lilypily Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 (edited) My 6 month old crossbreed (AmStaff maybe) is really hyperactive and naturally very strong. I am assuming the hyperactivity is a breed trait of the bull breeds? I need some ideas and tips on how to train and calm him down. I do use a water spray bottle and that does have a effect, but it only stops him while in the act. Is there anything I can do to prevent it? My issues are: -Jumping up (I have bruises all over my thighs as he is so strong) -Over excitement at everything. The kids cop a good mouthing as they are closer to his level. I can see in his face that he is really trying to be a good boy, but it's just to much and he can't help himself (he gets so excited he wets himself) Otherwise he is great. He sits, drops, walks well on a lead, is great off lead, comes when called. Is over excitement just something i'll have to put up with untill he matures and settles down? I know it might not sound much of an issue, but to me it is. I'm used to little lap dogs, i'v never had a dog so hyperactive before. I can run him, I can throw a ball or frisbee and he just doesn't tire. Edited January 3, 2009 by Lilypily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopenfox Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 What do you feed him? Diet can often affect the activity levels of a dog (colours, preservatives, etc.). Maybe you could research raw feeding? I know many people who's dog's relaxed heaps after changing to raw. Also have a look at your leadership behaviours - maybe there are more things you could be doing? Sounds like he may be a little anxious, and if he sees more clearly that you're in control, he may settle down a bit. Oh, and ignore him when he's excited (no attention at all - not even eye contact) and praise and give attention when he's calm. I've found the quickest way to teach a dog not to jump is to fold your arms out of his reach, avoid eye contact and turn your back, then reward when he sits or has all four feet on the ground. This will only work if everyone does this though. Remember ANY attention (good or bad) is rewarding to a dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBen Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 If he sits, drops etc... just give him those commands when near the kids... Don't ever let a dog and kids be alone unsupervised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypily Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 If he sits, drops etc... just give him those commands when near the kids...Don't ever let a dog and kids be alone unsupervised. The sit and drop command doesn't work when he is so excited. Hopenfox, maybe he is a little anxious, he gets very jealous when I give my other dog attention and even the kids getting attention. He cries and carries on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 (edited) How much exercise is he getting? I find the Dog Whisperer's philosophy of "exercise, discipline then affection" to be a good guide. He comes from an active, working breed. This means he needs lots of exercise, with some training added to this to help tire him. He may lots of pent up energy and this needs to be spent before he can be disciplined (a lot like kids, If they're locked in the house all day, bored to tears, they go feral and no amount of reward or punishment is going to control them!). I am not a trainer but I believe that sit, stay etc are great things to learn, but they are essentially just tricks (very useful ones though). It sounds like he needs to be trained in good manners (ie the house rules). You may be inadvertently training him to jump up and carry on by paying him attention when he does these things, even if it is negative attention. I am loath to say "see a behaviorist" every time some one has an issue with a dog, but I think it would be a good idea in your situation. You have a dog that is very strong, and will only get stronger and you have kids in the house. Mouthing may be annoying now, but in another six months it will be worse. I would recommend getting some one in to assess the situation at your home and give you ideas on how you can train him to listen to the house rules. Edited January 3, 2009 by megan_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 I tend to agree here with some professional advice. Strong bouncy male puppy... built like a tank...kids.. excitement.. Time to get some personalised strategies and backup , before there is an accidental meeting of dog and human bodies , resulting in injury or fright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypily Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 Thanks everyone. He doesn't pee around me or the kids, it's when we have visitors he's like " Oh my god a visitor, how exitement" I like the idea of putting him on a lead until he calms down around visitors, it is very annoying for the people visiting. Yes a 2yr old and a puppy is not the best mix, they hype each other up. Again having him on a lead when my son is in the backyard playing until he settles is a good idea. He responds well when he is not over excited, it's when he's hypo he doesn't listen to a thing. When calmer the 'arggh' works brilliantly as does the spray bottle. He no longer mouths me, he may have a little nibble but the 'arggh' stops him in his tracks, however he gets excited around the kids and does mouth them. Exercise wise, I take him to a offlead park and he runs non stop for up to an hour twice a week. He goes for a onlead walk twice a week about half an hour. I throw the ball for him everyday - he can go forever. Him and my other dog play non stop from dawn to dusk, always running around the yard. I am assuming this would be enough exercise????? The jumping up issue is my fault :rolleyes: When I got him at 6 weeks old it was thought he was a mini foxie x silky. I had no idea he would grow up to be what he is, I thought I was getting another little lap dog. My mini foxie does jump up, but she is 3.5kg so there is no drama there. I should say she only jumps when invited to. So when my pup was little I did encourage the jump (as in jump on my lap) no way I want him to jump up on my lap now Thanks guys for the advise. It's just the over excitement, otherwise he a great dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 he would benefit greatly from a 'controlled'.. on leash LONG walk twice a day. The walks/sessions he is getting are geared toward HIM pleasing himself...and are not often enough to cancel out the excitement factor What it appears to me is that HE decides what running he does.. you have not got him on lead.. so you don't dictate A half hour twice weekly of onlead walking is nowhere near enough to be of benefit for any dog... let alone a young healthy energetic one,sorry :rolleyes: Ball games are ok... as a treat.. they ,IMO increase excitement,and give the dog not much practice in discipline. Playing with another dog stops him being bored, but does NOT teach him how to walk calmly/behave calmly around humans. he is learning how to be a dog... with other dogs... and not so much learning to be a dog interacting in a calm and thinking way with humans. If he were mine.. and I don't have kids..so it would be easier.. he would be indoors on leash, for sessions during the day...learning the finer points of walking quietly, lying down in one spot calmly... respecting human children... