Hyper Puppy And Csj?

[columbusrat]

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When Jasper gets tired or excited, he is a persistent jumper and biter - my arms are covered with scratches and bruises, and we haven't even got to t-shirt season.... :unsure: He seems to be getting better, but has just started teething (he's just over 4 months) and has regressed a little.

At home I either use timeout, or distraction, or 'no bite'/'leave'/'off' commands, and occasionally a water sprayer, but at tonight's training class he was particularly bad. The trainers have suggested that his food might be making him hyperactive. He's on CSJ Little Champ and they're suggesting I try Royal Canin.

I tend to think his behaviour at training class is more due to the atmosphere there - this evening he seemed bothered by another dog who was barking aggressively, and by the 'distance control' where a stranger held his lead, and the trainer demonstrating a rather fierce-sounding emergency wait. It also coincides with his 'difficult' time of day. And he loves meeting other people and dogs, so training class can be quite frustrating as he wants to play with them all.

Other trigger times during the day tend to be when we're getting to the end of a walk, or towards the end of a play session in the garden. The rest of the time he can be really laid back though is rather clingy and overattached, which I'm working on.

So does this sound like it could be food-related hyperactivity or just normal crocodile - I mean lurcher - puppy behaviour? Here's the details of the food:

Typical Analysis
* Protein : 26%

* Oil : 11%

* Fibre : 2.5%

* Ash : 8%

* Vitamin A : 15,000iu/kg

* Vitamin D3 : 1,500iu/kg

* Vitamin E : 90iu/kg

* Copper (as Copper Sulphate) : 10mg/kg

Ingredients

Beef and Lamb Meal, Wheat, Chicken Meat Meal, Maize, Bread, Chicken Fat, Chicken Liver, Unmolassed Beet Pulp, Full Fat Linseed, Green Leaf Vegetable, Potassium Chloride, EC permitted natural anti-oxidants, Mixed Tocopherols, Vitamin C and Rosemary Extract.

Any other suggestions to stop the behaviour are very welcome!

 

[FeeFee]

I doubt anything in the CSJ food is affecting his behaviour, but you could contact CSJ for advice, I've always found them very helpful and knowledgeable.

Is the class he goes to specifically a puppy class? At four months he is going to be lively and excitable, and 'serious' training like distance control in a room full of other dogs seems an awful lot to expect of him.

 

[columbusrat]

Is the class he goes to specifically a puppy class? At four months he is going to be lively and excitable, and 'serious' training like distance control in a room full of other dogs seems an awful lot to expect of him.

You could be right there... it's a novice class, but not a puppy class as such. To be honest he's brilliant at the commands, one of the better ones in the class - until he loses it. Thinking about it, early on in the session he went into one of those downs that only a lurcher can do, as if he's been painted on the floor, looking up at me wiith big eyes. Maybe that was his way of telling me it was all a bit much for him this evening!

Last week is the last of the course, then he's booked into intermediates starting in June (ulp), though he's starting at a different 'puppy class' next week which I think may be less demanding. I think because he's such a big dog (with such strong jaws) and so good at the basics I may expect too much of him.

 

[Hula]

My lurcher used to get over excited and chew at arms etc . When she did this we would give her a soft toy to chew on . Eventually when she got over excited she would go and get a toy herself . :thumbsup:

 

[FeeFee]

I would see how he gets on at the puppy class. He is still very much a baby, the classes I've been to don't take dogs of less than six months in the novice class and really prefer them to be 8-9 months as they aren't really up to coping emotionally with a full training class before then. At his age he needs very short (10 minute) training sessions with plenty of breaks to relax in between.

If he starts getting over-excited and losing the plot could you take him for a short walk outside or go off somewhere quiet for a bit so he can calm down? He sounds like a very bright dog so he'll need to learn to wind down mentally as well as physically.

Hula's suggestion of getting him to mouth a toy instead of your arm is a good one, it's usually easier to divert a behaviour than stop it.

Good luck, he sounds like a lovely dog and loads of fun. I hope we're going to see some pictures! :luck:

 

[wild whippies]

I doubt it's his food and think it's more the fact he's a young pup. I agree with Fee Fee I think a lot's being expected from the training class and suspect you feel that way too. Got 4 x 6 month old pups here and there's no way on god's earth they'd stay still at a training class with so many other interesting things about! (w00t)

Part of me thinks that because he's doing well at training class in some aspects, the trainers are putting more pressure on him to perform him well. If he was a lunatic they'd probably suggest him coming back when he's older. You just do what you think is best for your dog, your aware of his feelings and if the lad's had enough then you tell them so. :thumbsup:

He sounds a very likeable little fellow, hope to see some piks :wub:

 

[columbusrat]

Thank you! I think you're right, an hour of behaving himself in that environment is just too much. He's normally brilliant at the start, and then starts slumping into the down position at any excuse which is probably a sign that he's getting a bit fed up with it. If I push him to perform when he's trying his best to chill, it's not surprising he starts throwing his teddies out the cot! I'll have to consider deferrring the intermediate class till he's a bit older.

Oh, and some pics!

