Puppy Panic!

[Barbara!]

So, my Baloo is 6 months old now. (Ish). I haven't done a whole lot of training with him...just the basics. "Sit", "down", "come", "kennel", "get down", "not yet", and he has pretty good recall.

But recently, it's just been hard doing training sessions with him.

I'm posting this because today was just a bit much. He has max zoomies. Anytime he is in the house, he is zip-zip-zoom all over the place. That was usually manageable and he focused on his food somewhat...but not very much anymore. I don't even have to have the treat and he is running to one end of the house, coming back, barking at the cat, jumping on me, spinning in circles....and today's training session got to be too much because he seemingly forgot sit...I would tell him sit, and he would lay down. He did that repetitively before I just threw in the towel because I was getting frustrated.

Any advice on how to calm his zoomies? I've tried a little exercise before the sessions, but I don't want to overwork him.

And any idea on how to fix this sit problem? Now whenever I tell him sit he throws himself on the ground...lol.

Thanks for all advice.

 

[Dizzy]

What's his daily routine?

 

[Barbara!]

What's his daily routine?

Depends on the day...but this is a rough (not exact) summary.

On days I work nights:

(8 am) Taken out on the morning.
(8:30 am) Fed.
(9 am - 10:30 am) Lounge around a bit.
(10:30 am) Outside again.
Play/hang around inside until noon rolls around.
(12) Long walk.
(2 pm) Taken out.
(3-4 pm) Kenneled and then I go to work.
(8-9 pm) Fed when I get back, taken out an hour after, then to bed.

On days I work mornings:

(7 am) Taken outside.
(7:15 am) Fed.
Taken outside an hour after.
(8-9 am) Kenneled and I go to work.
(2-3 pm) When I come back they go outside.
(4 pm) Long bike ride and sometimes the dog park.
(5-6 pm)(Training goes here on days that I do it.)
(8 pm) Fed.
(9 pm) Taken outside.
(10 pm) Bedtime.




Days that I am off are similar to days that I work mornings. We lounge around the house or go places with them. Boardwalk, the lake, the dog park...and all of that is a rough guesstimate. Every day is different depending on what is going on, but feeding times and potty times are always consistent.

 

[Maxy24]

Zoomies during training can be a sign of stress, if he is confused, frustrated, or you use corrections in training that may be the cause of the zoomies.

You may also want to fit some play time into that schedule, walks are great but often don't get out some of that frantic bouncy, zoomy energy. A good game of tug with some chase incorporated in would be really awesome.

Make sure sessions are kept short, always under 5 minutes, so the dog doesn't become stressed.

The sit problem may simply be a lack of understanding. A lot of people (including myself here) don't spend all that much time on sit because it is viewed as "easy". Dogs usually start repeating it in one or two sessions and then people think they know it when they are really guessing. Down is usually taught next and often taught in a similarly short fashion. a lot of dogs mix the two up because they know it's ONE of those two, and just guess. They have a 50% chance of being right so people often assume they know it because they get it right so often, but it's just good odds. I would go back and reteach it without using the word, then introduce the word like you would if he'd never heard it before.

Now if he's really never had this problem with sit, he's always done the correct thing, it could also be a stress sign. Laying down is one of many calming signals that dogs use to diffuse tension in social situations. So if he was nervous or stressed he may have been lying down to just try and get you to stop, especially if you were already frustrated from the zoomies.

 

[Barbara!]

Thanks for the advice, I'll try that.

He has zoomies anyways, though. I think I made it seem like in my OP that training causes the zoomies...but not always. Usually that's just how Baloo is. Lol. Zoom zoom everywhere, all the time. Unless he is asleep. Haha. He is very high energy.

 

[Danefied]

Make the zoomie a reward.
Incorporate engagement and play in to his training. At his age, engaging play should be 90 to 100% of his training.

Different breed and different goals, but you get the idea. This is a training session
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYppPjsUJwg&feature=plcp

Another example with a different puppy, different trainer, but same idea. Its all about making training time play time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsOGOmWhQZE&feature=plcp

 

[AdrianneIsabel]

Make the zoomie a reward.
Incorporate engagement and play in to his training. At his age, engaging play should be 90 to 100% of his training.

Different breed and different goals, but you get the idea. This is a training session
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYppPjsUJwg&feature=plcp

Another example with a different puppy, different trainer, but same idea. Its all about making training time play time.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsOGOmWhQZE&feature=plcp

The bolded especially. We're working with two beagle puppies at my work right now and they're just a horrible pain to train, nanoseconds of focus, some food drive, but what really gets them going is sniffing. Their reward after a sit, stay, or touch command is dropping the leash (inside) and letting them sniff around for a few seconds. It's strange, and new to me, but it appears to be working.

 

[Red Chrome]

I do thay with LoLa. She gets a food reward but also gets to zoomie around a minute before she is asked to start working again. It works for her and she is more tired at the end of aa session.

 

[Danefied]

The bolded especially. We're working with two beagle puppies at my work right now and they're just a horrible pain to train, nanoseconds of focus, some food drive, but what really gets them going is sniffing. Their reward after a sit, stay, or touch command is dropping the leash (inside) and letting them sniff around for a few seconds. It's strange, and new to me, but it appears to be working.

It does work. Eventually the nanoseconds of focus turn in to seconds, then the seconds turn in to minutes, minutes to hours.... Or so I hear, we’re still only at minutes. But I’ll take it.

What you want to see is the dog wanting to engage with YOU. Even a zoomie, the zoomie should involve YOU. I figure if my fat middle aged ass can get out there and do it, anyone can

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-KpbOtgx4M

 

[Red Chrome]

Great video! That is what a training session with LoLa looks like!

 

[Danefied]

Great video! That is what a training session with LoLa looks like!

Too bad I can’t use zoomies in the obedience ring between exercises. I think it would really help his performance.
As it is, I’m already getting weird looks for jump-up touches and letting him come at me and pushing him away...