# Adrenaline Rush



## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Oso has been getting a very odd adrenaline rush when we pass people on walks. 

First of all, we are finally getting the on leash thing down - yes! He has been just wonderful both with walking and jogging. Really makes it all so much fun. We don't expect him to heel on hikes, but just a few months ago, on leash was pretty difficult and we opted for off leash most of the time. 

Anyways, when someone walks by, he has been getting a major energy boost and running past them with a shot of adrenaline (he goes at super speed/zoomie speed, they get scared). Once past, he returns to his regular gait. If I stop and talk, he has also gone a bit crazy and wanted to jump on them to say hi (atypical for him). I hold him back, so he's just standing on his back legs leaning towards them. 

Background Info:

*Oso got stitches about a week and a half ago. This means he hasn't gotten to play with any doggy friends (which he typically does 4-5x per week) and hasn't gotten off leash time. 

Have your dogs done this with less socialization/exercise? I'm not sure how to work on this problem as I'm not sure exactly what's going on in the boy's head. I've seen him go bonkers with other dogs in the past when not getting play time, but not this.

Also, I brought out the spray bottle a couple days ago and sprayed him when he jumped up on people. After a few times, he looked scared (which he never has before), so I put the bottle away. 

Also, he is now scared of horses (something he's never been scared of before) and we walked through a whole group of ponies preparing for a summer camp the other day. He acted like they were snakes and this is the same trail where he was scared of the people. We'll be working on the horse thing today. They have the camp again today, so we'll just hang out there with dog treats and start far away and get closer and closer. 

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Sorry, this is SOOO much information, but you all are where I go for Vizsla information. Looking forward to see if you have any tips.


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I am finding right now that because we have been in the bush alone for almost 3 weeks, without seeing people, that Astro and Zsa Zsa are a little more amped when they finally do get to see another person or doggie. So it is possible, just give it some time back in the regular routine and see how he goes. 

The other thing I would recommend, is not allowing Oso to stand on his hind legs to greet people, on or off lead. Maybe try focussing on Oso before saying hi to the people and making him sit. Ask the person not to engage with Oso until the moment he sits. When he sits, get hte person to say hi and give a pat if they want. But not until he settles. I did this with mine and while it doesn't always eliminate the jumping, it certainly reduces it and makes it more manageable.


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Of course, it happened to us as well. Sam would behave very well until the person was next to him and suddenly lunge, tail wagging.
Probably you are using a harness or a flat collar that is a little loose.

Suggestions: use a training collar - prongs, british slip lead, teach proper heel, or use the hitch method outlined by RBD (search hitch)

I found many adult strangers are very reluctant to even look at a lunging dog. In many cases they try to avoid looking at the dog all togetgher. And, I would not ask my dog to sit unless there is dry grass under his bum, sidewalk concrete or ashphalt are out of question. Even inside the house our V. will not sit on bare floor (unless I insist), he will search for the nearest carpet to plant his precious bum.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

62 degrees this morning - what a nice change - take PIKE up to Donalds garden to see how it grows ( mile + walk ) it's 6 in the morning and Donald is watering - we BS and PIKE starts working his fence line hard - goes to a hard point and I flush 5 quail - next 30 mins and PIKE points 3 of the birds from the covey - back to the garden and PIKE wonders why I do not have a gun - Donald wants to know when we will start stealing from the garden ( LOL ) back home and PIKE's on the couch - one happy hunter - once again the world is turning in greased rails


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Thank you for your responses. 

Ozkar - Oso hasn't jumped on people for a while, so I guess I've gotten slack on training during those moments. I think you are spot on with your advice to make sure I focus on him first, before talking. It's difficult, however, as this is a fast crazy thing which happens very quickly. I may be able to beat him to it though, if I immediately just shorten the leash all the way to the collar and lead him into a sit (remember pre-jump he is zooming by these people at cheetah-level speeds, so this may take some reflexes/pull on my part as well). 

I'm not "trying" to allow the standing to greet . Post jump, I am leading him into a sit/stay. I'm not having them say hi, however, as I'm fairly positive he will break his sit and jump again. Maybe I can just have them say hi quietly. Another option is to reward him before we get to the person to try and distract him. Maybe that is what I will do today, give treats the whole time we are walking past, so his attention is elsewhere.

Datacan - I guess I am not alone! You are spot on about me using a harness or flat collar. I alternate between the two, but have been using the harness lately. I will look into the training collars you listed and the hitch method. I probably won't buy anything until after he gets his stitches out and can socialize with other dogs again. 

