# My dog is driving me NUTS...



## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

whew...there are some days that I wish we didn't even have a dog, like today...

OK. We had to go to my Grandpa's birthday dinner today at my parent's place. She was incredulously insane the entire time. It seems almost unnatural how hyper she is. I can't properly describe it. She is that crazy. Not like she didn't have any excersize today, she had a two-block walk today, and a run on the treadmill. So she had excersize. I don't understand it. 

She gets to the point where she is so overtired that she is almost collapsing, but she continues to be hyper because there are people and people are stimulus!!!! I'm afraid she will damage her own health by refusing to rest...

Tonight she was insane. She panted fast and heavy, eyes wide, jumping up at everyone, trying to chase my parent's dog, trying to frantically lick and climb on everyone...
During dinner, while she remained in her crate, she _whined_ through the ENTIRE MEAL AND DESSERT. She wouldn't shut up. 

Afterwards, my hubby had to keep her laying on her side on the floor just to keep her from (happily) attacking everyone. Leash doesn't work, it doesn't matter how many times you snap it or tell her to sit she just keeps getting up and pulling and choking herself trying to get at the PEOPLE! I mean, she's so hyper that my hubby would pick her up and her little legs were "running" in the air. You can't hold her, she will CLAW YOU TO DEATH trying to get at the other people. Commands, flicks on the nose, jerks on the leash, holding her, putting her in a 'lay down' position, putting her in her crate...NONE of these things stop her. Nothing matters to her except for the fact that there are PEOPLE and there's another DOG and who cares about anything else. 

She scratched my grandpa's hand tonight fairly deep, trying to get at my parent's dog who was taking refuge beside him on the couch. It all happened so fast - she leapt up chasing after Pixie and started mauling my grandpa - I finally managed to unvelcro her from him and made her lay down on the floor untill she got a little calmer.

So we can't take her anywhere anymore. She will have to stay in her crate at home when we go out because she is hyper to the point of giving herself heatstroke or a heart attack...

OK so what's the deal!??!!??! 

1. Could it be a food allergy or health issue? Are these things related: She has anal gland issues, chews her paws and is hyperactive. She gets itchy skin if we use anything but Oatmeal shampoo.

2. Or is it just that she's an overactive puppy and will grow out of it?

3. Will spaying her - which happens tomorrow BTW - improve her behavior???

I'm telling you, I'm at wit's end.

Here's the breakdown of her dog food - anything in there that might make her hyper???? (copied and pasted from another site)

Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Brown Rice, Chicken Fat (Preserved with mixed Tocopherolis, A source of Vitamin E), Rice, Potatos, Chicken, Beet Pulp, Whole Dried Egg, Flaxseed, Salmon Meal, Salmon Oil (a natural source of dha), Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Lecithin, Sodium Chloride, Kelp, Chicory root extract, cranberries, alfalfa, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatos, apples, blueberries, pears, bananas, vitamins and minerals (vitamin a, vitamin d3, vitamin e, niacin, vitamin c, inositol, d-calcium pantothenate, thamine mononitrate, riboflavin, beta carotene, pyridoxine hydorchloride, folic acid, vitamin k, biotin, vitamin b12 supplement,zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, iron proteinate, zinc oxide, copper proteinate, copper sulphate, manganese proteinate, manganese oxide, calcium iodate, sodium selenate) citric acid, probiotics ( lactobacillus acidophillus, lactobacillus casei, enterococcus faecium, bifidobacterium thermophilum) Digestive Enzymes, Yucca schidigera extract, L-carnitine, dried rosemary, cinnamon, turmeric, capsicum, chamomile, dandelion, paprika, garlic.

Phew.

Garunteed analysis:

Crude protein (Min).............28.0%

Crude Fat (Min) .................18.0%

Crude Fibre (Max).................3.0%

Moisture (Max)....................10.0%

Ash (Max)...........................10.0%

Calcium (Min).........................1.5%

Phosphorous (Min)...................1.0%

Omega 3 (Min)........................0.40%

Omega 6 (Min)........................2.50%

DHA (Min)..............................0.10%


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## lil_fuzzy (Aug 16, 2010)

Has she ever been rewarded for being calm? She is just a puppy, so I wouldn't recommend all the harsh methods you are using, like pinning her to the ground, leash jerks etc. When you are alone, teach her to go to her bed on cue. Reward for staying on the bed. Any time she is calm and relaxed and sitting/lying still (off the bed as well as on the bed), reward. Reward for eye contact.

All of those things will help her to calm down, because she realises that being calm and quiet is rewarding.

Btw, a two block walk isn't much for this type of dog. I would take her out at least an hour a day. My puppy is the same age, and he usually has 1-2 training sessions every day, where we reinforce sitting still and making eye contact, as well as other handy things. Early afternoon we go for a walk which is 30-60 minutes long, and in the evening we go for another 20 minute walk. This is only just enough to contain his energy, so I am aiming to take him out more and do more training with him.

When I notice him getting very hyper inbetween walks we do an extra training session, to wear him out mentally as well as physically. It can be something really easy, like sitting until released. Ask for a sit, and reinforce as long as she's sitting still. Treat her often enough that she doesn't get up. When she gets that sitting or lying still is very rewarding, you can leave longer between treats, and also start moving around. Take a step to the side, if she's still sitting, reward. Take another step, reward. Work your way up to being able to walk all around her and out of sight while she remains sitting. It doesn't get rid of physical energy, but it wears them out mentally.


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

I have taught her "look at me" and give her treats when she does it. I give her attention when I see her playing with her toys by herself or when she is sleeping/laying down calmly. She has been taught to go to her bed and to her chair when I tell her. 

The problem is, all that training seems to go out the window when she sees a......PERSON!!!!!! That's why we started trying these methods because the others weren't working...


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

She is a puppy and by flicking her, rolling her on her side, snapping the leash, or otherwise using force against her is not helping your relationship and is probably making her more "wild" because of anxiousness. She is excited to be around all these people. They are laughing, talking, making noises, theres other dogs, food, etc. Like taking a kid to Disneyland, they are so excited it doesn't matter what you say they probably won't hear you. As far as the food, I don't know enough about that. 

