Puppy school question

[Bigger Business]

I got me a puppy about 4 weeks ago, he's now the ripe old age of 12 weeks and today was our third puppy school thing.

What I dont understand is why he's so rooted after an hour there. He plays with the other puppies for like 20 mins, then we do some training stuff, but it's intermittent as everyone has a crack.

The other day we were in the park for like 2 hours and I had the lil bastard running full slog most of that time, then we come home and he's still all balls.

My question is why the puppy school knocks him out but not the running?

over to you experts

[Butterbean]

Maybe he not only becomes physically exhausted from playing w/the other pups and school but mentally and emotionally exhausted as well?  I have no idea though...maybe some others have better ideas.

What is his name?  Are you going to post some pics?

[Geo]

I got me a puppy about 4 weeks ago, he's now the ripe old age of 12 weeks and today was our third puppy school thing.

What I dont understand is why he's so rooted after an hour there. He plays with the other puppies for like 20 mins, then we do some training stuff, but it's intermittent as everyone has a crack.

The other day we were in the park for like 2 hours and I had the lil bastard running full slog most of that time, then we come home and he's still all balls.

My question is why the puppy school knocks him out but not the running?

over to you experts

what kind of puppy ?


post a picture of your puppy because if you don't you suck so maybe you better post a pic of your puppy

[Bigger Business]

Thanks

He's a Jack Russel named Baxter. I am quite sure he is probably the greatest dog that has ever lived!

I will post pics asap!

[Bigger Business]

ta da

[Butterbean]

Awwww!  hahaha he is adorable!

Baxter is a great name also.  Seems like Jack Russells are frequently named Jack or Russell or Teri....not that there's anything wrong w/that. 

More pics (and videos if poss.) whenever you have time please

[Bigger Business]

More pics (and videos if poss.) whenever you have time please

Thanks, he is as cute as shit!

I have a bunch of pics of him rooting stuff!

[knny187]

Well, Stella is on the right track.

Although I can run & exercise our Rottie & he gets tired....entering him in a dog show (which requires very little physical effort) really makes him exhausted at the end of a day.

If any of you been to a dog show or seen it on tv...the dog is 'maybe' in the ring no more than 2-6 minutes.  Alot depends how large the class is, if they win, & how far they go winning. 

After talking to a bunch of people that have been showing for years....they feel there's a direct connection involving showing a dog & shortening it's life span. 

I've noticed with our dog, it is very stressful on him.  I haven't been able to determine if it's excited behaviour, nervousness, anxiety/stresses, or a combination of the above.  The last show I had him in was an outdoor event.  Being in So Cal it was a pretty hot morning.  Even it being an 8:30 show, by the time he was in the ring at 9:30, the temps were heading in the 90's.  He was not happy & was really not wanting to be out there.  There's pressure placed on him because for those few minutes.  He's really wanting to please & work for me, but also has his own intentions too.

I've decided never to enter him in an outdoor show again unless it's in the Winter.  The last thing I want to do is make this a negative experience for him.  I personally would forget showing all together but I do enjoy being competitive.  I haven't been doing this very long & couldn't tell you if our dog enjoys it or not.  He does seem to like mingling with the other dogs & being around dog people (which at a dog show....there's a lot of).  I've been fortunate sometimes to handle some other people's dog in the ring & not just my own.  I have found that some dogs kind of like strutting their stuff but still get that exhausted nervous emotional feeling afterwords. 

I'm not sure if I'm answering the question directly...but yes...I believe dogs get exhausted mentally by even thinking & w/o working on a physical type activity.

[Geo]

that's a pretty cute dog....


jack russels are pretty cool dogs

[knny187]

that's a pretty cute dog....


jack russels are pretty cool dogs

Yeah...not a bad little ankle biter

[Bigger Business]

Thanks for the advices K

It makes sense that the excitement would be exhausting after being stuck around the house 99% of his time.

I gave him his first 'pat' tonight, think he thought he was getting a beating and ran to his box, haven't seen him since.

[knny187]

Thanks for the advices K

It makes sense that the excitement would be exhausting after being stuck around the house 99% of his time.

