Over-excitement

[jillgrobo]

Hi there. I'm new to Brain Training for Dogs. I have 2 dogs - both mutts and each with their separate issues. We have had them now for 3 years and I wish I knew then what I know now. At any rate, I'm kind of starting over training them. The main issue I believe with each is over-excitement. Beau is 68 lbs. of muscle and he has always gotten over-excited when he sees another dog on a walk. His issue has gotten to the point that if my husband doesn't or is unable to go with us, I don't take him anywhere. I will take him in the neighborhood but the last time I walked him, a dog was barking at him from a car and he got so worked up that I couldn't hardly control him. We practice walking and "watch me" in the back yard and I have been practicing things like wait at the door, wait before I put his leash on him. He's a good dog with a lot of energy. My main question is how do I control his excitement level and how do I NOT get so anxious when I see a dog on a walk which I'm sure feeds into his over-excitement. I want to feel more confident taking him places because I do believe he needs that. Thank you!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Hello Jillgrobo,

Welcome to the forum!

I hear you. Walking an excitable dog who pulls and lunges at the sight of a dog can cause quite an adrenaline rush in the handler. So much so, that owners of reactive dogs are often referred to as " the midnight walkers" due to the strong desire to avoid such situations and therefore walk dogs in the wee hours of the night or early morning.

 

Just to confirm: when you mention overexcitement, it means your dog is dog-friendly, and barks, lunges and pulls when he sees other dogs because he wants to meet them? Does he have a history of playing well with other dogs and getting along with them? Any times he doesn't get along with them? Also, does he have a history of meeting other dogs on walks? Does he go to the dog park? These details are helpful.

 

Just asking because the behavior modification protocol between dogs who pull, bark, lunge at other dogs from the sheer excitement and frustration of wanting to meet them (distance-decreasing behavior) is somewhat different from the protocol of dogs who pull, bark lung at other dogs because they don't like other dogs (distance-increasing behavior).

[jillgrobo]

Hi Adrienne,

Thank you for your reply!

 

I believe it's more that he wants to say hi and can't. He's always been friendly and actually quite respectful when he does get to say hi. We took him to the dog park when we first got him but we stopped taking the dogs there because our female gets snippy with other dogs sometimes. When we took him there he did quite well and is good about reading other dogs' signals. However, there were 2 instances recently that he stood his ground with dogs that snapped first. One was at a yappy hour. After the incident, he actually did quite well there and I was the one because of the other dog, who decided to leave. Beau was great, actually. The other incident happened when a neighbor's dog got out of his fence and attacked our female dog (this is why she is a little unsure of other dogs - this dog has attacked her 3 times because of getting out of the yard). Anyway, the dog ran over to get Beau and Beau stood his ground. Also, our next door neighbors' dauchahounds bark at the fence. Before the other neighbor dog incident, Beau would just sit there and way his tail, maybe pee on the fence but Delilah started getting more and more focused on them and fence wars began. And Beau joined in. Again, I really don't think his reaction is out of aggressiveness when out walking given his past behavior, but these recent incidents have put doubts in my mind which is why I get nervous taking him places. Plus, the way he acts, I would be afraid to let him greet another dog because the other dog might not take kindly to a lunging, howling, whining, maniac. If my husband goes with us, I feel better just because he is stronger and can handle him better, but my husband has been busy with other things and so I'm the one that is left with training and socializing. Plus, this has been going on for 3 years. I've hired dog trainers but at the end of the day I need to learn how to handle him and bring his excitement level down (and mine).

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thanks for the extra details, they are very helpful!

You have described to me a dog who has always gotten over-excited when he sees another dog on a walk to the point of you being unable to walk him without your husband. In a case as such, since we are not 100 percent sure (based on his past negative experiences) whether his behavior stems from a desire to decrease distance and therefore, meet the dog, or a desire to increase distance because he is not comfortable around dogs, it helps taking a middle-of-the-way approach.

 

As a starting point, I would suggest that if you are walking him on a regular collar, to switch him over a front-attachment harness. This is not your regular harness, it's a special harness where the leash attaches to a clip in the middle of the dog's chest. A front-attachment harness main advantage is that it gives more steering power than a collar since it controls the dog's shoulders and chest area. As a backup for very energetic dogs, many dog owners find it reassuring to attach the leash to both the harness and the collar.

 

Now, why a harness? If we look at a dog's shape, we'll notice that the dog is more horizontal than vertical. The dog's horizontal shape makes the dog have a more stable center of gravity which makes them harder to control. Us humans, on the other hand, are quite at a disadvantage because we are vertical beings with an unbalanced center of gravity which makes it easy for us to lose balance when the dog pulls. The harness allows the leash pull-point to be closer to the dog's center of gravity, allowing us better control. More control equals more confidence in dog owners who might have been discouraged by excessive pulling. However, more control doesn't mean problem solved and therefore there are other important points to consider.

