Won't stop playing!!

[QuietDaze]

Hi all,
I have two Rottie's, male & female both will be 4 next month. Male, have had since 6 weeks, female for just over a year.

They get along great, she is the dominant one (I'm pretty sure) but Kane will not leave her alone. The minute he sees her, he's all over her. The minute her crate is opened, he's diving for her, etc. Bella is a very laid back dog. She is not very active and generally looks for some place to lie down. Kane on the other hand constantly harasses her. It's annoying even to me. She tolerates it though and just ignores him until he entices her to play. This is my problem, how in the world do I get him to stop this? In the yard, I allow them to play until they drop, unless it starts getting too rough, then I physically break it up. However, he is soooo focused on her that I can't call him off. She will stop whatever she is doing at the drop of a pin, her recall is excellent. Him on the other hand....sheesh.

I do not allow playing in the house so if they're in, I'll down them but after a while, he'll get up and go over to her. So unless he's just sniffing her or lying down next to her, I down him again, then I stick him in the crate if he's still harassing her. I have no idea how to get him to come when I call him, if he's playing.

Can anyone offer any suggestions? I'm not sure if this should go in the Behavior section or not. But this behavior is driving me crazy which is compounded by my inability to stop it.

[brunie's mom]

How much exercise is Kane getting? Sounds like he needs a lot more exercise.
How many walks do they get per day? for how long? How much time do you spend playing with him? such as retrieving the ball or playing tug? How much time per day do you spend training with him?

He needs more physical and mental stimulation. It's not fair to your laid back female to be having to get the males energy out. This should be your job.
Get out walking, running and playing with him. A tired dog, is a quiet, happy dog.

Gina

[QuietDaze]

He absolutely needs more exercise and I could KICK myself for not thinking about that. I was so concerned that he won't stop playing when I call him.

I have completely slacked off on his walks. I'm out in the yard with him everyday that it's not raining throwing his ball or tugging on and making him jump for sticks.

[QuietDaze]

(I apologize, I hit the enter button too soon)

We'll play out there for a while, and then Bella will come out then THEY start to play. As far as training, I constantly reinforce the basics: Down, Sit, Get it, Bring it, Drop it, Leave it, Stay, Stand, Off, Out, Jump, Heel, Go Around, Quiet, Push, Move, Turn Around, In (for the tub) and "If I have to get up, it will be ugly" (lol). I think that's all he knows. I've been trying to make him 'work' by dragging some old branches to the front of the yard. He picked it up pretty quickly but I haven't been consistent with it at all. I'm thinking he needs a job, he does like to work but it's pretty obvious that I have to work on OUR attention span.

So more actual walks it is! Any suggestions on how to encourage him to stop playing? It's like he can't even hear me so I can't even lure him with food. Although maybe if he isn't so starved for activity it won't be so difficult to reign him in. I probably answered my own question.

Thank you so much for your response.

[brunie's mom]

Not enough for a working breed. Get out walking rain or shine...he needs to be stimulated by sights and sounds and smells. Do some training with him on his walks.

He needs at least two 30 minutes walks per day... and at at least 20-30 minutes of hard running, chasing a ball or a stick etc. Then a few minutes of playing with your female dog...and he should be tired.

Gina

[QuietDaze]

Ok, last night I took him out for a nice LONG 2 hour walk. We got in at about 9 pm and he immediately started to harass Bella out of habit I guess. When I told him to get out of her face, he laid down and I didn't hear a peep from him until this morning. hahaha

I had truly forgotten the joys of a tired dog. I also realized how good it felt to get back out there. He has a lot of energy so I'm still going to find him some type of 'work'.

Thanks again, your advice was right on point!

[Marley55]

When I first took a bassett hound I had to puppy class, the trainer who seemed to be about 110 yrs old then said " I am telling you this one thing and you need to rememeber it .... " a tired dog is a good dog "

I can't tell you how many times I have thought of and used that through the years

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by QuietDaze

(I apologize, I hit the enter button too soon)

We'll play out there for a while, and then Bella will come out then THEY start to play. As far as training, I constantly reinforce the basics: Down, Sit, Get it, Bring it, Drop it, Leave it, Stay, Stand, Off, Out, Jump, Heel, Go Around, Quiet, Push, Move, Turn Around, In (for the tub) and "If I have to get up, it will be ugly" (lol). I think that's all he knows. I've been trying to make him 'work' by dragging some old branches to the front of the yard. He picked it up pretty quickly but I haven't been consistent with it at all. I'm thinking he needs a job, he does like to work but it's pretty obvious that I have to work on OUR attention span.

So more actual walks it is! Any suggestions on how to encourage him to stop playing? It's like he can't even hear me so I can't even lure him with food. Although maybe if he isn't so starved for activity it won't be so difficult to reign him in. I probably answered my own question.

Thank you so much for your response.

LOL! But can he do any of these commands if there is any other action going on? with any distractions? with other noises? with other people milling around? can he do this in another setting besides home? or your backyard? can he do any of these commands if there are strange dogs near him?
That when you know that your dog is trained.

I would suggest you look up 'Canine Good Neighbor Test' and see what the different steps of the test consist of. Then start working on them with your dog at home, then at the park, then in a parking lot,etc.
Then go on-line and see when they are going to be running a test in your area. Many obedience clubs run them as well as rescues and they often have them at different dog shows. Your dog does not need papers or have to even be purebred.
This is a good way to work towards a goal and train your dog.

