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relentless at end of walk


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Last question I asked I got some good ideas and advice, so I've come up with a new thing Bess (5 month old)is doing that stumps me...

When we go for a walk, I usually walk her for a couple miles, which is all I'm able to phyically do at this point, and even at that, am paying for it in my feet and ankles at night despite new shoes...dag that excess weight...wish it would hurry up and melt away...

anyway, about the time we are 5 minutes or a little less from home, Bess has taken to planting herself in front of me, trying to play rough, (which I don't do with her, I can't handle it...), jumping up pushing me hard and grabbing at whatever she can grab, hand, coat, umbrella, it looks almost like an invite to play, but she is rough with it more than playful.

I'm trying the down, but she's not listening, so I take the lead right under the chin and pull her down and step on it, and she lies there, won't look at me, and when I think I've got her under control again, let her up, but she continues on... I picked her up today to carry her, not good, she was at my face, and I was getting mad, and my ears don't need chewed on.

My next thought is to use the long lead to walk instead of the 6 ft. one, take some balls and when she starts in, to see if I can divert her attention to chasing the balls.

I stopped treating her at every down when cars pass, and am giving pats and verbal good girls and then that'll do's when I take my foot off the lead, so I wondered when she started this if she thought she deserved a treat, and I wasn't being fair by gicving her one. (she thinks she is the local cop at home making sure I know kitty is on the furniture when he shouldn't be etc., my point here is she is really concerned with fairness, if dog can't, then kitty can't)

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. . . so I wondered when she started this if she thought she deserved a treat, and I wasn't being fair by gicving her one. (she thinks she is the local cop at home making sure I know kitty is on the furniture when he shouldn't be etc., my point here is she is really concerned with fairness, if dog can't, then kitty can't)

 

I doubt it's a matter of fairness and to me that doesn't sound like behavior that would stem from indignation over not getting a treat. From what you write, my guess is that she is getting over stimulated for some reason.

 

If my dog were doing what you describe, the first thing I would do is to shorten the lengths of the walks. If the dog could walk calmly for 1 minute, I would walk for 30 seconds in one direction and then 30 seconds back to the house. I would reward the dog upon arrival home if she remained calm. If she remained calm, I would repeat the process - leave the house, walk for 30 seconds, return home, reward at the house. I would gradually increase the length of the walks.

 

At the same time, I would work on the downs at home and make that highly rewarding. I know that sounds like a contradiction, but it really isn't. Once the dog found the down rewarding, I would gradually increase duration of the stay - and keep that rewarding with a jackpot at the end. In the long run, the jackpot would not be needed.

 

Once the down was a strong default behavior, I would incorporate it back into this situation - not as a punishment, but as a skill that the dog could use to "reset" when over excited.

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I like Kristines answer and I'll add a question...

You say she is 5 months old. My young guys get what I call the zoomies, even a star athlete couldn't keep up with them when they have them.

 

Does your wee one have any access to running around like a mad puppy before or after the walk? Or at any time during the day? Mine will do it in the house if there is no where else but that's not something I like for them to do.

 

Even my old ones like to run more than I can keep up with sometimes. I know that might be hard for some city dwellers but I'd be looking for a place for her to just run herself out. then on home for the long nap you both deserve. :rolleyes: To me there's walking and then there's just running around being a nut. We manage to do both but I don't partisipate in the zoomie nut part most of the time.

 

Kristen

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Do you think you are giving a trigger that you aren't noticing? Like a "woohoo we are almost home"?

I think you were given good advice already, and the only other thing I could think of is maybe you could play a round of ball when you get home. Or even 10 minutes before you leave. Giving settling time before you go. Just keep in mind, 5 months is still so young, sometimes they don't know when to quit.

Good luck to you on your weight loss! Sounds like you are on the right track with routine walking!

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Do you think you are giving a trigger that you aren't noticing? Like a "woohoo we are almost home"?

I think you were given good advice already, and the only other thing I could think of is maybe you could play a round of ball when you get home. Or even 10 minutes before you leave. Giving settling time before you go. Just keep in mind, 5 months is still so young, sometimes they don't know when to quit.

Good luck to you on your weight loss! Sounds like you are on the right track with routine walking!

wow, ya'll are good. I mentioned this to the lady we are taking a class with called house manners, but we do it outside, and she thought Bess might be getting overstimulated also! Bess does go through through the fraps a couple of times a day..Frenetic Random Activity Periods. I just try to stay out of her way. we live rural, but have a fairly busy road in front, so she is on a lead when outside. I am thinking of having one of my boys put a long narrow fenced area for her to run in on the backside of the property so she can blow off steam. I've tried taking her with me on a bike, but I'm not skilled enough at stopping on a dime when she crosses in front of me, needs work to work if I go that route in the future.

Thanks for the ideas, will put them all to quick use. oh, she showed me how to pick up the dog and maintain control and settle her a bit while doing it.