 

You are on the right track in practicing "watch me" in the yard. "Watch me" can be a handy and overall easy exercise to use when there are other dogs around. I am not sure whether you have taught it along with a smacking sound to grab your dog's attention or not. I have found the sound important so that the dog look into the eyes on cue to the point of being almost a reflexive response. This exercise is covered in the "look into my eyes" exercise found here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/preschool/look-into-my-eyes/

 

Next, if you and your dog are up to it, you can practice attention heeling, which is basically a "watch-me" in movement. You can start practicing inside the home along a long hallway before trying in the yard. Attention heeling is covered in the course under this section: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/obedience-101/heeling-attention-heeling/

 

Another great exercise to do at home with an overexcited dog is the "look at that game" that you can find here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/university/look-at-that/

 

Now, while these exercises are quite easy in the home or yard, things can get more challenging once "out in the real world." You will have to use higher-value treats when outside to get your dog to look at you, sit and look at you or walk and look at you. You can find high-value training treats in many pet stores. Chicken, low-sodium organic hot dogs, liver, are some favorites, but consult with your vet if your dog has a medical condition or your dog has a sensitive tummy.

 

Once out, this is where baby steps are needed. These baby steps are good for the handler as well, as they allow time to gain more and more confidence as the dog goes through daily, incremental milestones of progress.

 

One of the most important guidelines when working an over excited dog on walks is keeping in mind distance. Distance can make a difference between a dog going bezerk and a dog keeping his calm. It is therefore important to learn where a dog's threshold line is. You want to keep Beau at a distance from other dogs where he sees them, but remains calm, at least calm enough to cognitively function. You can read about dog threshold levels here:

https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/threshold-levels/

 

 

Once the dog does well at a certain distance for some time, it's time to decrease distance. Caution is needed here to prevent setbacks. Setbacks are always a possibility, but they should be considered just an "oops moment" and nothing more. They signal that the dog wasn't ready that level of exposure just yet. Take a step back or two increasing distance again. As problematic as being anxious may appear to be, I have found that anxiety has also its plus signs. For instance, when a handler is anxious about a dog acting out of control, more caution is taken in avoiding exposure that leads to a setback. There are therefore less "bold moves" compared to handlers who don't care about a dog's reactions. An anxious handler is also more likely to watch for signs of the dog being over threshold.

 

Things are easier in a structured setting versus an unpredictable one. A dog popping from a corner will have both you are your dog unprepared. If you have a friend with a very mellow dog you can practice with, have her hold her dog on leash at a distance your dog is under threshold and practice the exercises. If all goes well, over several sessions, you can decrease distance and perhaps do parallel-walking exercises with you on on sidewalk and your friend on the opposite side. You can then progress over more sessions, to walking next to each other with the dogs at opposite sides to maintain distance between the dogs.

 

Having a plan, should a setback occur, can also help reduce anxiety. A common plan is to make an about turn at the first signs of trouble should a dog be approaching. If a dog is following, walking at a faster pace sometimes can help the dog be less focused.

 

Reducing excitability on walks takes a multifaceted approach reducing excitable behaviors in other areas of the dog's life. So yes, train your dog to be less excited at the sight of the leash. Grab the leash several times of the day and just place it next to you as you watch TV or read a book. Do this several times a day. When your dog relaxes, praise and give him a treat.

 

Implement dog impulse control exercises (like sit before opening the door as explained in the Open Sesame game found here:https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/brain-training/college/open-sesame/

Train him to sit before eating, before snapping the leash on, before going in the car and do these exercises every day. Exercise him and do several brain game to keep his mind stimulated.

 

If your neighbors have a dachshund that causes fence fights, keep your dog on a leash to prevent him from doing so. Keep him at the farthest distance from the fence line. If your neighbor dog barks, make a smacking sound and practice "look into my eyes". You don't want your dog to be rehearsing excitable or impulsive behaviors, but desired behaviors that involve impulse control. Training an excitable dog requires often evaluating many scenarios that trigger impulsive behaviors and turn them into training opportunities.

 

I am not sure whether you walk both dogs together or not, but if both your dogs are overly excitable, it may be easier and best to walk them separately to prevent them feeding off each others' emotions until they are bother better under control.

 

Finally, keep in mind that changing dog behavior takes time. Embrace progress and its exhilarating feeling, but don't get too excited that you progress too fast. Going too fast is often the main reason why there are setbacks. Slow and steady wins the race. And don't forget to pat yourself on the back after each session for a job well done!

Hope this helps!

Let me know whether you need further assistance.