Gina

[brunie's mom]

Originally Posted by QuietDaze

Ok, last night I took him out for a nice LONG 2 hour walk. We got in at about 9 pm and he immediately started to harass Bella out of habit I guess. When I told him to get out of her face, he laid down and I didn't hear a peep from him until this morning. hahaha

I had truly forgotten the joys of a tired dog. I also realized how good it felt to get back out there. He has a lot of energy so I'm still going to find him some type of 'work'.

Thanks again, your advice was right on point!

My guy just turned 4 last month...so I do understand about the amount of energy and why it is so important to get them exercised and working. I also have a 10 year old female Rottie. Baxter would bug the crap out of her if I did not keep him exercised enough. I do many things with him...he does a couple of miles everyday walking, plus free running in our pastures...plus either training (going over old things, or learning new things), or tracking, and in the winter he pulls a sled....and just having fun playing running and chasing a ball, or playing tug.

He is so tired some nights I have a hard time waking him up to go out for his last pee.

Gina

[Zumie05]

My rott pup is living with 3, sometimes 4 other dogs and at first had a really hard time learning that playing in the house was a no-go. What I had to do was basically separate him from the other dogs every time he would try to harass them. Now they can all hang out in the same room together and chill The most he will do is sniff them excessively, but he knows if he tries to get all excited and play that he doesn't get to hang out with them anymore.

And yes, exercise works its wonders doesn't it? Sometimes I think that most dogs can't learn as well until they have drained their physical energy. Then all of a sudden they become "smart"....

[QuietDaze]

You're right, I'm not even going to make the claim that he's trained. I'll start saying that he knows some commands. lol He got some training in puppy class that I have built on, but for the most part, if he's distracted he can only do about 1/2 of those commands. And like Zumie said, he might get smarter when he's tired. Probably too tired to resist. haha

So he's back in his prong and we're walking and working and both enjoying it. The trail we walk on has plenty of people and other dogs so yesterday we worked on 'stay' because he wants to greet everyone and everything walking by. I have looked into the Canine Good Citizen and there are 2 of those tests that he isn't even half prepared for. He definitely will not let a stranger pet him on the head (which I think is unfair) and grooming is out of the question. Actually, I don't let strangers pet him which is my fault and he loves the groomer he goes to but tends to act like a monkey if I'm there, which is also my fault. Me and my exhuberant puppy have a lot to work on where strangers and being touched by them is concerned.

Now if I could just find a stranger willing to TRY to pet him on the head...lol

[brunie's mom]

Good for you!
There is a BIG difference between knowing some commands...and having a well trained dog. A well trained dog will be willing to follow commands when there are all sorts of other distractions around. A well trained dog will listen the first and only time you give a command.

Start with baby steps....he's been doing things this way for 4 years...so it will take time and training.

I would also suggest you enroll in a CGN class....they have them so that people and their dogs can get prepared for the test. Many local dog clubs run them...or even back to a basic obedience class.
The trainer would be able to teach you how to teach him to except a stranger greeting him.

Glad I got your wheels in motions! and I'm sure your female Rottie will be happy to be bugged less.

Gina

[Zumie05]

Originally Posted by QuietDaze

You're right, I'm not even going to make the claim that he's trained. I'll start saying that he knows some commands. lol He got some training in puppy class that I have built on, but for the most part, if he's distracted he can only do about 1/2 of those commands. And like Zumie said, he might get smarter when he's tired. Probably too tired to resist. haha

So he's back in his prong and we're walking and working and both enjoying it. The trail we walk on has plenty of people and other dogs so yesterday we worked on 'stay' because he wants to greet everyone and everything walking by. I have looked into the Canine Good Citizen and there are 2 of those tests that he isn't even half prepared for. He definitely will not let a stranger pet him on the head (which I think is unfair) and grooming is out of the question. Actually, I don't let strangers pet him which is my fault and he loves the groomer he goes to but tends to act like a monkey if I'm there, which is also my fault. Me and my exhuberant puppy have a lot to work on where strangers and being touched by them is concerned.

Now if I could just find a stranger willing to TRY to pet him on the head...lol

Why haven't you been letting people pet him while he is on lead? Is it because he is too hyper or is he nervous around strangers? If he is anything like my guy he is easily over stimulated so he acts like a moron when people try to pet him lol.

[QuietDaze]

Good question.

He was hand shy from day one. Literally. We didn't understand that when he would go under the end tables at 6 weeks that he wasn't 'just chilling' he was afraid. Sigh, so we (mostly me to be honest) would reach on under there and pull him out. Looking back, after learning more of course, I can see the signs of nervousness and insecurity. The trainer confirmed when I had him in puppy class so at that point I went out of my way to have him meet new people but I apparently wasn't doing something right.

So anyway, with new people I would tell them to let him warm up, don't reach over him, etc. Then he would get all pushy for pets when they started so I started telling people to ignore him and it's been a habit ever since. Once or twice he growled really low when someone started reaching over him so out of fear that he would bite someone I just don't let people pet him. And yup, I would correct him with a no, and then down him but at the end of the day, I guess it didn't bother him because he didn't want to be touched anyway. He's perfectly fine around people, will just sniff and ignore so it didn't bother me.

The only exception to that is children. He's not threatened by children at all, loves them. Very very tolerant, will be poked, leaned on, head rubbed, he's gentle with them, etc. At least he WAS, he hasn't been around children in at least a year.

[happyface]

My dog (Lady) is doing the same thing, she is constantly jumping and playing, what is the time lenght for a 10 month dog to play? lady would play all day if I allow her to.