# Over excitement in puppy training class



## BarryP (Sep 22, 2015)

Our 5 month old Wire Haired Vizsla gets very over excited in puppy class, jumping, barking which she does not do in other situations. Any tips?


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## organicthoughts (Oct 9, 2012)

Put up with it for a few more years. Very typical of Vizsla's and you will notice it go away as he matures.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Taking her for a quick walk before class might slow her down some. Just be careful not to overtire her, mine have always gotten real nippy when they get tired.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Over excitement ? run them V4 class till they almost DROP - no pup in there class can run with a V - FACT of LIFE !!!!!!!a tired V - is almost 1 - anyone can live with !!!!!!!!!


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## einspänner (Sep 8, 2012)

Hey Barry, welcome to the forum! Any pics of your wirey girl? They're my favorite!

I'm not sure how your class is structured, but since you say she doesn't act like that in any other situation, I would think if she's ever in an environment with so many distractions and with so high a requirement for concentration. I bet the answer is no and I would give her and yourself a break! 

I'd also start recreating the environment of the class in small ways in other locations. Said another way, practice outside of class to perform in class. It's hard not to be vague without knowing more, but for instance in the puppy class I took, there was a time where we all sat around in chairs with our puppies leashed while the instructor answered questions. You don't realize how squirmy little pups are until you're trying to keep them calm and quiet while trying to listen to someone else. At home I started keeping her leashed for brief periods of time with my attention focused on something other than her (easier said than done!) and would reward her, with food, for calm behaviors. You might only get a couple seconds where the dog lies down and isn't whining, but reward and build on that. 

You might also try training in distracting environments outside of class such as a park. Don't expect to make much progress with the command you're working on at first; the real goal is to teach your girl how to focus despite the distractions. Socialization, not perfection. 

Your instructor might have some additional suggestions, so don't be afraid to ask. My girl usually shuts up when food is involved or she has a toy to hold, so that might be another strategy on top of actively training.


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## pjcodner (Jun 1, 2015)

Just curious, where are you going for the obedience class? We have a 6 month old and are looking for a good class in our area.

How did you search for a class and trainer? Did anyone recommend the place? They offer classes at our local Petco, but not sure if it's worth the money. I'm not sure where to start.


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

pjcodner
The Petco/Petsmart base their classes on rewarding good behavior. While their trainers experience vary from store to store, its good for young dogs socialization.
We all have experienced our young pups do great at home, but change the location, and they have a problem following any command due to distractions. 
In my area its a little over $100, for 6 classes spread over a 6 week period.
A cheap way to get the pup out, work on distraction training , and socialization.


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## Canadian Expy (Feb 27, 2013)

I would suggest going to your Petco/Petsmart on a night they are doing a training class and just observe for awhile to make sure you are comfortable with the trainer. We have Petsmart here, and I've been to one where I wouldn't have paid a cent to the trainer they had at that location. She was far too erratic, and energetic - her energy and techniques would not have suited my pup. I've been to another location, and liked the trainer and the methods used. Go and watch and see if you think it is the right class for you. 

If you don't like Petco/Petsmart - do some web research and phone and speak to other facilities/trainers. You will want group training vs. private training. As TR said, all dogs can behave in a low stimulus environment. You need to train with distractions to have a reliable pup. And socialization with other pups is so very important. 

Keep us posted on your progress


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## gingerling (Jun 20, 2015)

I agree that you should try to burn off some of that energy beforehand. 

But, part of puppy KG is proper socialization, which means play time with the other pups. Although every instructor is different, I've found the good ones know this and begin the session with a bit of off lead time so they can both socialize and burn off some of the energy..this makes them easier to focus when the work starts.

If your class doesn't start this way, consider another. All KG isn't the same!


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## jean (Feb 17, 2015)

I have / had problems with this too. In our case, it is pulling hard on leash and whining embarrassingly to be let to play with the other pups. Worse, when he starts to play, he goes over-the-top to the point of growling at other pups. (He did that ~2 times, and now we just have to trail a leash behind him and step on it so he can't do that and practice this behavior.) He NEVER does this playing in any other environments (and he regularly plays with other dogs).

The energy level in puppy class is pretty much the most stimulating environment my puppy ever sees. We take him around other dogs (even a higher number than in class), but 9-10 adolescent dogs in an enclosed medium sized room is a recipe for off-the-charts arousal. Add the fact that all dogs in class have adolescent-level social skills, it isn't a surprise this is challenging. (We're on the 3rd level of obedience classes at ~7 months.)

We just look at classes primarily as high distraction training, and opportunities for him to practice focusing on us in such a crazy environment. Classes are a huge pain in the butt for us humans, because we have to constantly manage his behavior and he can be embarrassing. But they help. He did a LOT better in class 3 than in class 1.

Also, the instructor is super helpful in teaching us how to get his attention in this kind of situation, and she has all sorts of tips and tricks in general.

It helps to let him get some energy out beforehand, but it may not solve the problem. 

We got a class recommendation from our breeder, and also checked yelp. I second observing the trainer (although we didn't do that).


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