Best regards,

Adrienne

Edited November 26, 2018 by Adrienne Farricelli

[jillgrobo]

Thank you so much for your detailed response. I'm definitely going to go through the threshold level link.

 

He actually knows and we practice "watch me" while walking. It's just if we are out and there are more exciting things than me, he could careless about looking at me. I might get a fleeting glance but that's it. I recently bought some higher value treats that I will try.

 

I do practice impulse control with him. And he is getting better at things such as waiting by the door before going out and waiting at the car door before entering. I do make him wait for his food as well. It's really just when he's out and about. When he's in the yard or in the house, he's pretty good and listens pretty well.

 

Regarding the distance, it is not always possible when walking down the sidewalk. For instance, a lady riding a bike with her dog was coming down the sidewalk. I created as much distance as I possibly could but he was still his crazy-self because it was probably too close for him but there's only so much space. I can usually control him but sometimes it is difficult if he gets so worked up. This instance, he calmed down pretty quickly. I've also been taking him to a nearby park on the weekends because that's the only time I have to do this. The park has many distractions such as ducks/geese and other dogs but it takes him like 2 laps around the park to get him to calm down and kind of focus on me and here, he could honestly care less about treats. I even brought turkey with me one time and he honestly snubbed it until we went around the park twice. Then, I got him looking at me.

 

I think the main thing for me is what do I do when he gets worked up? How do I get him back to a calmer state (as calm as he can be anyway :) ).

 

Thanks again and I really love your website and all of the training programs you have on here as well as this forum!

[Adrienne Farricelli]

The difficulties you are encountering are likely because of closer encounters and him being over threshold, on top of likely the fact that he's not ready to perform those exercises despite the distractions which means that he requires more "proofing" under threshold and under milder distractions until he has the exercises down and responds to them in an almost reflexive fashion. The more reps done, the more progress is made.

 

Here are a few more tips based on what you have reported. These should help you see progress, but you need to be very careful in "protecting him" (and your hard work) from encounters that allow him to rehearse the excited behaviors. The more he rehearses, the more difficult and long the process takes. If he has been rehearsing this behavior for several years, then progress may take some time to emerge.

 

-Increase the saliency of the treats. Experiment with several high-value treats. Find what really piques his interest and makes him drool. Consider that what works at home and in the yard, won't likely work in overly stimulating environments. You may also find it helpful coordinating the sessions when your dog's stomach is empty so to increase saliency of the treats. A full tummy is not very motivating.

 

-Decrease the saliency of the dogs he is exposed to. Once again, this is mostly done by increasing distance. I know this is not easy at times as things can't always be under our control. I would start monitoring who walks around your neighborhood and see whether there is a pattern. Maybe the lady with the bike walks her dog every day at 11 AM.

 

-Another way to decrease saliency is to practice often. Daily walks are important. Seeing dogs only every now and then increases their saliency. There is a phenomenon known as "suburban dog syndrome" which takes place in dogs who live in suburban areas and are reactive to seeing dogs and people because they are not frequent sights. If you walk him only on weekends things get more difficult. A daily walk, even if short (10-15 minutes) and just seeing one dog at a distance and him showing a bit of progress and you can call it a day.

 

-Other things to consider is what the dogs he is exposed to are doing. If you are at a dog park, it may be too much for him now seeing dogs who are running, chasing balls or playing. Also, there are often too many people and smells. We take service dogs to train at a park around dogs playing and running at the end of the basic program to see whether the dog retains what he has learned in a less distracting setting.

 

A dog running next to a bike may also be too much for him right now. Ideally, you should start with exposure to dogs who are just being calmly walked. If your dog gets excited at home seeing dogs pass by the fence or window, you may want to also work on that using the "look at that dog" exercise.

 

-Decrease hyperexcitability before the sessions. If he is a ball of energy before walks, he will be harder to control. Drain a good part of his energy by playing games in the yard that have him running and panting. Let him drink and then go on the walk.

 

-If the park is the only place you can practice, park in a quiet spot and monitor your surroundings. If you see only dogs on leash being walked, if feasible do several small laps on the sidewalk area (until he relaxes a bit) versus grassy areas paying close attention to your surroundings. Scanning the environment for upcoming dogs is important to progress. Don't go yet to grassy areas yet which is where many dogs urine mark and your dog is likely anxious and wants to sniff to learn more about dogs in his surroundings.