By columbusrat at 2010-04-18

By columbusrat at 2010-04-18

By columbusrat at 2010-04-18

By columbusrat at 2010-04-18

By columbusrat at 2010-04-18

By columbusrat at 2010-04-18

 

[FeeFee]

Oh wow, he's gorgeous :wub: :wub: :wub:

 

[Hula]

He is seriously cute :wub:

 

[whippetmad]

What a gorgeous pup you have there :wub: :wub:

 

[tinker*]

if he bites you yelp!

just like another dog would if he bit them, he isnt wanting to hurt you just play....but if he thinks he has hurt you he should back off.

so get practicing a high pitch "ow"

 

[columbusrat]

if he bites you yelp!

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, patched the holes in the t-shirt :wacko: Unfortunately, once Jasper is in munch mode, yelping in pain seems to get him more excited. A squirt of a water spray seems to be the most effective solution, but this isn't permitted at his training group.

We're staying with my mum at the moment and Jasper has met a load of relatives, including young children, which he isn't used to. He's coped with it all admirably (apart from when my nephew ran and he chased him, and my nephew panicked and yelled and waved his arms around....), and I'm convinced now that he can't be hyperactive. He just needs his energy levels managed and bad habits consistently dealt with, which doesn't really work with an hour-long training class.

 

[wild whippies]

Consistency and routine are definately the key, it works with our dogs and we've got plenty of them to know! :lol:

He's blooming gorgeous, I'm quite smitten with him! :wub:

Oh and he's got good taste in toys too, ours love those octopuses :thumbsup:

 

[columbusrat]

He's blooming gorgeous, I'm quite smitten with him! :wub: Oh and he's got good taste in toys too, ours love those octopuses :thumbsup:

Thank you! He sometimes 'loves' that octopus in a way quite inappropriate for a boy of his age.... :blink:

I just tried him at a new puppy class, thinking it may be a bit more relaxed than the training class. Had to drag him off the sofa as he'd just settled down for a lengthy snooze,but when we got there the whole set-up seemed quite chaotic. Couldn't hear the trainer as there seemed to be a social gathering up one end of the hall so we ended up all going into a very small side room, and Jasper was being hard work. At the end of the session I asked the trainer if she thought I should stop going rather than put him in the very situations that are going to wind him up but she just demonstrated her technique for firm collar holds and putting hands over the top of his head. Once we got home he went in the garden then came tearing in and absolutely freaked out on the sofas, we took him out into the garden to throw balls for him to calm him down and eventually he came in and lay down, panting hard and looking quite agitated. He's now crashed out on the floor.... It's unusual for him to lie on the floor when sofas are available, I can only guess that her firm handling on top of the rest of the evening really wound him up.

I doubt I'll be going back. He already knows everything this course would teach him, he doesn't enjoy it, I don't enjoy it, and there are better socialisation opportunities to be had at the local park.

 

[TTT]

Is there any chance you can go back to the first club and repeat the beginners course there if it is not so chaotic? I think the chance to practice at close quarters to other dogs and people when your pup is so young is invaluable. I wouldn't worry about what other people think - it is your dog and your opportunity to get it right and end up with a well mannered confident dog. Good luck :luck:

 

[columbusrat]

I wondered about that TTT - but as my OH pointed out, the dogs at intermediates are likely to be quieter than another intake of novices, and it may be that learning new things will keep him more focused than another 'term' of sit, down, stand, sit, wait, stand, ad infinitum. If he flips and disrupts the class I have more faith in these trainers to be honest about whether he needs a bit longer to mature. That course doesn't start till June and he may well have settled a bit more by then anyway. I can hope....!

 

[TTT]

Yes, maybe so. Perhaps because he is such a big pup it is easy to forget that he is still very much a baby and expect too much of him? I know a lady with a large Doberman dog and she says he was 18 months before he was mature mentally. He is very calm now. Your dog is lovely, the whole litter was really nice. Keep trying with him and keep it fun........i'm sure in a while you will look back and laugh! Are you training for your good citizen awards?

 

[jinnyfizz]

Jasper is GORGEOUS!!!

He is still so young. I'd be inclined to practice at home what you have learnt at training so far. There will be plenty of time to attend classes in a couple of months when Jasper has got the hang of the basics without the stress. One to one consistency is the way forward, just you and him :thumbsup:

 

[columbusrat]

Perhaps because he is such a big pup it is easy to forget that he is still very much a baby and expect too much of him?

Yep, I'm sure that's true - though being such a big pup he has also left some nasty marks on my upper arms which at least helps with the volume of my 'NO!!!!!!' The only time he played up on our weekend away - when everyone commented on how good and gentle he was - was shortly after my cousin's dog had a go at him, so I'm sure it's mainly a reaction to stress. It's a shame the trainers only see him at his worst!

His training class does lead on to the Good Citizens Awards and though I haven't even looked at what that involves I'd very much like him to take it when the time's right.

 

[driller killer]

My dog was very similar, prob the top in the class when doing stuff but as soon as we stop for the teacher to talk to us she would start getting bored, then start playing up, she was similar age. the protein lvls look ok on the food, i had to change food my dog was on, Orijen, really good food, made from the best ingrediants, i think it won dog food of the year 09 or summat? but the puppy was 40% protein!