Some suggestions I have are, 
1. More mental stimulation. Look up clicker training and get a clicker and start teaching her using positive reinforcement. Or rather, sign up for a class that uses positive reinforcement/clicker training. Get some toys that you can put food into and have her get it out. These things will mentally tire her out. Plus, they are fun to show off.

2. Get out the clicker and start teaching her to calm down by capturing the behavior you want. This video helps a lot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wesm2OpE_2c

3. Take her to a park on a non busy weekday after you have done some initial training. Practice sits, downs, look at me, stays, etc. Get her used to being calm outside with other people, dogs, wildlife, nearby. You need to do this slowly and over time though. 

4. Take her, her crate, and a kong with frozen yummy things inside and go to a friends house to watch a movie. Put her in the crate, with the kong, and start the movie. If she whines, ignore. If she stops whining, let her out on leash for a little and practice some behaviors. If she doesn't listen, back in crate with kong. 

Also, where was her crate? Was it in a quiet, empty room? Or was it in the room where all the exciting things were? 

Overall, you need to practice behaviors under low stress and gradually increase distractions. You need to understand you have a puppy and that while physical exercise is good, mental exercise is what tires out a dog the most (in my experience that's what it seems like). Getting frustrated and using force will only make your puppy be anxious about you and being in new situations.

Edit:


> The problem is, all that training seems to go out the window when she sees a......PERSON!!!!!! That's why we started trying these methods because the others weren't working...


This is because you haven't trained it under distraction. You need to PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE with other people around. Have your friend go to your house and sit in a corner and read a book. She will be uninteresting. Practice easy behaviors with a high value reward. Once your pup is getting it, have your friend wave an arm and start again. It's hard work but you, in theory, accepted this responsibility when you took in this puppy.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Prior to this party, have you ever practiced your "look at me" and rewarding calm behavior with just a few other people around? IMO it's not realistic for her to go from practicing at home in a calm environment to an extremely overstimulating, high-distraction environment and expect her to behave the same. She's got to practice the behaviors you want to see in a highly distracting environment in order to be expected to behave that way in a highly distracting environment.

FWIW, while you're working on training, what I probably would have done in that situation was put her on her leash with a harness instead of a collar so she couldn't choke herself, tethered her to me or held on and just ignored her until she settled down.


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

Nil: thanks for your reply.

I have done some clicker training, but I will try using it more. We don't have the money for classes.

I want to try the going to the park thing but I can't since it's still winter here and everything is melting and mush and goo everywhere, lol.

I need a kong!

Her crate was in the kitchen so she could see us because everywhere I read it says DO NOT put them off in another room it just makes them worse and more anxious. We have tried putting her crate in an empty room and she cries and whines and barks and yips and pretty much makes it miserable for everyone since you could here it 23978464 miles away, lol.

sassafrass: more good advice. I will have to dig out her harness. I do make her do tricks whenever I'm at someone's house although she is still quite distracted while she does them, I make her do them until she gets it right lol (except I couldn't tonight because she's not supposed to eat the evening before her spay ie. no treats...)


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

Pareeeee said:


> Her crate was in the kitchen so she could see us because everywhere I read it says DO NOT put them off in another room it just makes them worse and more anxious. We have tried putting her crate in an empty room and she cries and whines and barks and yips and pretty much makes it miserable for everyone since you could here it 23978464 miles away, lol.


What kind of crate training have you done? Maybe you need to go back to basics. Reintroduce the crate as a good thing and as a place where she gets really good chew things, where whining and barking doesn't happen because it doesn't give her any attention, so why bother?


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

that is exactly how branston behaves when we have visitors (which isnt that often) i havent yet taken him to visit anyone elses house. i did think that maybe it was because we hadnt socialised him in our house as we were too busy crate training. 

it is lke he cant calm down and when he is crated as we need a breather he will constantly bark, whine and moan to get out, although at all other times he loves his crate.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

"Hyperactive" is a secret code word for under-trained, under-socialized, under-exercised and under-stimulated. 

I know because I have two hyper-active dogs and they aren't puppies.

The good news is that it can be cured with training, socialization, exercise and stimulation.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

Oh geez, Pareee. STOP PUNISHING THE BEHAVIOUR! This is obviously not working either...and you risk messing up her temperament, increasing her excitement and having her develop anxiety and or fear of the situation. Pinning a dog or hitting her face is likely to have her develop fear of YOU and HANDS and whatever else happens to be going on around her...this is a dangerously slippery slope here.

Taking her to such an overstimulating environment without much preparation is like taking a baby with colic to a crowded restaurant or a two year old to a Chuck E Cheese and expecting them to be able to sit calmly while everyone else runs around and plays. She's a BABY DOG. Jumping up, licking and pawing are signs of appeasement and are often stress/confusion based.

Work on crate games as suggested previously. Do a training and play session BEFORE taking her anywhere exciting. Keep a leash on her at all times and use it to tether her, give her a REALLY good stuffed kong to work on. Praise all good behaviour and ignore the fussing. If you don't want to forever be lugging a crate around teach her go to mat and work on relaxed behaviour on a mat and then take the mat with you to places to practice. Work with smaller groups of people at first. Reward good behaviour by allowing her to visit people for a short time. 

I also recommend you teach her a leash settle. This is really the only exercise I recommend that is negative reinforcement based but it can do wonders. Have leash and collar on (not a harness for this exercise). Take the leash about a foot from the pup's neck and bend over and place it under your forefoot (bend over like tying your shoes do not try and step UP onto the leash as you may fall or step on the dog), then stand up. The leash should be short enough that there is pressure on the BACK of the neck/collar area if the pup is standing. WAIT. Eventually pup should lie down to release the discomfort of the pressure. Continue to ignore the pup, do not talk to her or pet her. Practice this for short periods, interrupting only if she chews on the leash or your shoes etc. 

The whole idea of this exercise is that dog learns when she's in a settle that "this moment is not about YOU, so lie down and be quiet". You do this under very low distraction at first, building up time and places that you do it. Eventually you can put it on cue as "settle" and can stop standing on the leash unless it is necessary. This also comes in handy for those moments when she is insane, but only after it's been practiced enough that as soon as pressure on the collar occurs, she lies down. You want a dog that immediately lies down in a RELAXED manner and this takes time.

One caveat about the leash settle: if she absolutely freaks out (panics and doesn't calm down a BIT in the first thirty seconds or so, I mean screaming and thrashing panic) you need to give her more leash and reduce some of the pressure. Use your gut here.