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I agree with Kristen--this is a 5 month old puppy who needs to just plain RUN sometimes. I can't imagine a dog having to be on a leash all the time, with no time to just try its legs out. I understand living in a city or near roads or whatever, but dogs do need to run sometimes (or regularly), Is there somewhere--a beach or dogpark--where this one can just run?

 

A

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I am thinking of having one of my boys put a long narrow fenced area for her to run in on the backside of the property so she can blow off steam. I've tried taking her with me on a bike, but I'm not skilled enough at stopping on a dime when she crosses in front of me, needs work to work if I go that route in the future.

 

That sounds like a good thing. A chance to run and blow off steam is definitely important.

 

At the same time - some food for thought - while a chance to run and play and get the zoomies out is essential, it won't necessarily teach a dog how to relax and settle. That is something I wish I had known when my black and white was a puppy! I thought the answer to getting him to settle was more running and that never did anything but get him more stimulated!

 

In addition to a chance to play, training exercises that teach the dog to settle - even if just for 30 seconds or a minute - are a good idea. 5 months old is definitely old enough to start that, especially if you keep it short and positive.

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I agree Kristine but it takes a while before you can calm a puppy with the zoomies down on command. They do need an off button but properly stimulated and handled I've noticed they learn it on their own. Or at least mine do.

 

I wouldn't be biking with her yet. She's way to young to do that without hurting her bones or doing something stupid like getting hit by the bike.

 

I took up rollerblading before we moved to the country, worked like a dream but...I didn't know then what I know now. My oldest girl suffers the issues she has because in part I let/helped her run to much when her bones weren't ready.

No big rountines till she's about a year. Doesn't mean she can't run just not alongside a bike or anything that will keep her running beyond what she can handle. THey will give you all they got and then some so you have to know when enough's enough.

 

I think a class in puppy manners, some defined excercise and some room to run around being a nut would really help her to start learning to be a great dog.

Good luck

Kristen

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If there's a little league field near by, that would be a great place to take your pup for a good run. They are usually completely fenced and gated.

 

 

I second this! My town has no dog park, but it does have a youth ballfield that is used for an hour or two a day at the peak useage, and none at all most of the year. Because it is fenced and grassy, it's been a great place for Kaylee and me to work on recall and retrieval as well as just run around. Like with a human two-year-old, RUN HER BUNS OFF! (age-appropriately, of course) Remember to take drinking water for both of you.

 

Those of us who are middle-aged, soft townies (raises hand) need to tell ourselves every week, every day, that we cannot overexercise our dogs. Walks, even long ones, are more for training/mental stimulation: they barely qualify as exercise for a dog. These BCs are creatures of motion, with hearing and keen vision attuned to movement. The more they run the happier they are. As your puppy grows, you will be astounded at how incredibly fast she can run. (I once met a BC named Flash: now I understand!) Do work on finding a safe place for your little girl to run off-leash, and go there frequently.

 

My yard isn't huge, but I designed it with several island planting beds, so Kaylee's morning stretch involves zooming in and out and all around, and sometimes sailing over them. I'll add some agility toys, if I can find a local class: she's 16 months old now.

 

I'm going to make time to go to the ballfield today, too!

 

Run, Georgia, Run!

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I wouldn't be biking with her yet. She's way to young to do that without hurting her bones or doing something stupid like getting hit by the bike.

 

Really? My puppy is 4 months old and I bring her with me for walks in the woods. She likes to run around and play with sticks she finds and chase Zimba, my other dog. Do you think I should stop bringing her with me?

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Really? My puppy is 4 months old and I bring her with me for walks in the woods. She likes to run around and play with sticks she finds and chase Zimba, my other dog. Do you think I should stop bringing her with me?

 

Hi Monicah,

 

Others here are experts but what I've understood is that walks/hikes are fine because you can watch her and if she's doing something she shouldn't (like jumping off tall stuff) you can stop her, and if she gets tired she can slow down or lay down. When running or biking, your pup might get too tired but would still keep going because you are and are still pulling them (like Kristen said). And, tired muscles leave joints unprotected, tendons get stretched and stressed form the repeated motion, etc.

 

That being said, Odin is slowly turning me into what I swore I'd never become - a jogger. I usually only run when chased. :rolleyes: But we started running a few steps here and there as rewards on our walks. Now he takes the leash in his mouth and tries to pull me to run. It's not the same as just regular pulling on the leash, he is trying to engage me and keeps spinning around and looking back like, "Don't you *want* to run??!??" I'd estimate we are trotting/skipping/jogging along about 1/3 of our nightly 1.5 mile walk (run a 1/2 block, walk one block, repeat...).

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Like Ooky says,

running while out playing or hiking is ok. Jogging or doing jumps, frisbee, adult agility or chasing balls non stop is hard on their joints when young. Now you could modify the agility part to fit a young one and I'm sure you would know when enough balls have been thrown but they don't have that knowledge and they love to play play play. Rolling a frisbee or low throwing is ok but I still would limit the time they did that.

