Try your very, very best to forget what other people think and to forget being any kind of example of R+ training or anything else Focus on what you are doing, work hard on making yourself calm, slow voiced and unflappable. Give praise in a calm way too (do you use a clicker? they help reduce the excitement while continuing the rewards). I can't muster a 'firm voice' either. I have no problem when I'm teaching kids - but dogs? I just can't do it! I have this with Mollie all the time as she's a Guide Dog puppy - people expect to see a calm, placid dog like they see guiding folks around. Nooooooo! She's loopy juice! Very hard work and constant vigilance for 'crazy face' is needed to try and pre-emt mugging of me or other people. Twiglet was more so and knocked me over five times during her teenage months! So I've learned to forget and ignore everyone else and to celebrate every small move forward. They all get there in the end . .
Would it help if everytime you stopped on a walk, you popped her into park mode, instead of trying to catch the moment before she turns into a demon? When she looks relaxed and not paying you any attention, pop her a treat by dropping quietly between her paws, don't click or praise when you do though, as that may indicate you are about to do stuff, which you aren't if you are just stopping for a moment to talk to someone. I would practise this in the garden, maybe with a family member nearby. Try it when she is already fairly relaxed though! Don't be disheartened, she is only young and we have all been there!
Thank you @Boogie for your kind and knowledgable response. I fully understand your suggestion re slow voice, calmness etc, I've been consciously doing this recently. I'm a nurse, and at work I have a reputation for calmness and unflappability (although it's external, not inside my head .) The issue I have is that she really hurts me, do I just stand still and let her do it? Over the weekend I've been going out in an old coat and all covered up in the summer time! Of course this morning I just had a thin t-shirt on. She's completely unreachable when she does this. How, when that look comes in her eye, should I respond to pre-empt this behaviour? .
Thank you. That's the thing, I did reward while she sat quietly while I talked. Perhaps I should actually ask her to chill while I'm talking. It seems to be after I've been engaged with other people. Perhaps I should play tuggy before we carry on. But in that state she's liable to pull me over!
Oh I just want to give you a big hug! I am definitely not an experienced dog trainer but I do have a lunatic dog! The only thing I'd consider, and this may not apply at all in your case - just speaking from my own very limited experience, is there any chance that her silly reaction could be stress related? Ella can sometimes go into a stupid lunging, leaping around on the lead routine that I assumed was a typical adolescent phase. However, over time I've realised it's her reaction when everything has become a little too much and she's feeling a little overwhelmed.
If I stop speak to anyone Selina, I put my foot on the lead (double ended and attached to top and front D ring) before I speak. Might it be worth doing that, rather than wait until Cassie gets that look in her eye? Sorry you have been hurt.
@Emily , I've been thinking and thinking over what sort of stress might be causing this. It seems to be related to me interacting with others now, although when it first started I don't think it was. It began when the phantom pregnancy did. But she's also been out and about a bit more since summer has come, which is what I hope for, a dog that can accompany me most places. We started a new training class and met a new "borrower". Perhaps it's too much in her hormonal state. It's always been that if something perturbs her she wants to hold my arm, but had learnt (I thought) to be gentle. And then I think perhaps I did too much socialising last summer and she didn't really like it! And to think I used to worry about her eating her own poo!
Well so far today I'm unscathed today. I've been working today, so it's an early morning walk and then her 2 visits from the person who lets her out and gives a lunchtime kong. Another kong when I get home, then today walk in the woods, dull and overcast. We didn't meet any one, little bits of training as usual, she enjoyed running about on squirrel trails, rarely if ever going out of the control zone. (well I like to think there is one). Back home and did an indoor version of ping pong recall, then kibble tea spread outside in garden. So she hasn't been out of comfort zone in anyway. I did take tug toy with me incase today. So will have to see what tomorrow brings. Looking at her gorgeous honey brown eyes tonight I can't believe the devil dog eyes of yesterday.
