I have a 3 year old males SL GSD who, unlike my female who shows little interest in working, gets too excited during training. He's always been easy to train and have used toys and tugs for rewards. He's not too food motivated so won't take treats unless he's in a calm state. I have had to eliminate the toys for rewards because he gets too focused on the toy and no longer thinks. Any suggestions on how to get him in a more calm state of mind during training? He loves to work and is such an overacheiver but he needs to calm down and think more clearly. Thanks for any suggestion anyone might have.

Do you have him leashed while training?

Are you training where there isn't many distraction?

Have you tried just putting the toy out of sight?

Same thing with my older terrier (6). When he anticipates food rewards he gets so excited he starts shaking and all he thinks about is the treat. He has lost many of his teeth so there aren't too many toys he will accept as a reward. If you guys have any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.

 Quote: Linda West

Same thing with my older terrier (6). When he anticipates food rewards he gets so excited he starts shaking and all he thinks about is the treat. He has lost many of his teeth so there aren't too many toys he will accept as a reward. If you guys have any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.

This might be a dog with whom you'd consider the timing of sessions to be when he wasn't hungry for supper.

Some dogs even need exercise before an exciting marker session.


How do I know this? I have three plus a foster blessed with remarkable food drive.

 Quote: steve strom

Have you tried just putting the toy out of sight?

I should've also mentioned having the food out of sight.

When we train he is not easily distracted, in fact, although he is dog agressive he can work totally focused on me in the presence of other dogs. (just not in the presence of toys)We work at a park where he has worked his entire life and normally go when there are few dogs present. All toys are left in the car and sometimes come out after training and sometimes they don't. Treats are in my pocket and used sparingly since he doesn't care too much about them. The anticiapation that a toy might appear is enough to make him scattered. I don't want to dampen his enthusiasm but need for him to calm down. I might add that when we work at home with no distractions his behavior is the same. I'm thinking he thinks that training is a game and he wants to play.(since I've tried to incorporate a lot of play to make it fun) Would getting a little more strict or demanding (in the form of finetunning) help him understand that we aren't playing? Maybe he misunderstands what our training session are about? He's just been so easy and fun to work with but we now need to get serious.

I don't know that you want him to think you arent playing.Have you tried slowing your pace down a little and asking him to maintain a position like sit? Are you giving him the reward as soon as you bring it out or letting that anticipation build with it in sight?

When using a toy he gets it right away when he does what I ask. If I make him hold his position he almost start drooling in anticipation. The problem has been that if he see's that I have the ball or tug then his eyes will actually glaze over and he will look at nothing but that ball or tug. He is totally fixated on it. I have tried sitting him and telling him to "watch me" which he will do but his eye just keep darting from me to where he thinks the toy is. I wouldn't be too bothered by this but when we trialed for his FO he was marked down for his excitement whining and it took him a little while to settle and work so we lost some points there. In Nov we will be going for his OB1 and I just need for him to be a little more controlled without loosing his great happy attitude. Might have to settle for a happy attitude and not worry about losing points as long as we pass.

Don't use food, use the toy to your advantage. Make him earn it for correct behavior! I would only use the toy with this dog. Don't forget....... time before distance