As for exercise and stimulation. Two blocks is not enough and doing the treadmill may exhaust her physically but does NOTHING for mentally stimulating her. A good long walk, with time to stop , sniff, play , practice sits etc will be much better. Short training sessions with a clicker doing some shaping etc will help tire out her brain. SHE's BORED and UNDERSTIMULATED and this is why excitement is, well, exciting! 

And no, spaying her is not going to calm her down. Helping her learn to use her brain will calm her down. Understanding her anxiety (and paw licking/chewing is a sign of anxiety, as well as allergies) and giving her proper outlets will go a long way. Work on greeting behaviours (I think there is a sticky for this...) and changing her diet to a grain free if you can may help a lot.


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

i have now realised that while i had/have branston mostly 'under control' indoors outside is a totally different thing! all those lovely distraction are miles more appealing than me! he is much better with people and other dogs since we got a halti, in fact he doesnt even take any notice of those things now. i am working on the socialisation in our house but we dont have many visitors so that could take a while......


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## Labmom4 (Feb 1, 2011)

How old is she, Pareee?


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## Elana55 (Jan 7, 2008)

Whoa... LOL. Take a DEEP breath. YOU have a PUPPY! 

1.) what a dog does in one environment does NOT translate to a new environment until you accomplish the behavior in about 20 new environments. Sit means sit at home in the house. Now move to the yard. Sit needs to be retrained in the yard. Now the dog will sit in the house andin the yard. Move to the front sidewalk. Re train sit.. and now the dog will sit in the yard, house and front walk.. Rinse and Repeat.. 20 different places (roughly) and the dog will suddenly have a light bulb moment.. "Oh SIT.. Yes... I know what that is" and start to sit any place you ask for it. 

2.) You have a puppy. Looks pretty small? Take a crate with you. Crate puppy and let her observe from there. Give some treats to her in the crate. 

3.) READ CRACKER's ADVICE. Follow it. 

4.) Two blocks is nuthin' to a high energy puppy. 

You cannot afford $150 for an 8 week one night a week class? what happens when your puppy needs shots or vet care? Have you pet health insurance? 

You may not realize this.. but the money for classes is very well spent. Just sayin'!


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## Steve.Robinson (Mar 9, 2011)

I saw your signature and remarked that your puppy is 7 months old, well it seems that you'll have a lot of time to re-train him. I have read yesterday some lines from an article that was mentioning that the first trips

for puppies outside the doors should be short and pleasant. Also they were mentioning that is important not to exhaust and overwhelm your puppy when getting out from his personal area. Too much of "new things" 

will create unpleasant situations and he will associate this with fear or in your case with a lot of hyper...so maybe this could be one tiny problem that I think you could manage it fast enough, don't forget to give your 

training actions more determination.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

I would recommend a LOT more exercise before taking her somewhere that there will be a lot of people. 2 blocks is nothing. We have volunteers at the Humane Society come out to walk the dogs, they are almost never tired when most of the volunteers bring them back. Some of the more energetic dogs go for 4-6 mile runs before they are even close to tired. If a long run isn't an option for you, the treadmill (i know you said you did this) is an okay alternative.. just be sure to watch her for when she does get tired (I'm not a big fan of the treadmill for dogs as it doesn't give them all of the other kinds of stimulation that they get from a walk). Throwing a ball for an hour or so may be a good alternative too if she will fetch. A tired dog is a good dog.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

Control Unleashed. A great book; I recommend putting it to use 



Binkalette said:


> I would recommend a LOT more exercise before taking her somewhere that there will be a lot of people. 2 blocks is nothing. We have volunteers at the Humane Society come out to walk the dogs, they are almost never tired when most of the volunteers bring them back. Some of the more energetic dogs go for 4-6 mile runs before they are even close to tired. If a long run isn't an option for you, the treadmill (i know you said you did this) is an okay alternative.. just be sure to watch her for when she does get tired (I'm not a big fan of the treadmill for dogs as it doesn't give them all of the other kinds of stimulation that they get from a walk). Throwing a ball for an hour or so may be a good alternative too if she will fetch. A tired dog is a good dog.


I would normally recommend more exercise too. But the problem is with most, is that if the training aspect doesn't happen the exercise will just build up into needing MORE exercise to calm down. Jean Donaldson stated perfectly that an exercised dog with little training is like having a toddler that's a conditioned athelte! :O


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

Too true LazyG,

training is a way to MENTALLY wear out your dog as well as teaching it the manners and commands you want it to know in short, it's a MUST. If you don't teach the dog what you want, it has NO other way of knowing. Dogs don't read minds (though they do sense emotions and feed off them), they DON'T speak our language (though they understand 'tone' of voice) and expecting any pup to 'know' anything you haven't taught is silly. 

Take a trip to the training forums, there are articles, links, book reccomendations and many other resources you can use to train your dog at home, get a good training video to help you if the problem is timeing (though that's NO substitute for an in person trainer to help you) Look at your local shelter to see if they offer classes.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

cshellenberger said:


> Too true LazyG,
> 
> training is a way to MENTALLY wear out your dog as well as teaching it the manners and commands you want it to know in short, it's a MUST. If you don't teach the dog what you want, it has NO other way of knowing. Dogs don't read minds (though they do sense emotions and feed off them), they DON'T speak our language (though they understand 'tone' of voice) and expecting any pup to 'know' anything you haven't taught is silly.
> 
> Take a trip to the training forums, there are articles, links, book reccomendations and many other resources you can use to train your dog at home, get a good training video to help you if the problem is timeing (though that's NO substitute for an in person trainer to help you) Look at your local shelter to see if they offer classes.


This isn't to say that I think exercise isn't needed. It is. My own GSD (in his younger days) couldn't *THINK* if he didn't get at least 30-45 minutes to act like a nut. After that, he was ready to learn. But if I tried to jump into training without him being able to act like a dorky puppy it set us both up for frustration. 
Plus, I see the OP's dog is 7 months. ALL of my dogs have been "more difficult" at that age. Dude turned his teenage angst (lol) into resource guarding, Auz was completely INSANE at 7 months, and Tag went through something that I can only describe as hormonal. He was easily distractable (like..."ooh! a bug!" type distractable). 
Taking a 7 month old puppy and having lots of new people (and new dogs) come to the house and expecting a calm, normal, sane greeting can (in a lot of cases) be a recipe for frustration IME. At 7 months old Auz was so insane and so everywhere all over the place that he couldn't think/function/be a sane member of society. Imagine how it was when 10 new people and 2 new dogs were coming to the house for a visit. Drove me insane  But if I survived, so can the OP...