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 The ball can teach self control if you train in drive What do you do for training? Training is good for getting them tired as you work their brain :rolleyes: Not only formal obedience stuff like sit, drop, but tricks can also be good (and lots of fun!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypily Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 he would benefit greatly from a 'controlled'.. on leash LONG walk twice a day.The walks/sessions he is getting are geared toward HIM pleasing himself...and are not often enough to cancel out the excitement factor What it appears to me is that HE decides what running he does.. you have not got him on lead.. so you don't dictate A half hour twice weekly of onlead walking is nowhere near enough to be of benefit for any dog... let alone a young healthy energetic one,sorry :rolleyes: Ball games are ok... as a treat.. they ,IMO increase excitement,and give the dog not much practice in discipline. Playing with another dog stops him being bored, but does NOT teach him how to walk calmly/behave calmly around humans. he is learning how to be a dog... with other dogs... and not so much learning to be a dog interacting in a calm and thinking way with humans. If he were mine.. and I don't have kids..so it would be easier.. he would be indoors on leash, for sessions during the day...learning the finer points of walking quietly, lying down in one spot calmly... respecting human children... I do have him inside during the day for short periods of time, the water bottle is my best method to calm him. But having him on a leash inside is a good idea as well. I will try that. Not enough exercise :rolleyes: I thought it was enough The onlead walks are only about half an hour as my 2yr old gets tired and bored (he won't sit in a stroller anymore) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Would your 2 year old use the stroller if it was a special treat...he could perhaps carry the dog's water bottle/ball/treats/spare leash etc.. and that could be his 'job'? or.. 20 mins /half hour everyday walk?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypily Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 You could let your 2 yr old walk with you instead of in the stroller (if you can control both) making the dog think about walking slower and beside you can be a real challange.. This is what we do and he is brilliant. He walks nice and slowly and calm by my side. I have no problems with him on walks and off lead. Persephone, my 2yr old hates the stroller, i'm getting him to practice on his trike once he has the hang of it he can ride on our walks and they should last for longer. Thanks again guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickasyoucan Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 My 6 month old crossbreed (AmStaff maybe) is really hyperactive and naturally very strong. I am assuming the hyperactivity is a breed trait of the bull breeds?I need some ideas and tips on how to train and calm him down. I do use a water spray bottle and that does have a effect, but it only stops him while in the act. Is there anything I can do to prevent it? My issues are: -Jumping up (I have bruises all over my thighs as he is so strong) -Over excitement at everything. The kids cop a good mouthing as they are closer to his level. I can see in his face that he is really trying to be a good boy, but it's just to much and he can't help himself (he gets so excited he wets himself) Otherwise he is great. He sits, drops, walks well on a lead, is great off lead, comes when called. Is over excitement just something i'll have to put up with untill he matures and settles down? I know it might not sound much of an issue, but to me it is. I'm used to little lap dogs, i'v never had a dog so hyperactive before. I can run him, I can throw a ball or frisbee and he just doesn't tire. Lilypily, I'm certainly no trainer but here is my 20 cents worth, from a SBT cross owner! Firstly, congratulations on getting a six month old bull breed cross to walk well on the lead, drop and sit! You have succeeded where many others have failed. ;) (including me, Jake is my first SBT). If I had a dollar for every staffy I see around here pulling their owner around I would be a rich woman. No it is not a totally breed specific thing, but you do see it a lot round my way! You sound like you are doing well on that front. Second thing that occurs to me is that, you say that you have only owned small breed dogs before. Could it be that with previous dogs they have been allowed to get away with things, jumping, mouthing up etc, that you are now more aware of because you have a bigger (though not large!) dog? Just thinking that maybe you need to alter your leadership styles with all your dogs, not criticising, but wondering? As people have said, bull breeds generally have a lot of drive, but they are not necessarily built for endless speed and stamina, they build muscletone easily but they are not lean and wiry like say a kelpie. Already your boy has shown he has a brain, keep using that energy and brain to teach him new tricks, that will tire him out more than endless ball throwing and as they get older the kids will love showing their friends how he can play dead, drop etc. My boy is a ball nut, has worn his canines down and is obssessed, but 15 minutes of drive training (still using the ball but in a different way) tires him out way more than 30 or more mins of simple throwing. Do a search of training in drive on this forum and it will give you an idea. Have you looked at reinforcing your leadership through NILIF. Here is one link, but if you google it you will see it appears many times in training articles (I hope its okay to post a link?). http://www.k9force.net/index.html?row2col2=nilif.html Sounds like you are doing well anyway so keep on moving in a positive direction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilypily Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Yes, though mouthing has never been a problem with my previous dogs. I do think that I have a 'style' of training seeing I prefer little dogs and have always had them. My 'style' certainly is not for this dog. I don't know anything about NILIF, i'll read up your link tonight and also read up about drive. One other thing that he has done 3 times now, is of a night when it's time for bed he won't come. He lays on the couch or my bed and looks at me as if to say 'no, not bed time' I go over to him to pick him up (which I won't be able to do if grows much bigger, so obviousley I need a different way to deal with this) 3 times he has growled at me as I pick him up, just a little growl. What can I do about this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Agree with the sentiments of others. I do think it would be worth having a trainer go through with you what techniques would particularly suit the dog seeing as he's so different to what you have had before. Sometimes excess excitability can resolve very quickly with the right techniques and a little work The growling when you move him is another reason to see someone IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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