I have identified his triggers which are over stimulation and tired. If we do some off lead walking he was making great progress on recall and had stopped the humping of legs. The last 2 days when doing some off lead he has gone crazy over stimulated. Yesterday we took his tug with a ball toy to retrieve/play. Fine for a few minutes then began to try hump/bite me. Normally returning to lead helpes. He does zone back in for food where we do commands and he listens. Once stopped resumed and in the same behaviour. So much so i put the lead on a fence post while calm resumed. Today we did no ball tug and just offlead exploring/recall where he immediately charged around and did some recall and within minutes he was humping and biting at me. Again used food to bring back out of it and did loose lead walking training back home (field is across the road). Looking forward do we just stop offlead walking preventing the puppy zommie? Using food will be seen as reward? As they grow older do they deal with stimulation better? Back ground 5mths old lab x collie (mum full lab dad was 3/4 lab 1/4 collie) We rejoin puppy training on Thursday so will speak to our trainer then too. Thanks
Hi @Thunder* I'm not entirely clear from your account how you are training your dog. The idea is to gradually increase distractions. That is, the dog learns to do the exercise in the lounge room. Then you transfer the exercise to another room. Then the back garden. Later maybe introduce a friend sitting or standing the garden. Then when the dog is compliant, have the friend move about. Later the friend can clap hands. Sing. Later you can sing, clap hands. Move about. Then take the exercise down to a quiet park. Early in the morning when no one else is around. Then pick a time when a few people are there. Then later a busier time. At each stage you are gradually increasing the level of distractions. But you don't do the generalisation to the next stage unless the dog is compliant for at least 90% of the repetitions at the previous stage. Although I'm not sure from your description, I think what is happening in your training is akin to you learning to drive in a quiet car park and then transitioning in the next couple of lessons to driving in New York city. Anyone would be overstimulated with such a large jump in training scenarios. You also have to intersperse all the highly stimulating exercises you are doing with some calming ones. Some sit stays or down stays for example. I don't know why you are using food to calm down the dog from the zoomies. You need to be rewarding/reinforcing any steps the dog displays towards calmness. The food treat is a consequence of some behaviour. It does not precede the behaviour you desire.
Hello Michael, Thanks for your reply. Appoligies that it wasnt very clear. The field in question is one we visit often (across the road) their was no other distractions eg in form of people or dogs. Just me and him. The field has been a great space to allow offlead time with his training. (Was through this site that made me brave the offlead time with the desire to stay near and work on recall) The use of food/training was used to stop him jumping up biting at me as he goes into "food" mode and becomes focussed on me/command. Although reward is for training command not for zoomie. I guess this is wrong? Today and yesterday were different experiences. Eg ball game yesterday today none. I will certainly try breaking it up a bit more eg 1 throw and do some sit etc before the next. So doesnt have a big build up of energy through him. That being said the ball was only threw about 5 times prior not excessively over and over as I am aware he becomes stimulated fast. Today comparison he was released from lead and went into a zoomie immediately running around before trying to hump my leg/bite. The zoomie wasnt predicted as I wouldnt have let him off. Maybe going forward i will release energy through games/enrichment etc prior to leaving for walk if doing offlead to see if it makes a difference too. Appologies again if seems jumbled in explaining.
Hi @Thunder* No apologies needed. It would be far easier to observe the dog. Writing down what is happening is far more difficult, and everything is filtered through the handler's eyes. If you want to film what is going on, and post it here, then please do so. The issue of distractions can be more subtle than you suggest. It's just not people and other dogs. It is entirely possible that various wildlife have visited the ostensibly vacant area and left their scents. Here In Tasmania, I have to contend with rabbits, wallabies and possums that visit the area during the night. Just replace my examples with the wildlife in your area, including cats that may have been hunting during the night. I think I understand what you are doing. But the dog should not know whether you have a treat or whether you will reward him. You shouldn't be bribing him. Good idea. You can use "party time" as a reward for an exercise you have completely successively. Just be judicious in how wild the party gets, because your dog seems to get over-aroused too quickly. What happens you let him run around for say 10 minutes before you attempt any exercises? You have to stop the biting. How? Hold the lead very close to his body with his head pointing away from you. Or tie the line to a nearby post. And give him time out by you withdrawing your company (standing beyond his reach with your back to him). After a minute or two go back to him. Friendly and calm voice. If he attempts to jump or bite you, feign that you are hurt emotionally, turn your back and walk away again beyond the lead length. That is why I would have him on a 10 metre long-line for all this training at the moment. You can let the line run along the ground until you need it. If you live in northern hemisphere where it is winter, then use a biothane long line--the slush and mud will wipe off that material.
Hello Michael, Thanks for your response again. Granted on Saturday during playing fetch he went and sniffed maybe he did smell something that sent him sensory overload. On the sunday it was immediate as soon as the lead unclicked he went into a puppy zoomie. I will invest in a long lead too though and use this. I did on Saturday put the lead on a fence post and turn my back to him out of his reach. Yesterday wasnt an option due to our positioning. We did lose another tooth yesterday maybe teething sent him crazy. Who knows. I will certainly try to film if it occurs again. Thanks for your time.