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

Wow now I have an overload of information. Thanks everyone for your replies! Some forums are so difficult to get replies - but not this one. 
I will have to go back and read over all the answers more carefully when I have the time. I have a week - she won't be doing much this week after her spay.

What people don't realize, is that I cannot walk more than two blocks in the winter. It's like walking in wet sand on a beach. It's just not gonna happen until summer. I just can't do it with sciatica.

Yes we cannot afford to put out money for an optional class for the dog. Rich people may be able to afford special extra things such as 'clicker training classes' and 'obedience classes' etc...but not everyone can. That money is what we save up for important vet costs and food. She had her spay today. If we spend it on classes, then she doesn't get vet treatment. Goodness people, stop jumping to conclusions.


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## JuneBud (Feb 17, 2010)

LazyGRanch713 said:


> This isn't to say that I think exercise isn't needed. It is. My own GSD (in his younger days) couldn't *THINK* if he didn't get at least 30-45 minutes to act like a nut. After that, he was ready to learn. But if I tried to jump into training without him being able to act like a dorky puppy it set us both up for frustration.
> Plus, I see the OP's dog is 7 months. ALL of my dogs have been "more difficult" at that age. Dude turned his teenage angst (lol) into resource guarding, Auz was completely INSANE at 7 months, and Tag went through something that I can only describe as hormonal. He was easily distractable (like..."ooh! a bug!" type distractable).
> Taking a 7 month old puppy and having lots of new people (and new dogs) come to the house and expecting a calm, normal, sane greeting can (in a lot of cases) be a recipe for frustration IME. At 7 months old Auz was so insane and so everywhere all over the place that he couldn't think/function/be a sane member of society. Imagine how it was when 10 new people and 2 new dogs were coming to the house for a visit. Drove me insane  But if I survived, so can the OP...


Wow, your dogs being so bad at 7 months has given me hope.


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## Rouen (Jan 18, 2011)

Pareeeee said:


> I will have to go back and read over all the answers more carefully when I have the time. I have a week - she won't be doing much this week after her spay.
> 
> What people don't realize, is that I cannot walk more than two blocks in the winter. It's like walking in wet sand on a beach. It's just not gonna happen until summer. I just can't do it with sciatica.


Dont expect her to be down for very long after her spay, most puppies bounce back after the first 24 hours.
Seeing as you live in an area with "blocks" I can't imagine you are pet storeless. You could easily take her to petco/petsmart/other pet store for training sessions and socializing.


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

Rouen said:


> Dont expect her to be down for very long after her spay, most puppies bounce back after the first 24 hours.
> Seeing as you live in an area with "blocks" I can't imagine you are pet storeless. You could easily take her to petco/petsmart/other pet store for training sessions and socializing.


LOL villages have blocks, and a village is what I live in. We don't have these fangled things called Petco's or PetsMart's. We have one tiny pet store that JUST opened up about a week or so ago in the next town over...the first pet store in town!!!! (we are in the BOONIES...)
The nearest PetsMart is over an hour's drive away - in good weather...so no I could _not_ "easily" take her there. Especially when my hubby and I only have one car between us.

People need to realize that because things are easy or accessible to them that it's not always the same for everyone else.

(PS: And I'm not trying to sound angry or anything - since people seem to be taking everything I type lately the wrong way I feel I actually need to say that...)


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## Rouen (Jan 18, 2011)

Pareeeee said:


> LOL villages have blocks, and a village is what I live in. We don't have these fangled things called Petco's or PetsMart's. We have one tiny pet store that JUST opened up about a week or so ago in the next town over...the first pet store in town!!!! (we are in the BOONIES...)
> The nearest PetsMart is over an hour's drive away - in good weather...so no I could _not_ "easily" take her there. Especially when my hubby and I only have one car between us.
> 
> People need to realize that because things are easy or accessible to them that it's not always the same for everyone else.
> ...


I could certainly say the same, I drove 40 mins one way to take my now 2 year old to petco 3 times a week in a car that I share with my mom. I dont live in an area with blocks, nearest place with blocks is a 10 minute drive from my house, I made that drive with her just to walk her in town every evening. The gas was a small price to pay for a well rounded dog.


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## Nil (Oct 25, 2007)

Dogs are a commitment of time and money. Dog classes aren't just for the "rich people" because I know I am not rich and neither are a lot of other people I know. Dog training classes are just as important as shots and food, in my opinion. Who cares if you can buy food if you are going to get rid of the dog because she isn't trained? (Not saying you would, just trying to put things in perspective). Also, sometimes if you explain to the trainer you can't afford the class you can offer to do something in exchange for classes (paperwork, help clean after class, help prepare before class, maybe help out during other classes, etc.). Look around, who knows what you will find. Can't hurt to ask. 

Use Youtube. Use kikopup's videos. She does a very good job with explaining things and she has a small dog so a lot of her training videos are tailored to smaller dogs (like having them put their chin in your hand versus you reaching over them to grab their collar). You can definitely do a lot with her videos. 

As far as meeting other people, is there a school nearby? Any kind of store? Farmer's market? Movie theater? These are all good places to hang out at near busy hours (morning when kids go to school, afternoon when they get out). 

Try a flirt pole. You can make them easily with stuff in your backyard and a toy and it provides a lot of stimulation for a dog.


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## Taryn (Feb 9, 2011)

Training classes aren't 'optional' and aren't 'only for rich people' they are and should be required for every dog. I am on food stamps and Medicaid, ok, so I am poor(I can afford vet and food, he's on ToTW and training and spoiling him rotten), yet Dexter will still be going to dog class, just need to get the money which should be soon(waiting for a check.) My only income is child support yet I can find the money to make sure my animals are properly cared for and for a dog that includes training. It isn't optional ever and totally isn't in this case considering you are using 'bully' ways to train.