I would love to do a walk on heel, but it just doesn't do it for him exercise wise. We did an hour + walk at heel on Monday and he came home with just as much energy as before he left - nightmare. This was the second walk of the day too and it barely put a dent in his need for exercise. 

R E McCraith - sounds like an amazing morning with PIKE!


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Luv2laugh - looks like you get to deal with a fear phase along with a regression moment. Lucky you - you'll get them both out of the way at once. 

It sounds like you have a good plan in place. One option you may consider, if it won't confuse Oso, is to teach him not to put his paws on people when he jumps. Savannah is good about not jumping on people, but when she just can't control herself and I miss the cues, she knows to pop up, not to jump on.

Good luck!


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks jld640. I'm hoping the jumping will just stop, lol. He hasn't jumped on our neighbors or any of us, it's just those pesky people walking by on our walks.  

That's good that Savannah knows no paws. I'm wanting to skip that if possible and just go straight to no jumping. We'll see how this goes.

I took him out this morning and he was a maniac. We crossed the street and he was doing zoomies around me on a short lead instead of his usual heel. After we crossed. I put him in a sit, down, and then rolled him over and put my hand lightly on his chest, letting him stay there a few seconds. We don't really do dominance stuff, but I was just in shock. I don't know if the fact that he did it willingly makes it not actually a dominance thing. I always walk out of the door before him, but think I am going to start hand feeding him again. This may all be related to no off leash/socialization, but the boy is having difficulty self-regulating. I went straight back home with him and cut the walk short. There was no way we were going to continue like that. We are going to try again in a couple minutes (a few hours later). I'm thinking I'm going to try to tire him out by doing fetch and playing at home before we go. 

Poor boy. He needed 3 stitches because he got a puncture wound playing with another dog. The dog wasn't doing anything wrong, his tooth (or claw) just went into him when he was playing quarterback/keep away. 

At first, I was hesitant to let him play with other dogs again, he has such little fur protection, but it seems like he's going bananas without that outlet. After the stitches come out, I guess I'll let him try again, maybe with the Ruffwear webmaster vest as "armor". 

http://www.ruffwear.com/Web-Master-Harness_2?sc=2&category=1131


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Love to ;D ... I would not put the dog in the boxing ring with or without armor. Too stressful, IMO.

I use this to tire him out http://www.mychaseit.com/ 
Builds drive, gives me a workout also, not to mention Sam's stamina, agility... They train sight hounds with something like this as well. Stick a rabbit pelt at the end of the whip and you can have him easily trained to WHOA (at least partially), chase, leave it, sit, give... the list goes on. It's much harder for them to leave something than to chase it... 
I remember they have to build drive into GSDs but hunting dogs have amazing drive already build in, hard to contain that energy.

Don't see a downside to this toy, but I am not a pro, either...


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## luv2laugh (Oct 6, 2011)

Datacan- I will check out that toy. Thanks!


Soooo, update: Brought Oso out for the second attempt at 1pm. Yes - horror! Who would walk their dog at 1pm in Summer? Well someone who wants him tired and ready to cooperate. It was a short 30 minute walk and the trail is shaded. I realized that I had been using lots of words like scared, embarrassed, horrified in my posts and it occurred to me that while the horse scare or excitement at seeing dogs may have upped his adrenaline initially, my fear and nervous energy was probably upping it as well. 

So, I changed my plan. We only ran into 3 people, 2 without dogs. I actually didn't even tighten the leash and made a huge effort to keep my energy calm. First person, Oso went over to say hi and I said leave it and he listened. No problem. He didn't RACE over, just walked over - beautiful. Second person, he just walked by. Third person had a dog. Oso started to get crazy excited, but I stayed calm and didn't tighten the leash and walked briskly forward saying leave it, eh eh and he listened.

What in the world? I may have been causing most of the problem with my nerves. Thank you for all your input! Sounds like it was me more than my poor little boy. I really do appreciate your input. Writing all this out helped me figure out what most likely was the problem.

My plan is to continue going at times when it will be less busy.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I wouldn't worry to much. Pups get restless and bored when they have been cooped up due to an injury. They can regress some on training just because they are over whelmed with excitement to be back out in the world.
Let him burn off some energy and then start working with him.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

I'm sure my female June will be a wild woman when she gets to start free running again. She had been on rest for 5 weeks, crated or leashed and only outside to potty. Now she is let loose in the house and only walked on leash for the next 6 weeks. She was so happy just to get to go on a walk away from the house. I'm sure when she gets to start running in the fields again we will have things to work on.


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