Training Sessions At Night

[Jozlyn]

Hi,

This is not actually a problem per se. I'm really just wondering if other people's puppies have concentration/attention problems at night? Apart from the zoomies lol. And before you ask, no, she's not tired, she's full of beans :laugh:

I always keep her training sessions during the day to around 5mins, or less if the treats run out first as she's got the attention span of a 4 month old puppy (aka teaspoon)! And I just have to add that we're both doing wonderfully now

I'd like to do a couple of short training sessions with her at night after dinner because she is so full of beans. But it seems as soon as the sun goes down her attention span goes with it. I've tried playing fetch with her but even cheese wont get her to bring back or give me the toy. She's too zoomy to even consider something as quiet as sit or drop practice, but she will do nose touches (we learnt these yesterday, GO ABBY), which I find a little confusing.

Is this normal for other people too?

Hope that lot made sense!

[Pretty Miss Emma]

I have to say I've been a bit slack with my little boy (5mo) and have done barely any formal training, I tend to just do incidental bits and pieces of training, so it's usually only about 4 or 5 reps of anything before we move on to something else I need to get done/playing/walking.

But I find in general he struggle to concentrate for too long at any one time, and evenings he's way too exciteed to see me to focus for too long! I also find that zoomies for him only last about 10 min and then I give him a few minutes break before I ask him to focus on me to do something.

So this probably hasn't been particularly helpful but it give you some comparison of where my little one is (maybe??!!).

[minimax]

My 5 month old seems to have a decent attention span in the evening, but I think that's because I'm at work during the day so he's left at home with my other (11 month old) pup and no other human contact, so when I get home he's very happy to focus on me!

That said, my pup is very vague and is much happier wandering around the yard eating grass than paying attention to anyone at the best of times lol

[Jozlyn]

That said, my pup is very vague and is much happier wandering around the yard eating grass than paying attention to anyone at the best of times lol

ditto x 10 then add in - leaves, sticks, birds, insects, cars, people, dogs barking, etc, etc, etc.

[Burkes]

I'd like to do a couple of short training sessions with her at night after dinner because she is so full of beans. But it seems as soon as the sun goes down her attention span goes with it. I've tried playing fetch with her but even cheese wont get her to bring back or give me the toy.

If she has just had dinner it may well be that she isn't as food motivated as other times?

[Kavik]

I think Burkes has a good point :)

I do all my training before the dogs get dinner (if I am going to an evening training class, they don't get fed til I get home).

With your fetch problems, until you get her reliably bringing the toy back, I would keep either her or the toy on a leash, so she can't practice the behaviour of running off with the toy - the more she practices running off the harder it will be to fix.

[Jozlyn]

If she has just had dinner it may well be that she isn't as food motivated as other times?

No, she still goes for food, I think she's a bottomless pit , ie she'll do the nose touches. Doesn't matter, I just played Hide & Seek with her.

I was really just wondering if this was a general sort of issue or just Abby's personality.

Thanks.

[Jozlyn]

With your fetch problems, until you get her reliably bringing the toy back, I would keep either her or the toy on a leash, so she can't practice the behaviour of running off with the toy - the more she practices running off the harder it will be to fix.

I've put "sheep" her favourite fetch toy on a lead now :D

[W Sibs]

This describes my 4 month old Samoyed puppy all day and night.. he doesn't preference on when he is crazy :D

But Skeeter can train for hours because he finds training is all fun.. it's all about food, tug, cuddles :D

[Red Fox]

Hi,

This is not actually a problem per se. I'm really just wondering if other people's puppies have concentration/attention problems at night? Apart from the zoomies lol. And before you ask, no, she's not tired, she's full of beans :laugh:

I always keep her training sessions during the day to around 5mins, or less if the treats run out first as she's got the attention span of a 4 month old puppy (aka teaspoon)! And I just have to add that we're both doing wonderfully now

I'd like to do a couple of short training sessions with her at night after dinner because she is so full of beans. But it seems as soon as the sun goes down her attention span goes with it. I've tried playing fetch with her but even cheese wont get her to bring back or give me the toy. She's too zoomy to even consider something as quiet as sit or drop practice, but she will do nose touches (we learnt these yesterday, GO ABBY), which I find a little confusing.

Is this normal for other people too?

Hope that lot made sense!

If the pup is running around but can't concentrate then it's highly likely that she's overtired. Rather than train at this time give her Toy/chew/Kong and put her to bed.

Do your training before meals when she is hungry, motivated and has a clear head. She'll learn faster that way. It's about quality, not quantity.