Also, your dog is not being exercised enough, mentally or physically. Dexter is walked everytime he needs to go out(we don't have a fenced yard, but with rare exceptions he is walked even if he goes potty right away), he also gets around 30 mins(he's ready to go home after 30 mins or so) in the neighbor's fenced yard(we have her permission to let him loose in her yard when she isn't home) to run around and be crazy, plus we try to give him at least one 1 mile walk each day on top of everything else. It keeps his energy down to a soft roar(he's a Jack Russel terror/ collie mix so he never runs out of energy.) He is required to sit before he is leashed and must sit before the leash is removed(yes even in my neighbor's muddy back yard), he also has to sit before he is given his food, he also has to sit when I come into the house for me to greet him(this curbs jumping.) We have had him less than a month and he already knows this, he does it without prompting a lot of the time. We also have him perform other commands and he has his filled beef bone and I will give him frozen Kongs, not to mention he has the cat to try and make friends with(and sometimes chase) so he is being stimulated. 

Dexter despite being 18 months- 2 years old acts like a puppy, and I didn't want a puppy because of how they act and how labor intensive they are. I happened to get an immature dog so I deal with it. Yes, he drives me insane and up the wall, and I can understand your frustration, but this is what you signed up for by getting a puppy. If you didn't want to deal with it you should have got an adult dog, not a baby. Like any baby puppies are a lot of work and require training, my 8 year old biological son didn't come out knowing how to behave he had to learn, same with a puppy or any dog, they have to learn proper behavior. 

Forgot to add: like children an overtired puppy speeds up instead of slows down.

Taryn


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## Silvicen (Dec 30, 2010)

You have gotten alot of good advice here. I understand what alot of people are saying about classes and agree to a point. However I can also understand your point about traveling quite a distance to take your pup to class and realize that road conditions where you live might not always oblige you travel wishes even if money was not an object. I also agree that mental tiredness is something that the pup needs and that will come through training.

You might look into trying to find a local obedience club or some other puppy owners and play having your own classes for puppies. Remember puppies like children learn best through play. It doesn't have to be perfect. Reward for any movement and/or progress in the direction of the behavior that you want. Then keep raising the bar. Keep it easy for the pup. We want to reward for the progress that the dog is making not making it too difficult of where we think that they should be. Just little baby steps and you will eventually get there. Be patient. Always stop a training session while the pup is still interested so that obedience is seen as a fun game to play not a boring activity. I used to teach alot of puppy obedience classes and one thing that I would always stress is to keep the training sessions short. Yes I wanted them to get 20-30 minutes of practice in everyday but never all at the same time. 2-3 10 minute sessions can be a little tiring, 4-6 five minute sessions is better 8-12 two or three minute sessions throughout the day is what I like. At your pups age it should be able to go past the little mini sessions but if it can't don't worry you have a place to start. When you are taking her for walks you can stop a few times and ask her to sit, gradually increasing the levels of distraction. It is very apparent that your pup needs alot of work in the socialization area and that just takes time. When I have to punish my pups at that age it is just the growly voice or a firm no always followed by me showing them what I want them to do and then lots of praise. When you get frustrated your pup gets frustrated too and nobody wins. 

I have known a few very well behaved dogs that have never been to a formal obedience class but thier owners spent lots of time and energy training and socializing the daylights out of thier dogs. It is an ongoing life process that never ends.

Get creative, have fun with her and relax.

Silly


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

Pareeeee said:


> LOL villages have blocks, and a village is what I live in. We don't have these fangled things called Petco's or PetsMart's. We have one tiny pet store that JUST opened up about a week or so ago in the next town over...the first pet store in town!!!! (we are in the BOONIES...)
> The nearest PetsMart is over an hour's drive away - in good weather...so no I could _not_ "easily" take her there. Especially when my hubby and I only have one car between us.
> 
> People need to realize that because things are easy or accessible to them that it's not always the same for everyone else.
> ...


With how she is excitable around people, a pet store might be a bit of a flooding experience and set her up to fail. How does she do in the back yard, front yard, sidewalk, etc? I would start WAY easy and build up from there. At 7 momtnhs I considered it a true success if I could get Auz's attention if there was a candy bar wrapper blowing in the breeze 3 miles away. I still think Control Unleashed would be an excellent investment for you both 



Nil said:


> Dogs are a commitment of time and money. Dog classes aren't just for the "rich people" because I know I am not rich and neither are a lot of other people I know. Dog training classes are just as important as shots and food, in my opinion. Who cares if you can buy food if you are going to get rid of the dog because she isn't trained? (Not saying you would, just trying to put things in perspective). Also, sometimes if you explain to the trainer you can't afford the class you can offer to do something in exchange for classes (paperwork, help clean after class, help prepare before class, maybe help out during other classes, etc.). Look around, who knows what you will find. Can't hurt to ask.
> 
> Use Youtube. Use kikopup's videos. She does a very good job with explaining things and she has a small dog so a lot of her training videos are tailored to smaller dogs (like having them put their chin in your hand versus you reaching over them to grab their collar). You can definitely do a lot with her videos.
> 
> ...


This is sound...you don't have to enter a store to get benefits whenever your dog is ready for that amount of socialization!


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## beverley (Oct 7, 2010)

i too am unable to atttend any kind of training classes as i dont drive and my hubby works shifts, but i did buy branston a halti and have since been walking him where there are more people etc. he is brilliant on the halti im now wondering wether he should wear it if & when we do have guests lol!
if there is a local school near by perhaps you could go for a walk at school finishing time? and practice sits etc? i have now also decided to buy a 'bum bag' to wear all the time in the house thats full of treats as that way branston never knows when he will get a treat, i could tell him something at any given time and he will get rewarded. at the moment as we dont have a really large house he pretty much knows when im reaching for the treats and therefore kind of knows whats expected of him at that time. im hoping to surprise him even if only for a bit!
it is frustrating when your puppy is a looney with people but keep trying!


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## Tankstar (Dec 30, 2006)

she is a bored, understimulated, under excersised and under trained puppy. what else can you expect?

as for classes being for the rich. lol I dont know when I became rich then. Classes are not _that_ expensive. You know how i pay for almost all my dog classes and trials i go to? I save up change, may sound funny to people who are not canadian. but Canadian money is so much change. It stacks up quickly, really fast. I have paid, over the years for almost all my training classes and matchs with change i have saved. Im far from rich.