 

-If despite practicing with dogs at a distance, he still has a hard time concentrating in performing exercises, then let's just start with a more "raw" form counterconditioning. Maybe his emotions are too high and there is an element of worry interfering. For now, let's not ask him any particular behavior. As soon as he sees a dog at a distance, at the first few trials, stick the food in his face right in front f his mouth. He will likely eat, albeit nervously at first. Watch your fingers. Some dogs lose a bite of bite inhibition when nervous. If this is a concern, wear gloves. Do this every single time he looks at a dog. Make it crystal clear that the food is contingent upon looking at the dog. Look up Jean Donaldson's open bar/closed bar method: https://www.braintraining4dogs.com/members/archive/open-bar-closed-bar/

 

At some point, upon seeing a dog, he may start looking at you for his food. If you can, now start adding a smacking sound and bring the food at eye level. Mark/praise for making eye contact and deliver the food.

 

-if you have a hard time, you can try this exercise as well inside the car. Sit next to him, and every time he sees a dog, deliver food. Then, try adding the smacking sound/eye contact element until you start getting a response.

 

-If he gets worked up at any time, there's not much you can do to get him a calmer state at that point because that's what he has been doing for so long. His adrenaline is pumping and with those hormones around, there's not space for cognitive functioning. This is why we want to avoid full exposures for now as they allow rehearsals. Turning the other way calmly and walking at a faster pace can help regain some focus. You mention last time he calmed down pretty quickly, that's progress if he usually takes some time!

 

-An exercise I have been doing with reactive dogs is a form of "look at that on the go" when there are dogs behind on walks. Every time the reactive dogs turns around to look at a another dog walking behind at a distance, I feed treats as he's looking behind.

 

Hope this helps cover more basis!

Best, Adrienne

Disclaimer: for safety and correct implementation, behavior modification sessions should be done under the guide of a dog behavior professional. If your dog is reactive, fearful or aggressive, please consult with a dog behavior professional for hand-on assessment and guidance.

Edited November 19, 2018 by Adrienne Farricelli

[jillgrobo]

Just wanted to post a quick update. This morning, my husband and I took the dogs to the beach for a pack walk. Beau did great as far as being friendly to the other dogs. He was of course super excited at first but once we all started walking together, he was great! He got to play with some of the dogs and I think just being around them and having to walk and follow direction was good for him. We will definitely go again next month. He still has some work to do. He howls and carries on until he gets to say hi. I have also been working with him on waiting for everything. And when I take him to the park, I work on him passing by ducks. When he pulls we turn. Once he calms down and looks at me then we go back and try to pass the duck again. It's a lot of work and sometimes, I'm not sure it's working but I figure at some point, he'll calm down a little (maybe :)). Delilah is getting better at the look at me cue when I smack my lips which is saying a lot for her since she has a high prey drive. She looked at me several times during the pack walk despite all the exciting things at the beach (like the seagulls) and the other dogs and people. So, thank you for all of your advice and the training exercises! Now, if I can just calm down a little but that will take a bit more time :).

[JMFS]

It's exciting when they put the pieces together and we get to see progress. To me these methods seem to take longer than the "alpha" way, but I see the lessons sticking much better and I have a happy dog instead of a nervous one. Momo was trained with an alpha / positive reinforcement hybrid method I cooked up myself when Cesar Millan was The Thing to Beat All Things . . .. I maintain the man has a unique insight to dog (mis)behavior, but his methods aren't for the average dog. Momo is a prime example of that - we have resource guarding issues that I'm working with a Behaviorist to correct.

 

Now, if I can just calm down a little but that will take a bit more time

 

That's the toughest training to pass! I have a hair trigger response system and Gertie has been a challenge. I'm a weird mix of wound tight and laid back, some things roll off my back and others cause me to achieve lift off. I'd forgotten how excited and distracted puppies get and man, oh, man, I learned just how well I had trained Momo (despite the slip ups) after we brought Gertie home. All I can do is tell you how I handle it when the pooches find that sweet spot. I suck in a deep breathe (others say, "take a deep breath to fill the lungs," I punish my lungs with that breath and purse my lips - I'm a work in progress). I hold that breath, then I huff to let it out (others say, "slowly release the air" - I may get there some day). Before I say anything I take a second to check my tone, Then I issue the correction. :D If you're calmer than me then you should have an easier time of it, especially if you're more anxious than frustrated. :)

 

I hope this light-hearted take on deep breathing exercises will help you the next time your pups test the waters. Keep posting updates - it's neat to see other peoples' progress.

[Adrienne Farricelli]

Thanks for the update, congrats on the progress! Progress just happens to go that way, you see little glimpses of improvements here and there initially, but as time goes on, if you keep being consistent in creating positive associations and reinforcing desired behaviors,(while preventing rehearsal of the undesirable ones e.g. if he's howling and carries on, don't let him go say hi or you'll be reinforcing that behavior and allow rehearsal), you'll see these glimpses get more and more frequent.

 

 

(Thanks Jennifer for posting those breathing exercises, we all seem to forget to breathe deeply enough when we are tense!)