Gets tired quickly....

[charley]

I took my dog to training class this morning, and after 20 mins he started to pull back on me, he carried on and after 35 mins he lay down as if to say thats it i am whacked out, where as all the other dogs are full of energy. A lady got her GSD too walk in front of mine and with a treat in my hand he eventually got up and we re-joined the class. He always seems laid back at classes, and a war can be happening around us and the dog just carries on sniffing grass or if a plane goes over that takes all his attention.

I try to make it exciting for him but he seems to get bored or tired easily, i was wondering what i am doing wrong? He is 6 months old and weighs 64lbs.

[BostonRott]

Sounds like he was over-whelmed and shut down. If you see this behaviour often during play, I'd get him to the vet.

[charley]

He has never been over active and this is the 2nd time he has lay down. But at the end of the class doing the recall he came bombing across the field to me. What it feels like he is a stubborn child and just dont want to go any further and it's become a chore.

[poohbearsmom]

20 minutes of active training is an awful lot for some dogs.

Perhaps cutting your sessions into pieces might help. This might help to keep the drive up, and the boredom down. Redundant repetition for some dogs is unbearable.... "I've done this well, now let's move on....".

I would rule out a physical problem, if this type of behavior is the rule rather than the exception, though.

[Sargeant_C]

I will yank Sarge out of training for a few minutes rest and to let him get a drink and breath. He has also just plopped down and said forget it. So it does help when I pull him out and then I watch what the trainer is doing and then practice it later with him if I do not get a chance there.

[Storm]

Provided he isn't sick, your motivation is incorrect. If you bring a dog out into a training scenario and he gives a certain level of interaction and activation consistently then that will become cemented into the dog's head and an association formed. The most basic thing of training is that a dog must come out, switch on and activate you! The handler doesn't activate the dog, it must come from the dog and if the dog gives less and the handler responds then the dog learns how to manipulate the handler. Bottom line if you bring the dog out and he isn't like in your face like "what we gonna do" then you can't even begin to progress onto heeling etc. trainers should understand this, if you don't start at this point and develop it then you will end up with sloppy work constantly having to beg and activate the dog.

[charley]

I changed his collar to the gentle leader because all he was really interested in was sniffing the grass to start with, ever since day 1 he has pulled back on me, he does do the commands and with the gentle leader i felt i had more control. On sunday the trainer did 35 minutes of heel work and the dog just gave up. I really think he was just totally bored. When training we heel our dogs through the middle so they get close to other dogs, but he takes no notice of them at all. But if we are walking up a street and he sees a dog his tail is going frantic. He has never been overly active but he has his mad half hours. So if the dog doesn't activate himself how can i try to motivate him? Everyone at class thinks it's wonderful having such a laid back dog but it isn't.

[poohbearsmom]

Originally Posted by charley

I changed his collar to the gentle leader because all he was really interested in was sniffing the grass to start with, ever since day 1 he has pulled back on me, he does do the commands and with the gentle leader i felt i had more control. On sunday the trainer did 35 minutes of heel work and the dog just gave up. I really think he was just totally bored. When training we heel our dogs through the middle so they get close to other dogs, but he takes no notice of them at all. But if we are walking up a street and he sees a dog his tail is going frantic. He has never been overly active but he has his mad half hours. So if the dog doesn't activate himself how can i try to motivate him? Everyone at class thinks it's wonderful having such a laid back dog but it isn't.

You're describing a training situation that I abhor. Drill drill drill till the dog drops. NO fun for the dog, no fun for you, and bad learning takes place. Storm made a very good point... reread his post.

Where's the motivation for your dog during 35 minutes of heeling - especially during the learning phase??? Sounds to me like shutdown from stress and boredom.

I wouldn't change collars, I'd change trainers.

[majicka]

35 minutes of heeling? That seems like way too much for a 6 month old dog. My 18 month old dog would probably shut down from that much heeling. Even at Happy's age I keep our home sessions at about a 1/2 hour and it includes all different things. Our formal class is 45 mins long and we do a lot of different things as well.

[frontierrots]

Holey cow! Bea has two CD titles and 3 rally titles and we have NEVER EVER in the 2+ years of our training ever done heeling practice for more than 10 min at any given stretch

There is NO point to doing it longer. Do it right several times, work up to a duration a bit longer than you'll ever NEED and stop with the dog on an up and happy note

Geez! can that trainer like yesterday!

[spidey]

Have to agree with the "change trainers" suggestions, no wonder the dog shut down (I'd probably shut down myself). Why on earth would you ever need to do 35 minutes of heeling? Of all the things we do with our dogs, heeling has to be one of the most stressful and boring at the same time, it has no intrinsic reward value for the dog, and I can't think of a single good reason to drill dogs like this - what an excellent recipe for making dogs HATE working in general, and heeling in particular.

[SABELLESMOM]

35 minutes of interesting and varied training is about the limit I would expect from a 6 month old pup...much less 35 min of "heeling practice!" Good grief. I think I'd be looking for another instructor that is less regimented.

Our puppy agility instructor helps us understand when a pup is beginning to shut down. Training beyond that point is for the most part futile. Our classes are an hour, but the dogs are not continuously doing something. There are rest periods, where she (instructor) may be talking and I may be listening. But I also may be working quietly getting my dog to follow my hand movement or look at me. Or, maybe my dog's just happy to be doing nothing at all for a moment, or we can be off having a potty break, or drink.

It's nice to vary what's going on for the dog. They pay better attention when it's interesting and most of all FUN! I like to see the way our instructor helps us actually challenge the dogs thinking. I love it when the little light goes on and she's got it! It's part of building a "team."

[charley]

Well he definately hated it and so did i, it was pouring down. I will go again on sunday and if the same thing happens i will pull out of the class and seek another trainer. Thanks very much for the advice all. He is a good dog, i am trying to do my best by him, and i did feel sorry for him on sunday, and i am certainly learning. Thanks again :-)

[SABELLESMOM]

Well, you could discuss your concerns with the instructor. It's OK to say that not only did your pup shut down but you needed a change yourself. Ask if he might be willing to vary the routine a bit more and keep it fun. Would he mind if you gave your dog a chance to regroup here and there?

I say this only because I understand it's not always easy to find "another" instructor.

[charley]

Just a quick update....... we went training today and i spoke with the trainer and said i would do 10 mins of heel work etc then take him away for a break, and the trainer agreed and said each new exercise he would call us back into the group and once we have successfully done each exercise a few times then to leave the group. So it will be about 3 or 4 ten minutes training during the hour.

Would like to thank everyone in this post that has given me advice, now we can start enjoying our training instead of dreading it.