Its not hard to find some "cheaper" classes. I found a great puppy class for my pup. lasted 4 weeks, and was just 150 bucks.


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

I understand the money thing and the being in the boonies, though I don't live there anymore. There are plenty of good dog training vids on youtube, especially clicker training vids. They're free. All you need is a clicker and some treats. When weather, health etc makes it harder to get the dog's exercised, clicker training is a great way to work them and yes, it tires them out. 

I didn't go to a class with Cracker until she was almost three years old and that was only because I wanted to WORK at the class (ie study under the trainer to become a trainer) and wanted to experience the class as a student first. I did all the basic socialization and training on my own when she was young. Luckily, living in midtown TO getting socialization was not difficult. You have to figure out a way to extend your pup's circle of experience somehow, so put on your thinking cap, get your friends and family involved and get her out into the world. 

The first two years of a dog's life are the most important developmental learning phases of all. If you want a good adult dog, one who isn't a nuisance or a danger to others you must find a way to work this.


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## Labmom4 (Feb 1, 2011)

I totally understand the money thing Parreee. Not being able to work now due to my disability, and having lost our business to the bad economy, there's no way I could afford a training class right now. If I could come up with $150, I'm paying bills with it. Try looking at YouTube. You can find ANYTHING there. Good luck to you!


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

No one I know has ever taken their dogs to classes. Many people never take their dogs to classes and their dogs turn out fine. I understand that it takes time and I am going to try more of the positive reinforcement and not so much of the negative. Cracker, you have been a real help. Thank-you. I will be trying that leash thing too...

No I don't intend to get rid of her because she is being difficult. I understand that she is still a puppy. Since she seems to exhibit more pug traits than TFT traits (many, many pug traits...), I've been looking over pug websites and have found that pugs are extremely hyper as puppies and tend to mature more slowly than other dogs (I never would have guessed since all the pugs I've met have been adults and lazy lumps. lol.)

What the heck is a flirt pole?? LOL??? I live in an apartment so I can't do things to the lawns or tie Fidget out.

PS: thank you Cracker, LazyG, Silvicen, beverly and Labmom for being understanding and not overly judgemental. Labmom: so sorry to hear about your business and disability. It's hard with the economy. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty (as many try) for not being able to afford certain luxuries for your dog. They just don't understand - and if they were in your situation they would understand. For some people buying expensive classes is just not an option. I am dissappointed at some of the rude answers I have gotten but some people are just like that.

PPS: Also I have heard of Kikopup and I will try to do training sessions like she teaches. I have a clicker, and do use it. Fidget sits well outside and inside, on walks...but it's when we go to someone's house or someone comes to ours - that's the problem...
To those that seem to think that I never train her, she knows many commands and I try to do them indoors as well as outdoors. Once this blasted slop melts I will get out there more and the training will be easier. The reason we were doing what we were doing was because absolutely NOTHING was working, and frankly we were embarrassed and frustrated. Fidget can be an awesome dog sometimes and I do see the potential in her. I was very frustrated when I wrote the original post so if I made it sound like I wanted to get rid of her that's not what I meant.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

I understand also, for some people, especially in this economy, the money that might have been spent on classes just needs to be spent on bills or food, or, as Paree said, to save up for future vet bills. It's responsible, anyway, to save up for vet bills. I'd suggest following Cracker's (and others') suggestions and watch kikopup's videos, get info of the internet (be careful what you find, though) and check out books from the library. Oh, yeah, and keep coming here for advice. 
That way, if you DO have expendable money, it can be put in an account to go towards the vet bills. 
I know someone made the statement about how you won't need $ for vet bills if you have to get rid of the dog due to behavior issues. That is a stretch. I mean, just suppose she uses the vet $ on a class, and then something happens (God forbid) and she doesn't have $ for the vet....


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## eiresol (Mar 10, 2011)

I've actually had the same issues with Gary, especially before he turned one. He use to jump up on parents picking up their kids, the kids, my 85 yr old 90lb grandmother. I was just as embarrassed and horrified as you....I felt like he was a bad dog, and I was the worse dog owner. 

I have not taken him to any obedience classes...I go to school full-time at night and raise kids all day - the classes just don't fit into my schedule. I imagine one day I will try. I just had to change some things and it seems to work. I actually don't take him to a relatives house and I crate him if I know there will be a big party commotion here. The more the commotion, the more excited he gets...and he just wants to party with us...his partying hurts  Maybe one day...but he's not ready yet...

I spent weeks, literally, working on nothing but the sit command. I don't pet him, put on his leash, feed him, until he sits calmly. If he gets all crazy excited at the prospect of dinner or going out....I stop, walk away, and don't continue until he sits. Meanwhile for the daycare kids, parents, and occassional guest....I trained everyone to not acknowledge Gary when they come in. Don't look at him. Don't talk to him. Don't pet him. Under any circumstances. I found that they would pet him when he jumped up - and reward! So if they come to the gate and he's jumping up/barking...they turn around and face the door until he sits calmly. It's working! It's just slow....months long process especially for really hyper, high-energy, excitable dogs. Now that he's doing better with a small number of guests here and there...and summer coming up...we're going to try our luck at a family picnic or two....but I still will probably not take him to someone else's house where I know there will be a large gathering of new and exciting faces until he's fully mature...which is when? Never?


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## waterbaby (Jan 20, 2009)

I don't think I saw it mentioned in here, but you could also google "Protocol for relaxation" by Karen Overall, which is a series of exercises designed to help a dog control her impulses in increasingly stimulating environments. The key is to try to keep your dog under her threshold excitement level all the time. You want her brain to be working, basically, so she can focus on you.

Where that threshold is can change. Obviously, working through the protocols raises the threshold. But on any given day, if a dog is under-exercised or under-stimulated mentally, the threshold can be much, much lower. If you can't walk her farther or give her more time outside, try to increase the mental stimulation inside. You can do this through training, giving her puzzles like food toys to solve or shaping exercises where she tries to figure out what you will reward with a treat, or doing some nosework by hiding treats around the room and releasing her to find them. If you give her mental exercises in addition to her treadmill time, I think that will be helpful in meeting her needs. 

