Will you just CALM DOWN????

[Spudlet]

I need some advice please.

Henry is normally fairly laid back for a spaniel, but at events he gets hugely overexcited. It's the horses that do it, he was literally quivering with excitement at one point today, whining and yodelling whenever one passed and leaping about like a numpty.

I have tried ignoring this, reprimanding the noise with a 'quiet' command, nudging him as a distraction, distracting with a treat and holding him on my lap. Squirting him with water helped a bit but it only really stopped the noise, not the excitement.

He sees horses in fields everyday at work and we have met people out hacking when we have been walking many times but since I don't ride at the moment he has never had the chance to sit and watch horses working. I think he just finds it very very exciting to see them moving.

I don't have a ride at the moment and even if I did I don't think it would be very fair to expect it to work with the Hound of the Baskervilles as an audience! So not much chance of getting him used to seeing horses being ridden.

I don't want to leave him at home.

Any ideas?

 

[Puppy]

Maybe you don't want to leave him at home, but perhaps it would be best to do so whilst he is behaving this way. Just until you have resolved it. Horses barking at horses at events can be really dangerous and can really spoil things....

I felt really cheesed off at the owners of barking dogs at Burghley. Sorry

xx

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Try giving him some Rescue Remedy. I would put it in his water bowl from the day before and then give him more on the day in his feed on a snack etc.

Worth a try

? It can't do any harm.

Failing that bring him here for horse overload training

- Sweep has no interest at all - as soon as the horses are bought in he takes himself off to bed (unless he thinks there are carrots to steal

!!) and Max just hangs out and runs up and down the side of the school!!

 

[Spudlet]

He doesn't bark so much as just winge - yodelling is the best way I can describe it. Other than the people right next to us, I doubt anyone really notices - it's just that I do! Also can't really see how I'm going to resolve it by him staying at home since this is the only time he acts in this way, so I won't know if it's resolved unless we go again.

He is much better when we keep moving, so will walk more and stop less next time. We did this at Burghley and he was better behaved but was with a group this time so was not totally in control of the pace. I may also give the Rescue Remedy a go next time, as you say Slinky it can't hurt.

I will give the Dogs Trust behaviorist a ring on Monday. I think teaching him to focus may help. The clicker will have to come back out.

I'm not buying him an ice cream at every fence, no matter what he might think!

 

[Slinkyunicorn]

Can you take him to some smaller shows near you so he just gets used to the coming and goings of horses at shows?

Hunter trials are coming up or local Riding Club events - you never know you might find yourself a ride as well!!

 

[Spudlet]

Good plan, will have to see what's on.

 

[Gooby]

Could you teach him a watch me command to focus his attention on you? I know its a pain but have you tried doing bits of training with him when he does start to become excitable and therefore focusing all his energy into something else? Could also help to tire (sp?) him out as well.

 

[Spudlet]

That's what I aim to teach him, he has got other basic training but not this one yet.

He does need tiring out, had to leave this morning at 6.15 though so didn't have time to walk him first

Have just emailed a couple of hunt secretaries to ask about their hunter trials, have also realised I will be in the area for the Atherstone team chase, haven't been to that for years so am quite excited!

Will have to make the weird sticky tuna treats that he finds so irrestible and get the clicker out and start working before we go.

 

[Gooby]

Ah good

the only thing that tires out my 2 spaniel x collies is training and hot weather. So they have been nice and quiet today for once

as its been nice and warm and we had advanced training this morning!

weird and sticky?! hmm what are these things? sounds like my dogs would looove them!

 

[Spudlet]

Well they're not actually meant to be sticky but I can't cook so they were! At the training class we attended they handed out recipes for treats, there was a tuna one that you were meant to bake until they were hard but mine were all putty-like

The trainers nearly wet themselves laughing at me but Henry loved them

Will have to dig out the recipe!

 

[Ravenwood]

Is it really essential that he accompanies you to horse events such as Burghley?

How often do you go and would it be a disaster if you left him behind?

Me, personally, I just couldn't take a dog to such an event, it would drive me mad with all those crowds and my dogs would hate it I'm sure. Its the same as seeing dogs being dragged around county shows and being trodden on and twisted up in the trade stands - why? Why take your dog? Is it like a fashion accessory? Far more trouble than its worth in my opinion - sorry!

 

[Spudlet]

No, he is not a fashion accessory. I'm slightly hurt that you feel the need to ask.

 

[Booboos]

Sounds like a stress reaction from your dog - maybe worth trying a DAP collar? It works really well with some dogs so might be worth a try.

 

[Spudlet]

I think it could have been partly due to stress, partly due to excitement at the new situation. He is not normally a stressy dog at all, so think it was more sheer excitement than stress - like a toddler with sweeties!

If I can't overcome this through training then he won't be able to go which means I won't be able to go either, a great shame as I love eventing and go as often as I can afford to

However there is no one to look after him for me and I am not about to leave him home alone for 14 hours - which with all the travelling is how long we were out of the house yesterday.

However I am fairly confident that this is something that training can overcome and so we have made a start this morning. The clicker is out of the bag, as are some posh treats I had forgotten we had so Henry is a happy bunny. We will head to the Atherstone team chase in a couple of weeks time and see how things go.
Hx

 

[jumbyjack]

Quite honestly I think you are on the right track, training is the solution and you are already on to it! One thing you could try is when he becomes focused on something and starts yodelling take him away a few yards without speaking to him and do a a mini training session. Even just a few sits or downs, just to break the cycle without him realising it and to get his focus back on to you!

 

[Spudlet]

That's what I have in mind - I think the team chase will be a good place to start because from memory (it's years since I've been) you can stand well back from the horses and there shouldn't be huge crowds so we can start off well away from the exciting stuff and gradually work our way closer, depending on how he's doing.

This is the dog who went from never having seen a horse in his life before in January, to being best through-the-fence mates with the foal that came out of a welfare case that has just been weaned and is now learning all about life - will have to get a photo of them touching noses, it is just too cute. So I am sure we can do it