# Suggestions?



## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Cash has gotten into a bad habit of being extremely loud and quite frankly obnoxious when we are outside the house but inside a building - like a Petsmart for example. Today we went to the vet and he put on quite the spectacle and it was a little embarrassing. He gets so excited and just can't control himself. It starts with the high pitched barking and then he goes totally deaf - he doesn't hear a word I say and just forgets everything he's ever learned. Today at the vet we walked into a completely calm room with another dog and a cat and two seconds after we arrived it was crazy. Cash was jumping up on the counter, knocking things over, at some point he ended up trying to get in everyone's lap and I don't think that one poor soul left that office without a little slobber on them. He's not like this when we are outside, but inside his excitement takes over and he can not control himself! Any suggestions on how I can work with him on this?


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## Sydney (Jul 28, 2014)

Hmm... I'm no expert, but have you ever disciplined him? Does he know "no"? If not, you should start doing that right away. 

Also, a have you ever considered obedience classes? If he gets too hyper with other dogs/people, maybe a 1 on 1? 

You could also try taking him to dog parks and other places to get him used to seeing and meeting new people. Set up some doggy play dates, and see if that'll help him.

Again, I'm no expert, but maybe you could do some exercises where you're telling him to sit/stay while there's a distraction ( do this at home obviously).


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

I'll give a little more background - he's 2 1/2 and he's been through multiple obedience classes. He's fine at home or outside meeting people/dogs, but by no means is he perfect. This is just specific to when he's indoors in a public place and over the last year he's gotten steadily louder and more crazy about it.


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

You have a pinch collar for him, don't you, or did I make that up? Does he respond well to that? That or a half-hitch. I'm just thinking if you have greater physical control of him, that'll cut through the crazy when all the training in the world will fail you. Also did the vet staff, baby talk him? I'd request that they act as calmly as possible.

I might also try some exercises where you cycle through riling him up and then calming him down. Getting to act crazy becomes the reward for offering calm behavior and should help with his self control. I'd do it with a clicker, by acting crazy myself, feeding his energy, and then after 30 seconds so, just stand still and be completely silent. As soon as he calms down (which might take awhile and at first could be as simple as not barking or looking you) click, treat, pause a few seconds and then go back to play mode. A special tug toy just for this exercise could be useful, if he's into that. Eventually you'll work up to longer moments of calm before you click/treat. I'd work with him individually at first until he understands the rules, but then it might be useful to bring Penny in. 

This might all be wishful thinking though! Sounds like he's not quite ready for therapy training, haha! I love that dog. ;D


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

I think at this point I have every collar known to man. . I haven't used the pinch collar in awhile - he just leans into it and it doesn't really slow him down. Lately I've been using the 2 1/2" wide leather martingale collar - I like that one because it's very wide and tends to stay up closer to his chin and not slip down his long neck. The vet experience probably isn't the best example because that's his happy place and since everyone there loves him they just laugh at his craziness and he's usually taking it up a notch until he sees his bromance (the vet), then he'll calm down a little bit. Today he was straight up nuts, but as soon as the vet came out and had a treat Cash's butt hit the floor and he was quiet - but that didn't last long.  

I like your idea - I'll give it a try and see how it goes. I agree, first without Penny, two of them together is a little too much crazy. Maybe we'll try therapy training again when he's ten - he might be calm by then, right?


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

CrazyCash said:


> Maybe we'll try therapy training again when he's ten - he might be calm by then, right?


Knock on wood! 

I'm imagining the two of them competing to calm down quicker. Clearly I'm delusional!


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Penny is not at all like this when she goes to the vet so at least I feel like the people at the vet can see that I do know how to handle a dog. . Penny has her own set of issues, but barking like a lunatic in public isn't one of them. 

The funniest comment today was one of the other customers in the waiting room was petting Cash (while he was trying to crawl into her lap) and she says "I think he thinks we are all here for his amusement" - truer words were never spoken!


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Just put him on a short leash and make him sit until he chills. Once chilled, then allow one interaction. If he goes nuts again, back in check till he calms down and try again. Your just lucky you don't have an Astro. He has to be sedated to have his nails clipped or to be vaccinated. The vet literally has to surprise attack and jab his bum with the sedative, as he won't allow any vet to even touch him. :-[


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## CrazyCash (Jul 12, 2012)

Ozkar - I am lucky, the vet literally cut Cash's leg off and Cash still LOVES him. Not much phases Cash and I don't think that he's ever met a person or animal that he didn't like. He has too much friendliness in him that sometimes he just can't contain it.


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## Bob Engelhardt (Feb 14, 2012)

Ozkar said:


> ... Astro. He has to be sedated to have his nails clipped or to be vaccinated. ...


[pulling your chain]
He just needs to be desensitized! Sedatives are instant fix. Spend time with pup to get him over the fear. What did they do before sedatives?
[/pulling your chain]

<VBG>

Welcome back and hope your troubles are behind you,
Bob


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Just sounds like he needs more trips out to the vet, and other indoor places.
einspänner has some good training advice, and I would start working on it away from distraction first. Then move up the distraction over time. Next would be short visits to the stores, then and vets.

Something us duck hunters train, is a dog not moving from a position until released. We do this by putting the dog on sit, or down and then extending the time the dog has to stay without moving. If the dog moves, we say nothing to it, but put it back in the position. First we stay next to the dog, and then start waking short distances from them. But always coming back to the dog before we release them. Out in the field a Fetch command is given, when a bird is downed. But you can also release the dog to Heel.
Another good one is Whoa. Feet can't move until released.
Same concept but you pull up on the collar for the dog to stand, and a tap on the side to release them. Even though this is hunt training it works well in our everyday world.

I love this video of a young pup on the whoa board. All positive training.
http://youtu.be/-Wi9ZyPxSlA


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

It might be worth finding a pet-friendly place (like the PetSmart you first mentioned) and just walk in and out based on his energy level. Once he gets amped up, leave. Stand outside until he calms down. Then back inside. Make sure you buy something from the nice people who watched you walk through their door 25 times in the first 5 minutes. :

My guess is you'll have to do this multiple times at multiple places before you have it under control


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## aliciavp (Mar 14, 2014)

If it makes you feel any better, Lazlo happy-piddled everywhere when we went to the vet recently. This was followed by pulling on the lead, whining and barking when the other Vizsla wouldn't play with him.


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