Too Excitable... Then Exhausted

[Guest jetska]

I have a bit of an issue with Mouse. She's quite a drivey dog, and when I get treats out of the cupboard she goes nuts, bouncing around, air snapping, mouthing my arms etc .... by the time I get her focussed on a sit at least, she's expended so much energy she is panting, and I can only get limited work out of her til she is exhausted and just goes and lies down!

 

I really do need to get her to tone it down a bit, as all her jumping and mouthing is a bit much.

 

Should I get the treats and then walk away til she calms down?

 

Do I need to carry treats around all the time and try to avoid the crazy excited stage? Any other suggestions?

[silverfish]

This sounds like a lot of greyhounds! They're not known for being focused on training in the way that collies and shepherds (for instance) are. They are dogs who have lived their lives like this: one quick frantic burst of energy, then rest for most of the day. You likely won't get a greyhound to focus on training as much as a 'people-pleasing' breed - though it has been known!

How old is she? It sounds as if she might be quite young. Certainly one way to make things less exciting is to make them more ordinary. I think if I had a dog like that I'd first of all spend a day handing treats out quite freely (it only needs to be small pieces) without asking her to do anything for them, and then gradually reduce the frequency while you get her to concentrate. A good thing to start with is teaching her to take treats gently and calmly, so the next day I'd be focusing on that.

Hold a treat in your closed fist. She doesn't get to have it until she's calm and not using her teeth. Most dogs learn very, very fast on this one. They go from being hyper to 'nosing at your fist trying to work out how to make it open' in it a very short time indeed, and as soon as they start settling and using their brains (nosing) you begin to uncurl your fingers. If she gets excited and starts to nibble or snatch again, you close your fingers. If she continues to be gentle, you allow her to slowly open your fingers and get the treat. I'd be surprised if she took more than a half a day to learn that one.

Once you have her calmly taking treats, keep the special, high value ones for training only, and keep training sessions very short: aim for 2 minutes to begin with, but the rule of thumb is to stop before your dog loses interest and to stop on a positive note.

What sort of 'work' are you talking about with Mouse? I presume by 'work' you are talking about sustained training sessions?

Edited February 25, 2014 by silverfish

[Guest jetska]

She is 3 today, been out of the racing kennels since April, started in foster with me, was adopted and lived with other peopel who didnt teach her anything for 6 months, then came back to me and I foster failed. They get treats for sitting, for me that's the 'default' action I want and it's exhibiting calm behavior, she has a rock solid leave it. She knows that she sits to ask for things (can I have that treat, can you put my leash on, can I get in the car, can I have that toy). It's almost like she doesn't really want the treat but her hyperactive behaviour is self-rewarding :/

 

In terms of 'work' mainly trick training at this stage. She's been through L1 obedience classes, hopefully Canine Good Citizen at some stage in the future (when my fav trainer does a CGC course again!)

 

In terms of training sessions, we'd be lucky to get 2 minutes sometimes but there will be easily 2 minutes of jumping/bouncing/mouthing!

 

Beg (work in progress!)

 

http://youtu.be/4QY5OVWTQgI

 

Huddle break (with Barbie)

 

http://youtu.be/YClVlgH8yKo

 

Shake & spin (she shakes with both paws and spins both directions)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8etgEFVKLYQ

 

I am not new to training greyhounds, my first is now 6, adopted her when she was two. She has her CGC and a pretty good bag of tricks. She is hilarious now she sees she is in competition with Mouse she has certainly stepped up.... finally her play dead is speeding up and so is her roll over... even offered a roll over and up into a sit the other day! Mouse is just so different. I used to have to rev Barbie up, but for Mouse I have to try and slow her down somehow.

Edited February 25, 2014 by jetska

[krissy]

Remember that training sessions are short. 2 minutes is probably a good target, especially for a breed like this. Even for more drives breeds usually the ideal is 5 minutes. It is better to do repeated sessions than longer sessions. Personally I wouldn't try to diminish the food excitement (but I LOVE good food motivation), I would just work on impulse control... leaving it without being told.

[Guest jetska]

Remember that training sessions are short. 2 minutes is probably a good target, especially for a breed like this. Even for more drives breeds usually the ideal is 5 minutes. It is better to do repeated sessions than longer sessions. Personally I wouldn't try to diminish the food excitement (but I LOVE good food motivation), I would just work on impulse control... leaving it without being told.

 

She sat and left her birthday cake without being told today!!

 

I think I might have to avoid the 'going to the cupboard to get treats' bit.... if she wasn't panting her head off she could do 2 minutes... at the moment we do about 1 minute at a time

[galgrey]

Happy Birthday to Mouse!

[Guest june]

Mouse is beautiful and looks like she is enjoying her training sessions. Personally, I would LOVE the enthusiasm!