So, i have this nuts sheltie, who is still in training, and what she does, is she wont wait, because shes soo excited to do agility, so i cant get ahead of her, and im afraid she is going to get hurt when shes on the big dog walk, how can i get her to be careful and wait at the beginning. She is nothing like her mother at agility, her mom is so nice and careful. I dont know how to get her to slow down, she feeds off agility. I love her to death and shell be great at agility, but im so afraid shes gunna get hurt. Help please, give me some suggestions on how to get her to be more careful and how to get her to wait.

thankss

[AuntieDale]

Well, excited puppies are hard to control! How is she in the house, before you go to agility? When does she start to get excited? Is it when she sees a leash, or what? I'm curious to know if she's always excited, or just before the agility.

I might have a few ideas when I get your reply!

Well, she is pretty excited alot, but when you get out a leash or even say agility, she gets so excited. I love her to death, but its really hard to do agility, when she wont calm down only a bit. Im so afraid shes gunna get hurt on the dog walk. But she just wont calm down, haha.

thank you so much

What does your trainer have to say? He/She should be able to help you trouble shoot the energy level... I have a very high drive dog I run agility with and while he has taken a few spills he gets over it and I am happy to have so much energy to work with!

[AuntieDale]

Okay, so when you're getting the leash, or preparing to go to agility, what are you doing/saying at that time? You should try to be calm & relaxed, your dog is excited enough for the both of you! If you are calm, and put the leash on in a relaxed way, and then...wait until your dog is calm, that would be a good way to start. It takes a LOT of patience, but if you are relaxed, it may transfer to your dog. Let me know if that helps & good luck!

Oh, Thank youu!!! well, i am calm, but she gets really silly, and likei dont say anything, hah. but when she gets silly, and then i laugh.:-D shes a funny dog, lol. But thank you soo much, and ill let you know how it goes

Thanks from amaya(the nuts one) and jamie, (the calm one)

[AuntieDale]

You're very welcome! I hope it works...I know it's very tempting to laugh at their funny antics, but that could just encourage more crazy behavior - give yourself extra time when preparing to put the leash on! And do let me know if it works!

I shall let you know on june 3rd, because thats my next agility class, so, we'll see how it goess, keep your fingers crossed:P hahaha. I hope it works at least a lil.But thank you soo much

i know this feeling!!! hopefully my suggestion will help with you as well as if worked for us! my first dog was like this. . . we finally started keeping him on a leash even when we let him out in the yard, through out the day we would keep the leash on and clearly, when we went for walks. They will get used to being by your side and will stay there. Also make them sit before any street you are going to cross, it worked for us. now if he does happen to get a little ahead of us he will sit at the corner and wait for our command rather than possibly running into the street and getting hurt.

good luck!

Yea, I do the same thing with the steeets butnot in the backyard, because we live in a town house, and she needs tiem to run, and kill more energy. But thanks for the suggestion

so anxious to play

[german sheep]

hi sheltiecollilover,

how does your dog act during a "normal" day?
and how does she behave outside when you are going for execise?

You should break out from your Routine, because every routined procedure will wake a special expectation in her.
For exampel just the word agility or when you take the leash.
You have to spoil the expectations insofar you are going to do something totally different to what you did normally.
Take the leash and sit down again, when she has calm down give her a treat and so on...

Another possibility is to stress tho dog so much in a similar way she does it with you, to confuse her so that she comes down for herself, because this upcoming stresslevel woulde be to high.
Touch her everywhere and cuddel "like hell" and "eek" very high like you would like to motivate a tired dog.

Do it as long as she is not ready to give up her nerving tour. When she does not stress anymore you can stop and work conzentrated and in a way you would like her to act!

LG
gs