is there an OFF switch?

beaker

beaker

New member
I have a 10 month old male GSP, rescued about 7 weeks ago and I can't seem to find the OFF switch.

When we are training/playing with a tennis ball, as an example, and it is time to stop he will throw a tantrum - jumping up on me, tugging/biting his checkcord, just going bezerk.

He gets so excited about training/playing, it makes it pleasure to train with him because its all fun and games, but he can't control himself when it comes time to stop

typical training
1. stakeout chain
2. Heel
3. Bending/Quartering
4. Heel
5. Playtime w/a ball, throw dummy, toy
6. then the battle of wits ensue to get him back on Heel
7. finally back to the stakeout chain

training last about 20 minutes total, with about five of those minutes trying to get him to calm down so that he will Heel again

I know some of you guys will say skip #5 but that is how I'm starting to teach Whoa (no verbal command yet), Come, and playing fetch (no verbal command - I think this will be a huge advantage when it comes time to Trained Retrieving)

anybody got any advice on how to settle him down when it is time to stop?
 
Sounds like he has a high Motor? Be patient. It may take up till he is 2 or 3 to mello. One day a switch will just click on. Good luck, and thanks for the rescue.
 
beak

hey, its a pup, blue is right , give it a break . dogs at 10 months are puppies. it has a might motor, thats a good thing. let it grow up:)
 
Good on you for the rescue. Nice.

No, there's no off switch at that age. Be patient and don't apply too much pressure. Whoa breaking at 10 months might be a bit soon. Only you will know for sure. You just have to read your dog.

If you want to wear him out, find some water.
 
good for you on taking a rescue.:thumbsup:
Run the pup before training move #5 to #1 maybe that will help calm him abit? I would not worry to much he likes the training. Sounds perfect to me.
goodluck:thumbsup:
 
I agree with these guys. My GSP pup is a ball of FIRE. He's a sweet dog, loves to play, enjoys training, and is just slowing down enough occasionally that he's started taking time for loving. In fact, last night he sat in my lap for the first time since he was about 2 1/2 months old. He's got more energy than he knows what to do with and I'm happy about that. I'll do as much as he's willing to do in terms of training and not worry too much about his spastic tendancies while he's a pup.
 
Thanks guys,

I'll give the water a try this weekend, the river is only a half hour away. He seems to really enjoy the kiddie pool he got last weekend, hopefully he'll take to the river

GSP, it really isn't formal Whoa training, I just make him stand still when I throw the ball, toy or whatever he wants to play with that day, then I release him to go get it - seemed like a good way to work into Whoa training

Last night, I tried changing his focus with a piece of hot dog to end our training session and he didn't want anything to do with the treat, all he wanted was his toy, maybe I'll try a piece of steak tonight

So far he knows his name, will Heel as long as he is not distracted by the local herd of rabbits or the ranch cats, quartering/bending gets better everyday, can't get enough of playing catch, and doesn't react to the sound of a pot "banged" at dinner time

I guess I should have already known the answer, it took my other GSP until almost 9 years old to mellow out, she is now 13.

I was hoping there was trick/secret that I wasn't aware of
 
and I thought this was gonna be a thread about women!



yah when i got my dog at 4 months old, he would go nuts if i was putting on my boots.
 
My GSP "Taz" is 5 and hasn't stopped yet, unless Ecollar is on. His name is a natural for him. I do feed him late and that settles him for the night. Then the sun comes up and bzzzzzzzzzzz off he goes.
 
Gunne will be 5 months tomorrow and he is on the dead run 90% of the time. He can do it for good periods of time too. He comes into the house after a field run and then runs laps around the fireplace. He can go from the living room into the kitchen to dining room and back into the living room. Yes, where is the off or just slow down switch........Bob
 
gunne

bob,
glad to hear that gunne is packen some horse power. sounds like he has got heart. tony and gunne getting to be best buds yet?:)
 
i say if you need an OFF switch, what had worked for me very well is giving Remington a Chew Bone and a big one so he can work on it all day.
 
JMAC, yes, they are best of pals Tony is the one that eggs on Gunne to come on and play. Gunne when they are field running is now trying to lead Tony. I would say on todays run Gunne was off hunting alone 90% of the time. They didn't find anything for the area does not have any birds in it. No cover. Gunne steals Tony's chew bone and Tony comes to me to get it back for him. Gunne is just laying there chewing on one of them and has the other under a paw. They are great together..........Bob
 
my wirehairs are the same way they see me with the checkcord or training dummies they go nuts i have one that she jumps straight up and will almost clear the 4' fence and when i take just one out and go to the creek i hear about it untill i go back and get the other one and them to the creek , not only are they really high energy but extremely jealous .
 
took about four times out to get my 6 month old brit to really feel comfortable in water but it helps hour and a half of running in it she wouldn't stop but once she got home then i see her calm down and can tell it tired her out
 
sorry for bringing this back from the dead... i find walking my newly pup Sophia for about 1.5 hour, wears her out fast.

sophia has alot of toys, chew bones and she keeps herself occupied. even times i take my bike out and run with her.. i find 30 mins of running with Sophia puts her to an immediate sleep when she gets home. I even live in the city of Pierre and no room to Romp but to take her for a walk or run.
 
agree with Birdman- exercise is your best bet. Its good for you too.

JMO but I would lose the tennis ball real quick. I've seen too many good dogs obsess over the dang things. It gets ugly.
 
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