I'm not really into paying for training classes either. I'd rather work on things on my own or with friends and call a trainer and work one-on-one if there's something I can figure out on my own. I feel like in general, the people teaching classes here don't have much expertise and I'm pretty good at figuring things out - especially with occasional input from more experienced friends. So I don't think classes are absolutely necessary, but some people can't objectively see how they're interacting with their dog (I'm not saying you're one of those people). If you can save up for just a basic obedience class, you might be surprised at how much you learn, in which case it would be money well spent.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

waterbaby said:


> I don't think I saw it mentioned in here, but you could also google "Protocol for relaxation" by Karen Overall, which is a series of exercises designed to help a dog control her impulses in increasingly stimulating environments. The key is to try to keep your dog under her threshold excitement level all the time. You want her brain to be working, basically, so she can focus on you.
> 
> Where that threshold is can change. Obviously, working through the protocols raises the threshold. But on any given day, if a dog is under-exercised or under-stimulated mentally, the threshold can be much, much lower. If you can't walk her farther or give her more time outside, try to increase the mental stimulation inside. You can do this through training, giving her puzzles like food toys to solve or shaping exercises where she tries to figure out what you will reward with a treat, or doing some nosework by hiding treats around the room and releasing her to find them. If you give her mental exercises in addition to her treadmill time, I think that will be helpful in meeting her needs.
> 
> I'm not really into paying for training classes either. I'd rather work on things on my own or with friends and call a trainer and work one-on-one if there's something I can figure out on my own. I feel like in general, the people teaching classes here don't have much expertise and I'm pretty good at figuring things out - especially with occasional input from more experienced friends. So I don't think classes are absolutely necessary, but some people can't objectively see how they're interacting with their dog (I'm not saying you're one of those people). If you can save up for just a basic obedience class, you might be surprised at how much you learn, in which case it would be money well spent.


This is a great suggestion, all of the above  10 minutes of brain work is as good as 30 minutes of physical labor (at least, it seems like it to me, and my dogs agree for the most part). Auz at 7 months wouldn't have been able to DO brain work without the opportunity to blow of some steam first...I think my biggest mistake was trying to NOT let him act like a stupid puppy at that age. It's like a toddler who likes to get increasingly louder...you can tell them to use their "indoor voice " a lot, but it's not going to sink in until some maturity happens, along with parental consistancy. I could tell Auz to use his "indoor brain" until I was blue in the face, but the fact remained he was still a very active, very "I FEEL SO DANG GOOD" high energy pup. Letting him be a nimrod (ei: taking your kids to Chucki E Cheese and letting them have at it) and THEN asking him to do some brain work (aka asking your kids to help you pick up the laundry) just seemed to suit us well. 
I pay for training classes, but the honest truth is training classes are my way of unwinding, letting myself "go" and having fun. I don't consider going to the movies, or bowling, much fun, I'd rather use that disposable income for training. Each their own! I'm also not a fan of taking an overly-excited, mentally understimulated dog that doesn't know LLW, sit, down, or anything else to training classes for the sole purpose that I think it's very hard on the dog. (And in a lot of cases, frustrating for the owner). Taking a dog who's been couped up all day, then taking them to a new exciting place with new exciting people, new exciting (equally untrained) dogs, new exciting smells, etc and asking them to learn is like taking an 8 year old to the circus and asking them to work on long division. JMO of course.



doxiemommy said:


> I understand also, for some people, especially in this economy, the money that might have been spent on classes just needs to be spent on bills or food, or, as Paree said, to save up for future vet bills. It's responsible, anyway, to save up for vet bills. I'd suggest following Cracker's (and others') suggestions and watch kikopup's videos, get info of the internet (be careful what you find, though) and check out books from the library. Oh, yeah, and keep coming here for advice.
> That way, if you DO have expendable money, it can be put in an account to go towards the vet bills.
> I know someone made the statement about how you won't need $ for vet bills if you have to get rid of the dog due to behavior issues. That is a stretch. I mean, just suppose she uses the vet $ on a class, and then something happens (God forbid) and she doesn't have $ for the vet....


FWIW, I know several people/dog "teams" (as customers) who have never attended a formal training class in their LIVES, and the bond the dog and owner have is something that I think is a really awesome thing. The owners seem to have a knack with their dogs, and visa versa. Then again, I've met people (myself and the GSD included) that have attended multitudes of training classes of different types/levels and still never quite achieved that "bond" that others seem to have from day one with their dogs. It's a crapshoot sometimes.


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## waterbaby (Jan 20, 2009)

LazyGRanch713 said:


> Auz at 7 months wouldn't have been able to DO brain work without the opportunity to blow of some steam first...I think my biggest mistake was trying to NOT let him act like a stupid puppy at that age. ... I could tell Auz to use his "indoor brain" until I was blue in the face, but the fact remained he was still a very active, very "I FEEL SO DANG GOOD" high energy pup. Letting him be a nimrod (ei: taking your kids to Chucki E Cheese and letting them have at it) and THEN asking him to do some brain work (aka asking your kids to help you pick up the laundry) just seemed to suit us well.
> ...
> Taking a dog who's been couped up all day, then taking them to a new exciting place with new exciting people, new exciting (equally untrained) dogs, new exciting smells, etc and asking them to learn is like taking an 8 year old to the circus and asking them to work on long division. JMO of course.
> 
> FWIW, I know several people/dog "teams" (as customers) who have never attended a formal training class in their LIVES, and the bond the dog and owner have is something that I think is a really awesome thing. The owners seem to have a knack with their dogs, and visa versa. Then again, I've met people (myself and the GSD included) that have attended multitudes of training classes of different types/levels and still never quite achieved that "bond" that others seem to have from day one with their dogs. It's a crapshoot sometimes.


These are all really good points. Sometimes puppies just need to act like morons and run around like maniacs and blow off stream for a while. Which isn't the same thing as exercise either although they get exercise out of it. Sophie's almost 3 and I still give her maniac time every day. She needs much less now and I ask her to behave before I let her go, but she just needs that _unstructured_ running, sniffing, jumping, throwing-stuff-around time. But, it's nice if you have some control over when and where that happens. Like you said, maniac time isn't all that great in a totally overstimulating environment. I agree that you need to help the dog be in the right frame of mind before any kind of training, especially with other people and dogs around - and maybe you're right about the mental stuff too.

