I've started hiring a training ground, to have a space to train and play with Lucky with no distractions, especially when there are dogs in season and he finds it very stressful. The training ground is where we used to go for group classes. We went every week for six weeks and he barked and lunged out of frustration for the entire hour every week - looking back I have no idea why the trainer didn't tell us it wasn't the right thing for him. They also had lots of chance for free play during the classes, which contributed a lot to his frustration. We walk there and when we get about 100m away, and Lucky realises where we are going, he starts to pull frantically, whine and bark on the lead, and if I stop he gets more frustrated, if I ask him to heel he can only control himself for about one or two steps before he starts barking, pulling and whining again. Then, when we get there, he is so stressed that he does the zoomies and can't relax. As I'm hiring it, there are no other dogs there, but it does smell of other dogs. The barking, whining and pulling used to happen on an almost daily basis when I first adopted him, but now he rarely gets this frustrated. But somehow, this place makes him revert back to his previous behaviour. Does any one have any suggestions for how I can teach him to get there calmly? Or, what to do when we get there to help him have a different association with the training ground?
Could you drive there rather than walk? Would it be possible to do a little jogging round the training ground as Lucky would need to be a little more focused and maybe settle a little? What training do you do with him on this training ground? x
If you have to walk to the training ground, if you can vary the route rather than a direct walk. Before any pulling starts introduce about turns to keep the focus in you. Cross roads, change direction and for fun and focus spell out names while loose lead walking. Once at the ground alliw a period of play and sniffing before starting to train and have a cue to start and finish training and allow breaks for play as rewards during the session.
