Looks like I might have misunderstood Ripple all along @snowbunny . Interesting question @leejane . Seems like he's a very complex boy.
@SteffiS , I often see a similarity in your posts with Ripple's "biting episodes" to Cassie's, I started a thread a while back in response to another one about anxiety reactions. The thing with her is that she doesn't display fear reactions to anything like strangers, other dogs, being left, going in the car, loud noises etc, in fact I would say she's very confident, but she does seem to have these outbursts when asked to do something she either doesn't understand or doesn't want to do. Sometimes I just think maybe don't put her out of her comfort zone, but I want to train her to use her brain and I want to be able to go out and do things together. On the whole I'd say they're getting less, but I hope one day they will stop!
Yes, I've seen similarities between Ripple and Cassie @selina27 , it's so difficult to know what to do for the best. Ripple's biting episodes are getting less as well, I'm wondering whether he will start doing it at agility again when it restarts - I always put that down to excitement and frustration waiting for his turn but maybe it was anxiety. I'm a bit concerned if it's showing in different ways like excessive drinking and pooing. I never knew you had to be a psychologist to own a dog .
On a positive note, the trainer I travel nearly 40 miles every other Saturday to go to doesn't get phased at all, just quietly advises me on dealing with whatever outburst occurs, which is so refreshing. I'm hoping for a 1.2.1 with her, but unfortunately she's got a medical issue of her own to deal with at the present time.
It could equally be frustration. Anything that creates some sort of energy in the dog that he doesn’t know how to cope with, so just goes bonkers. Things like slow figure-8 walking might help him learn self-calming and I would also work on playing with his arousal levels, so building arousal and then lowering it. Whipit can be good for this.
Just read this out to OH - he said 'I hope you're not buying something else for Ripple' . He wasn't very happy about the yoga pods but I told him I could use them when Ripple had finished with them .
Or you could buy one and you pretended you just tied a toy to a stick. I saw they sell lunge whips at that great pet/country store in Pitscottie @SteffiS
