Puppy behaviour-can someone explain please, am I walking him too far?

[Spotty528]

He’s a 15 week old terrier/spaniel mix. There’s a field a 10 minute walk from us. He was great going, met a few dogs along the way, had about 20mins off lead in the field just mooching about. The 10 minute walk back was a nightmare. He locked his legs and wouldn’t walk, then started sprinting. We met a 13 year old terrier and pup started barking and growling at him (not baring teeth more like the growling he does when he’s ragging his favourite toy about). Then he tried to chase a 4X4!

Thank god for my pocket full of chicken! He’s fallen straight to sleep on my knee now.

Was this overstimulation? Like a toddler who’s behaviour goes out the window when they’re tired?

Watch a few back-episodes of The Dog Whisperer. Even having had two dogs of my own, I learned a lot from Cesar.

I think Cesar is the worst dog trainer ever. He’s a big believer in pack theory isn’t he which has been widely debunked. I caught a bit once and he wrestled a dog to the ground and sat on it to teach the dog a lesson..not good practice.

Yeah don't watch Cesar. Thanks for reposting the link @LochJessMonster

I’ve just remembered another incident. I took him into pets at home to try a coat on him. He was SO excited in the shop, we were only in there 5mins as I could see he was getting over excited. We left and had to wait at the front of the shop while DH reversed the car out. Pup started frantically digging in the soil and barking at it. No growling but similar type of reaction.

Do you all think group training classes are a good idea for him or would he be better 1 to 1. I don’t suppose we’ll know until we try:

Thankyou for the link.

Just reading some more and it sounds like he’s getting the zoomies. He’s never had it at home but it’s definitely this sudden burst of energy, the running fast and then the growling/barking at my wellies/another dog/the lady today. I think I need to learn to cut him off before he gets to that point. I’ve been seeing this burst of energy as him enjoying himself when actually I think’s it him saying ‘I’m over stimulated and I don’t know what to do with this energy’.

So tomorrow will be a 10 minute on lead walk around the block and at the weekend I’ll take him off lead in the field but it’ll be a couple of minutes tops.