Reading your log, it seems that you have problems when you stop to talk to people, or rather when you go to move on having stopped for a chat. Obviously you eventually want to be able to do this, but I wonder if Cassie is just finding it too hard to wait for five minutes and is really pent up at the end of it, letting her frustration out on you. (Thinking of the good citizen awards - it's only a one minute stay for bronze.) I think I might just say 'hello, sorry can't stop' for now or as you did today walk where you won't meet people. How is she if you walk with someone, so you are chatting but moving forward, so that Cassie isn't having to stay still? Perhaps that would be the next thing to try.
@Joy, I think you could well be right about talking for too long, although I'm sure I have in the past but can't be certain. Where it happened yesterday this behaviour has occurred before in recent weeks, but nothing like the frenzy. It's also at the point where we are likely to head home, so perhaps it's that combined with talking too long. Interesting about the bronze being one minute. Last week I was walking with the potential borrower in a public place, I'd moved so that I was the other side of her and not next to Cassie, maybe she didn't like that, I just don't know.
I don't really have any advice but just to offer sympathy. Devil dog Stanners does this to me sometimes too - his always seems to be when there's been a few dogs one after another that he hasn't been able to play with. It hurts and it's embarrassing having the crazy lunging dog! I just try and hold onto his harness until it eases off then stroke his ears and talk to him calmly for a few minutes until he seems to have settled. If I can catch him just before he's about to do it an "enough!" Usually stops him before he starts. But sometimes it really comes out of nowhere. You'll get there - you really will. And this will just be another one of her phases that you got through
Selina, have you trained a 'settle"? just wondering if when you stop to chat you could cue 'settle' stand on the lead and give her treats, when you are ready to move on say 'lets go' lots of praise and an extra special treat. You could train this with willing volunteers at home first progressing to the garden etc. just doing seconds to start with. Just a thought. x
Mollie did it again today - the other two dogs were outside (I let them go to the toilet without an annoying puppy bouncing around!). Mollie wasn't pleased so she jumped as high as she could on me snapping like a nutcase. She's the only pup who has continued to do this into the ninth month, but she hasn't had her season yet so I'll put it down to that. I carefully noted my behaviour so that I could report back here (lol) I put my hands behind my back and leant my head back and said nothing. As soon as her paws were down I got the treat tin and as soon as she sat I treated her. I didn't speak. I'm hoping she grows out of it soon!
I don't know if this is any help, but around 2-3 weeks before her season, Bramble sort of unravelled a bit. She pee'd in the front room, and her general behaviour got very clingy. With Bramble it translated as using her paws to get my attention..OUCH! She has never been one to jump up...but she would grab me as I tried to sit down, very restless.
Thanks for all replies. @charlie, yes she does know chill. But me stopping to talk isn't really new, and I do reward her for waiting patiently. I will try to remember to say lets go, which is my usual way of saying we're off now. There's been no problems up till now. I will obviously have to be very attentive to her and not take anything for granted for awhile.
Thank you so much It's just so bizarre how this behaviour has come out of nowhere seemingly, she didn't really do it before, maybe around 6 months but only very briefly. Of course the trouble is she's full grown now so is more powerful. I'll keep working on it.
Thanks @Beanwood. This is the thing, she was no trouble at all before or during her season, when I might of expected some changes, but no, about from being very clingy the day before it was obvious she was in season, not at all. It suddenly started 6/7 weeks after being in season. I will probably book 121 with a trainer, Beverley Courtenay, who is on the LAT video you posted the other day, to talk things through as well.
So unscathed again today, but it's been touch and go. Worked half a day today, so again early morning walk, home at lunchtime, son was here this morning. Did some training at home and then set out mid afternoon for walk. A small terrier belonging to my neighbour was out and about loose and chasing squirrels nearby, Cassie wanted to join, so decided to come back for harness as she was on lead. So of course she started jumping up and snapping etc, but no contact made with me. I stood on lead until she stopped, several times but we made it back to the garden. We went out later and all was fine, some people about but didn't stop for long It seems to happen if anything at all has rocked her boat.
