I know puppies are supposed to get excited but mine is in a different league!
Bailey is an 8 month Golden Retriever. I've had a few problems with him on on-lead walks. When he got over-stimulated he used to jump and bite at my arms. Once I realised what the issue was I figured out how to fix it (basically start petting him to calm him) and now I pretty much don't have an issue any more.
But now off-lead playing has become a disaster. I took him out today to play with his Christmas pressies (2 frisbees) and at first he was doing well. Running after them and bringing them back.
Then he started running after them and not bringing them back (fine, fetch is still a work in progress) but then he came back and I still had a frisbee in my hand and he started jumping and biting and nothing I usually do was working (calming, distracting, ignoring). What works with Bailey (although it goes against all logic) is putting my arms above my head, he loses interest straight away USUALLY but today I looked down to see where he was and he was jumping and almost bit my nose (I'm short and he's big!)
I'm a bit shaken and not sure what to do now! I think it might be a bit of a catch 22. He doesn't always get an off-lead run around because the field is pretty much a bog at the moment and I almost lost my wellie there today. So he gets over-excited because it's been a while but with the weather the way it is there's just no other opportunity.
I live in rural Ireland, no behaviourologists (how do you spell that?!) or trainers (unless I want to turn him into a sheep dog!)
Sorry, that turned into an essay!
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Puppy getting over-excited when playing
9 replies
HelgatheHairy · 29/12/2012 14:21
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