It's interesting that even someone who "gets" dogs doesn't necessarily bond with certain individuals. I'm sure you're not giving yourself enough credit, but I can believe that it happens. I think I don't have enough dog-ownership experience yet to have met that dog. Plus, just by the way I tend to acquire dogs, that bond is there from the minute we walk out of the shelter or rescue. You know? I pick the ones I feel a spark with.


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## JuneBud (Feb 17, 2010)

waterbaby said:


> These are all really good points. Sometimes puppies just need to act like morons and run around like maniacs and blow off stream for a while. Which isn't the same thing as exercise either although they get exercise out of it. Sophie's almost 3 and I still give her maniac time every day. She needs much less now and I ask her to behave before I let her go, but she just needs that _unstructured_ running, sniffing, jumping, throwing-stuff-around time. But, it's nice if you have some control over when and where that happens. Like you said, maniac time isn't all that great in a totally overstimulating environment. I agree that you need to help the dog be in the right frame of mind before any kind of training, especially with other people and dogs around - and maybe you're right about the mental stuff too.
> 
> It's interesting that even someone who "gets" dogs doesn't necessarily bond with certain individuals. I'm sure you're not giving yourself enough credit, but I can believe that it happens. I think I don't have enough dog-ownership experience yet to have met that dog. Plus, just by the way I tend to acquire dogs, that bond is there from the minute we walk out of the shelter or rescue. You know? I pick the ones I feel a spark with.


Sometimes a pup can be difficult to bond with. Mine sure was. For months he showed very little affection or no affection at all. If you tried to interact with him all he would do is play bite. Try to pet him and he would try to avoid contact. He didn't start to show any affection until he was five or six months old. If was difficult and depressing. Then he would occasionally show affection, then more. Now he is quite affectionate at 9-1/2 months. At times I thought he was never going to be, but I refused to give up. He is still steadily improving. Sometimes I am amazed at how far he has come from that not very cuddly little shark. He might even mature into a lap dog.


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## LazyGRanch713 (Jul 22, 2009)

waterbaby said:


> These are all really good points. Sometimes puppies just need to act like morons and run around like maniacs and blow off stream for a while. Which isn't the same thing as exercise either although they get exercise out of it. Sophie's almost 3 and I still give her maniac time every day. She needs much less now and I ask her to behave before I let her go, but she just needs that _unstructured_ running, sniffing, jumping, throwing-stuff-around time. But, it's nice if you have some control over when and where that happens. Like you said, maniac time isn't all that great in a totally overstimulating environment. I agree that you need to help the dog be in the right frame of mind before any kind of training, especially with other people and dogs around - and maybe you're right about the mental stuff too.
> 
> It's interesting that even someone who "gets" dogs doesn't necessarily bond with certain individuals. I'm sure you're not giving yourself enough credit, but I can believe that it happens. I think I don't have enough dog-ownership experience yet to have met that dog. Plus, just by the way I tend to acquire dogs, that bond is there from the minute we walk out of the shelter or rescue. You know? I pick the ones I feel a spark with.


I've never been able to achieve the same bond with Auz that I have my papillons, mainly because I (and others in the breed that know him) believe him to be a bit of a personality fluke for his breed. He's not a dog who's attuned to his handler (me), and he's not one who follows me around like a lot of GSD's seem to do. He's happy off on his own, and prefers the company of dogs over people in most cases. (That part I think if partially due to his upbringing, I did socialization with dogs overboard and he thinks other dogs are the greatest thing on EARTH). But he's not what I expected a GSD to be, and that's OK. Interestingly enough, whenever there's something I really *really* need him to do, he's right on target with it and is a serious, tireless worker. But for every day training and manners, he puts a brand new meaning to the "what's in it for me" type xD
I bonded with Tag almost instantly, though I didn't really want him the very first second I saw him. He would NOT sit still and let me hold him/pet him, he wanted to zoom around the foster home and check out my dogs and just be a ball of insanity. He wasn't home 1/2 hour before I was totally 100% in love, and (surprisingly!) has become the most attentive and loving dog I own. 
For *me* and me alone (because I can't speak for everyone), I think the way I taught Tag had a lot to do with how fast we bonded. Dude was raised strictly with a choke collar and a "make it happen" attitude. Dominance theorys and alphas were thrown around a lot in my vocabulary, and it damaged our first 2-3 years together. Auz was raised with a clicker, but also with corrections (and frustrations stemming from my never having had a high energy large breed before.) Tag was raised with a clicker, Control Unleashed, and Choose to Heel and he responded brilliantly. For the first time in my life, raising a puppy was about fun, learning, bonding, and enjoying those baby stages instead of worrying about what other people would think when my adolescent dog leaps up on Aunt Millie and knocks her over. Had I started my other two out with more bonding-friendly training ways, perhaps things would have been different.


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

Hey - I've started focusing on "look at me" more than I was. I'm hoping it will help her focus on what I want her to do better. My husband stands in the other room either squeaking a toy, playing youtube vids of dogs barking or holding the hamster. I wait till she looks at me then click. Then I wait till she stares longer. Then click, etc. Seems to be working. Wish me luck!


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## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

I will give you the advice our trainer gave us yesterday--whatever you do, do it with confidence. He told me that no matter what tools I use, no matter what knowledge I have, if I am not confident, Gracie will not listen to me. So, I am working on confidence on walks to keep her from being a spaz. 

Good luck--I know this is a tough stage. You have gotten good advice and I hope you and Fidget get through it unscathed  Who knows...you two may be closer after all this! 

Do you work on NILIF? That may help, too.


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## Pareeeee (Sep 29, 2009)

Thanks yes, we do NILIF. She gets nothing (food, treats, up on our laps, a pet...etc.) without sit/stay - and usually "look at me" first.

Pixie (my old dog who lives with my parents now) was such a FAST learner. She was eager to please, you could trust her at an early age (under a year we were leaving her in the house without being in a crate) and had excellent focus as a puppy. She was not your average Jack Russell puppy...lol. She never went to obedience classes. I hope I will bond as closely to Fidget as I did with Pixie through all the one on one training. One on one is way better than getting someone else to do it...you become closer to your dog that way. So anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that I've been spoiled by the ease of raising/training my first dog, Pixie. I try not to compare Fidget to her as she is a different dog.


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