 

I usually let mine do their own thing, like playing with a ball, stick, or toy till they've had enough but they aren't running after something cause I keep throwing it, they're playing with it on their own. And the zoomies only last a short while till they are laying there panting all happy.

 

I don't usually teach mine to play fetch. They all know how and will do it but I hate an obsessed dog that doesn't quit dropping slobby balls in my lap so I found it easier to not teach/reinforce them to do that. Doesn't stop us from having tons of fun but I got the dogs that aren't obsessed with fetch and I like it!

 

I had to teach Mick how to play fetch when I wanted to use the pond as thearpy for his TBD's. He was aobut 2. He's not to good at getting it all the way into my hand but that's a great trade off for not being a nut with a ball. I recently taught Dew how to fetch (she's about 2 too), we were board at a park one day and that's all I could find to do with her. It took her a few minutes and she got it. But again she's not a ball nut. She was quite happy to find that if she brought me the ball back I would throw it agian. She kept looking at me all funny....new game Mom? She's one that if one of the old girls want to play fetch (I didn't know back then) will just chase the old girl not the ball. Old girls get a bit fussed about her chasing them but they're glad they get all the balls so it works for us.

 

You mainly don't want them jumping higher than they stand or running on hard surfaces for long distances till their bones have matured. I don't even like mine jumping off the bed (hard floors here) till they're old enough. One of my old girls would limp around for days when she was young, I finally figured out it was cause she loved jumping on the bed and then off. Over and over. Not good. Dew did the same thing. For some reason the beds a fun thing to play on. On off on off on off. So it's not allowed here. They can get up on the bed but no games about it.

 

I've tried to be a jogger, best I can get out of myself is a trot for a bit then I'm back to panting and walking. :rolleyes:

Jogging is probably fine but for a young one it really needs to be limited to grassy area's and for short distances till they're about a year old. All the bones are forming and are still soft till then.

 

Kristen

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I don't usually teach mine to play fetch. They all know how and will do it but I hate an obsessed dog that doesn't quit dropping slobby balls in my lap so I found it easier to not teach/reinforce them to do that. Doesn't stop us from having tons of fun but I got the dogs that aren't obsessed with fetch and I like it!

 

A dog can be extremely intense about fetch but that doesn't need to translate in to soggy balls being pushed at you endlessly. I can't stand that either and don't tolerate it. Quinn's second favorite activity is fetch. Since he only gets to his absolute favorite activity (sheep) once in a while, I suppose he could be described as obsessed with fetch in the sense that he is always ready for a game and definitely hopeful whenever we step outside. However, through management (fetch toys are put up unless we're playing) and training (not rewarding jabbing me with a toy by throwing it for him or taking it from him if he persists), Quinn might give me hints when he is ready to resume play after a break (dropping the ball on the glider next to me while giving me big puppy eyes) but he isn't obnoxious about it.

 

I agree on not pushing pups to run through activities like biking, long, long hikes, and extended, wild games of fetch.

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Yes Liz

You are right.

It's the people that think the dog can't live without it and don't train them to behave differently that I probably have the issue with. That and the slobby balls! I hate hearing about these dogs that have to have so much time for this and that or they can't be lived with. It's that chill thing Kristine was talking about earlier, all dogs need to learn how to chill.

 

Kristen

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I hate hearing about these dogs that have to have so much time for this and that or they can't be lived with. It's that chill thing Kristine was talking about earlier, all dogs need to learn how to chill.

 

Amen, sister! That is one of my pet peeves too! We just had 3 days of pouring down rain and all I can say is it's a good thing that Quinn has learned how to chill because he only got one brief game of fetch during that time. He managed to survive just fine and lived to chase his Frisbee another (drier) day. :rolleyes:

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I am glad I read this thread. I have a 6 month old and I have a Springer that attaches to the bike for safe biking with your dog. We got the Springer for our much older dog but I have put the puppy on it a few times and ridden for about 10 mins. She loves it. But reading this now...I shouldn't be doing that with her?

 

She gets 'beans' a few times a day and runs like crazy around the garden, during this she is oblivious to any command and takes any command as an invitation to play. Bu for the biking, even short trots, I should not be doing that?

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I am glad I read this thread. I have a 6 month old and I have a Springer that attaches to the bike for safe biking with your dog. We got the Springer for our much older dog but I have put the puppy on it a few times and ridden for about 10 mins. She loves it. But reading this now...I shouldn't be doing that with her?

 

She gets 'beans' a few times a day and runs like crazy around the garden, during this she is oblivious to any command and takes any command as an invitation to play. Bu for the biking, even short trots, I should not be doing that?

 

NO! She is definitely too young!

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Keva is now 14 months of age and if she is not ready to quit yet all hell breaks loose.Grab the leash jump up and down ect ect. I stop look her in the eye and "when your done we will go home"I don't move until she quits.Usually after a minute or so there are no further issues.

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