutes to get it out of his system and play with him and then when I try to walk him forget it. He is too excited and will not calm down. It is like walking a toddler in a candy store and telling them they can have all the candy.

I do not want to punish him for him getting excited about me but what are some hints to get him to calm it down so I can walk him and then work him. I try and work him each night after I get home and I cannot wait a few hours then do it. It is late after all.

I do work him majorly on the weekends but I like to do some refresher courses during the week. So what do I do forget the workouts and just spend time with him and hope he will not slip back on training or is there a trick?

[cuppacoffee]

Sarge,
I deal with a very similar thing with Coffee. At this point, I've given up trying to change it. (i'm sure that's not what you were looking for) I definitely don't want to break his spirit, cause he is a good, happy dog and I don't want to discourage that. But, weekdays, he spends about 10 hrs all on his own. When I walk in the door, he runs around in circles, leans up against me, and his rear is moving at a mile a minute. We usually go right out for a walk. He's generally very excited, pulling, heading in different directions, sniffing too long, etc. for the first 15-30 minutes. I correct him when he does all of that, but he is so excited, he doesn't care. After a half an hour, he's an angel and is generally obedient.

But I know he's not doing it "maliciously" or "deviously" trying to pull one over on me. He's just jumpy from being locked up all day. My fiance on the other hand, will give him MUCH stronger corrections to prevent him from pulling again and he does behave better for him, but the dog is clearly not enjoying himself as much. I really like spending time with Coffee after work and I want him to feel the same way, so I can deal with a little belligerence temporarily. What is Sarge doing? Is it preventing you from walking him?

[brunie's mom]

Why not just play a game of fetch in the backyard for 10 minutes before trying to attempt a walk??

I often do this with young dogs that I board. I thow the ball around so they can get their energy out and then we go for an onleash walk. I found if I did not do this...the dogs kept pulling and or jumping up on me. My elbows and arms are paying for all of the years of walking dogs onleash.

Gina

[TR Young]

Sarge, I am trying to figure something out... Is your pup pulling on the lead when you are walking? If this is the case, I have a solution which was taught in our Puppy Preschool class. Be certain that your pup has a flat buckle collar on to do this. If your pup starts to pull on the lead, give a good sharp jerk on the lead and say, "Easy". By 'good sharp jerk', I mean that you have to really get the pup's attention, but don't break his neck, obviously. This worked WONDERS with Tara; we learned this corrective tool a week ago, and it took me about 2 days of using it and now, all I have to do is say "Easy" and Tara stops pulling and is within 3 feet of me.

[Sargeant_C]

Sarge is over a year old and he is not pulling he is jumping for joy. He jumps and he jumps and attempts to play tug of war with the leash and gets all silly.

I have to keep him on leash and he will not leave my side he is just goofy. I have tried to ignore it and I have sat him down but it is pretty hard to sit when you have the shakes from happy dog.

[moondog]

Originally Posted by brunie's mom

Why not just play a game of fetch in the backyard for 10 minutes before trying to attempt a walk??

I often do this with young dogs that I board. I thow the ball around so they can get their energy out and then we go for an onleash walk. I found if I did not do this...the dogs kept pulling and or jumping up on me. My elbows and arms are paying for all of the years of walking dogs onleash.

Gina

This is what I'd do. He can't possibly concentrate on a mannerly walk when he's so full of pent up energy he's ready to burst, so let him "download" and get some of it out of his system first! This isn't different than horses (especially when fall is in the air), and I always made sure a frisky horse was put on a lungeline for a few minutes before going into a class.

[Judi W]

I'd probably look at it opposite as the rest. I'd say he gets himself all worked up because he knows the ritual is a big game coming pretty quickly after he's let out. I'd be more inclined to let him out and spend about 10 minutes having other things to do. Open the mail, change clothes, drink a glass of milk or cup of coffee and just avoid interaction. Then take him for a walk. The games come afterwards.

[damp]

Originally Posted by Sargeant_C

Sarge is over a year old and he is not pulling he is jumping for joy. He jumps and he jumps and attempts to play tug of war with the leash and gets all silly.

I have to keep him on leash and he will not leave my side he is just goofy. I have tried to ignore it and I have sat him down but it is pretty hard to sit when you have the shakes from happy dog.

At one year, I think it’s about time to teach him there is time for being a Goofy and time to control all the energy and canalize it into proper work.



He is way too old to jump and bite the leash when you take him for walks. In my book, it’s disobedience and don’t fool your self and call it excitement but give him a correction.

[Sargeant_C]

I have tried ignoring him did this for two weeks straight and it was worse when I finally paid attention to him. I ignored, did my thing and then I would grab his workout collar and almost get so aggravated that I wanted to strangle him...

Maybe I will try ignoring then brushing grooming type then workout. If I try to get him to play it works out worse....

I am working on the leash thing but, it looks like a huge tug o war rope and so that could be the problem. Yet I love this leash to death. I suppose back to the leather one.

[Judi W]

You know Laura, I reread your original post. Not sure what you mean by "he does not see me as much", and I wanted to ask as much as what? but...........

Well, regardless, I think I'd get pretty mad at a dog that was jerking me around like that (not talking about pulling on the lead, but general behavior). I believe what you are doing is thinking that you shouldn't get on him about this because he is happy! (am I right?). Well, he's happy because he is doing whatever he darn well pleases. He needs to learn to be happy doing whatever you darn well please. Remember that puppy passport business? His expired a very long time ago. He can and should treat you with courtesy and you need to quit worrying about hurting his poor delicate little feelings, quit feeling guilty. Once your attitude says you are not going to put up with it and you dump the guilts I suspect you will see a great change. What in the world to feel guilty about? The terrible home he has to live in????? Get over it girl.

[Sargeant_C]

After the original post I started correcting him when he would jump up and things like that. We severely worked on heel and I then seen some improvements.
Then I started working along with school and I had to cut my hours with him big time. He is used to me being gone for a normal 40 hours for school, grocery shopping etc, yet now add another 20 - 30 hours I am gone. So when I do walk inside it is like a party. So yes I feel guilty for missing him. DH does work with him but I am the one who can make him work harder. ( normally)
Jumping I am correcting immediately with a loud NO and I stop and ignore him.
So tonight when I get home (10pm) I will crack down on him and see what happens. Thanks for knocking some sense into me. Yes I feel guilty about being gone so much. But he is my priority on working dogs.

Okay no guilty feelings..no guilty feelings....