I gave him his first 'pat' tonight, think he thought he was getting a beating and ran to his box, haven't seen him since.

try working on voice/presence - mood projection -  discipline rather than physical.

Sure...there's times when you feel they need a pat....but dogs psychologically don't work that way.  They can sense & feel disappointment.....you don't want to make them hand shy.

[Bigger Business]

try working on voice/presence - mood projection -  discipline rather than physical.

Sure...there's times when you feel they need a pat....but dogs psychologically don't work that way.  They can sense & feel disappointment.....you don't want to make them hand shy.

oh i really meant it was a pat...just a tap on his lil back with an open hand, like 'good boy' it was nothing like a hit, (I couldn't hit the lil bugger hahaha) he actually was being good, that's what confused me...he just yelped and ran.

the dog trainer broad made it quite clear to work on positive reinforcement rather than acknowledging bad behavior at all. if he is being bad, like chewing on a shoe, direct him to a toy then give him positive sweet loving when he chews that. basically if he's being annoying like jumping up i ignore him, wait till he's calm then pick him up and give him some tenderness.

agree/disagree?

[knny187]

oh i really meant it was a pat...just a tap on his lil back with an open hand, like 'good boy' it was nothing like a hit, (I couldn't hit the lil bugger hahaha) he actually was being good, that's what confused me...he just yelped and ran.

the dog trainer broad made it quite clear to work on positive reinforcement rather than acknowledging bad behavior at all. if he is being bad, like chewing on a shoe, direct him to a toy then give him positive sweet loving when he chews that. basically if he's being annoying like jumping up i ignore him, wait till he's calm then pick him up and give him some tenderness.

agree/disagree?

Well, I don't raise my hand towards our dog.  What I usually do which is quite effective is touch him firmly on the shoulder/base of neck.  Seems to always get his attention.

Well, although positive reinforcement is good...bad behaviour (or unwanted behaviour) shouldn't be rewarded.  I wouldn't necessarily take away a shoe being chewed on & give him a chew toy instead.  It's not that easy I suppose.  I would take away the shoe, verbally express 'no' as it being an unwanted behaviour, then make the dog physically follow you to the location of where his chew toy is & point as that being the appropriate device.

What people make the mistake all the time is they feel it's necessary to reward a dog just because it listens to you.  A dog should be rewarded only after a series of events per se of good behaviour vs every individual time he does something good.

One of our dog's favorite thing is his 'wrestling time'.  So alot of the time I just have a normal owner/dog relationship.  It's usually nothing more than a pat on the head or he follows me here or there.  If I tell him to do something I will say 'good boy' but won't reward him any further.  Then maybe once a day or every couple days I'll get on the floor & wrestle with him.  To him, thats his reward.  I would do it more often but it really get's tiresome & my back gets sore after awhile.  Since he doesn't have another dog to play with, I mimic how another dog would wrestle with him.  Otherwise his other big reward is his daily walk.  Daily exercise & walks really increase good healthy behaviour in a dog. 

[temper35]

oh i really meant it was a pat...just a tap on his lil back with an open hand, like 'good boy' it was nothing like a hit, (I couldn't hit the lil bugger hahaha) he actually was being good, that's what confused me...he just yelped and ran.

the dog trainer broad made it quite clear to work on positive reinforcement rather than acknowledging bad behavior at all. if he is being bad, like chewing on a shoe, direct him to a toy then give him positive sweet loving when he chews that. basically if he's being annoying like jumping up i ignore him, wait till he's calm then pick him up and give him some tenderness.

agree/disagree?

You don't need to praise your dog every single time it does something good.  How obedience is taught and living with your dog is two totally different things.  Obedience class is an abundance of corrections and/or praise, because it is in direct result to commands.  I can't even remember the last time I said "good boy" to my dog.  If you are happy, they know.  If you are pissed, they know.

PS - I briefly read Knny's post and I think he touched on the fact that correcting a dog with chewing and rewarding it with chewing makes no sense.  Trainers say that alot, and people say that alot, but it is just incorrect.  In actuality all you are doing is confusing it.

[Butterbean]

bump for more pics of Baxter please