Harley is 6 months today And I think what I have noticed as a big difference between her and other dogs at the training classes is her lack of sustained focus/attention. It is like she gets mentally tired. I have noticed this at home too - when we play games or do some training for short spurts she is really great and she loves it but she has a limit. Then she starts struggling to focus and becomes restless. I think it is an age and perhaps a specific pup thing, I think all dogs are different. Can anyone suggest ways or exercises that may help her develop her mental stamina? I realise that extending the period we train or play for, is an option but often it is a very spontaneous thing, we don't have set times. I also want to ask if you think it is okay for Harley to take breaks at puppy class where she gets played with or just allowed to do nothing for a bit. The other dogs manage to concentrate through but I have noticed her interest wanes and then she becomes disinterested. I don't think all dogs can concentrate for as long as others and that should be okay, but I don't want to make trouble at class either by doing things that are considered improper in training. In other words I don't want to be the dog version of the parent who says their child can't behave in class because he/she is too intelligent and gets bored. I believe that a tolerance for routine and even mundane tasks needs to be developed. We are the only labrador in the class.
We experience the exact same issue with Ella. Other dogs the same age (not labs) could focus for a whole class and Ella could only manage a few minutes! Our training is outside so, as soon as I thought she was starting to fade, I'd end the exercise and walk a way for a few minutes. We'd get a drink or just chill for a moment. Then I'd give her a couple of really quick simple cues that I knew she'd manage (my fave is a quick succession of sit/drop/stand on the spot, in random order) to get her focused before we rejoined the class. We'd repeat this as often as necessary and, if we needed to spend the rest of the class sitting on the outside, working on being calm around others, that's exactly what we did. It was (still is!) a long slow process but her focus is 1000 times better than it was 12 months ago.
I think that the only way that her concentrations levels will increase is age. When I first took Harley to agility she would bark, whine, pull me and be restless whilst waiting her turn. Now, 2 years on, she waits quietly. In adolescent class she was a nightmare. She got bored quickly and would get restless. I often walked off or done our own thing for a few mins to calm her down. Once, she was horrendous.....from the minute we got there she pulled, barked etc. I ended up walking off and tsking off her lead and letting her run off some steam
I have the same problem personally (ADHD). The only time I really focus, then hyperfocus can set in, is when I'm very interested in the subject. I do find my pups are all different, as you say ,,,
Thanks for the advice and support. I am following my gut feel regarding Harley a lot more, as she grows with us and I just know her better.
That's great. It took me a while to find the confidence to do what was right for Ella (after I'd managed to figure out what was right!) . Now I don't hesitate, I dictate what we do and I find most people respect it and those that don't aren't important enough to worry about.
You should definitely stop and give your dog a break before she loses focus. And don't be so sure that all people who are training for longer have dogs that are able to focus for longer. I'm always the first to stop in group training classes (when I have Betsy, Charlie is different) and many a time I've been sat on the grass, chilling with Betsy, watching other students train dogs who are making more and more errors because the handler should have stopped long ago.
Haha Emily, what I do is I have a "feel" about what is the right way to go about something for Harls...and then I rush here and ask all of you
That's why I prefer 1 on 1 classes. Or a small class where you work individually while the instructor roams around. Group sessions where everyone was expected to march to the same beat were terrible for us, set us back terribly until I found out better. Where I went for these group military-like classes, the instructors expected everyone to keep up, and were very unsympathetic and undermining. Thankfully I discovered a nurturing school that treated each dog as an individual - but we had previously suffered for 1.5 years!!
Harley sounds perfectly normal to me Some dogs are able to train and remain focussed for longer than other dogs just like us hoomans. The main thing is to try and make training interesting and varied and to pay attention to when she is beginning to switch off so you can give her some down time which could be a wander and sniff outside or just a settle beside you for a while. Most definitely take breaks in class when necessary and if your trainer doesn't support you or see the need you really need to consider a different trainer I'm not a lover of group classes at the best of times even when offered by the very best trainers, for how uncomfortable owners can feel (rightly or wrongly) if they are struggling with their dog at which point no-one is gaining from the experience. Never forget you know Harley best so trust that gut instinct. If it doesn't feel right for her it probably isn't.
