One of our GSD (Fritz) is always excited and continuously runs around in circles while yelping in a high pitched tone.

We have tried everything- short of quieting him down with medication which we do not wish to do.

Fritz recieves a great deal of exercise daily- 2 one-hour runs behind a bicycle, jumping over obstacles on our grounds behind the house, and the usual runnning after balls and toys. Our other GSD receives the same and is exhausted at the end of the day. Yet Fritz acts as if he has been totally inactive!!! If this continues, our entire human family will probably join Fritz and run around in circles as well!!!

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPP, PUHLEEEEEEEZZZZEEEEEE!!!

Arun, When you say always excited and running in circles - do you mean ALWAYS or at certain times like when you get home?

 Quote: Barbara Schuler

Arun, When you say always excited and running in circles - do you mean ALWAYS or at certain times like when you get home?

Or when he knows that it is time to go outside for a run or play?
Or does he do this just while hanging out in the house?

We need more info.

And also, what exactly have you tried to change this behavior? That might be helpful as well.

Barbara & Anne: Many thanks for your interest in this matter!

We have constructed a large pen (30X25) for our 2 GSDs' in the garage. That's where they are at night. Most of the time I am always at home, as I am retired and potter around in the garden and the house. I would say that Fritz displays this behviour only when he anticipates something:
when one of our human family members greets the GSD's in the morning
whenever we are about to go outside- be it for play, run, walk, or to let the GSD's relieve themselves.
when its feeding time

The only time Fritz is quiet, is when all humans are sitting down and are quiet as well. Heaven forbid that someone gets up or moves around; that is when Fritz immediately jumps up to make sure we know that the earth is round.

A short history:
We have two GSDs. One (Fritz) who is American and the other (Sari) who is German. Both are 2 years old, and arrived here at about the same time when they were 6 months old. Both were kept in dog crates to begin with. Whereas Sari remained calm, Fritz walked around the box in circles. After the two were house-trained I constructed a pen in the garage in order to provide them with more freedom.
As I mentioned in my initial post, both GSDs' receive more than adequate exercise. We feed them twice daily (mornings 66% and evenings 34%) with Orijen Dog Food (Adult, Fish & Regional Red alternately). Although Both GSDs' have a pedigree, we know little of Fritz's early history (first 6 months), as we got him from our veterinarian who informed us that he was the last of a litter from a breeder in Georgia, and that no one wanted him. He looked so sad and his behaviour then was so timid, that my wife insisted we take him home. Sari arrived a few days later from Germany and both dogs immediately fell in love with each other and are now inseperable. We still do not know which of the two is the dominant one, as they seem to share that distinction between themselves.

Anne, we have tried the following:
1. to corner Fritz at the first indication of him beginning to circle.
2. the "Sit, Lie, Stay, Heel, commands in German.

One more piece of information- Fritz will not easily relinquish anything that he has in his mouth; be it a ball, a tug, stick or other toy. It is as if he has moved to a different plane. His eyes glaze over and it is impossible to get the object out of his mouth without force or twisting his head to its snapping point. If he does let go he will immediately snap at it. I have lost the nail of my right big thumb in this manner. This was a year ago, and the nail is still trying to grow! On the other hand, I can (which I seldom do) take his food away while he is eating or even add some delicious tidbits with my hand to the bowl without him even growling. This also applies to Sari.

It is possible that most the information I have provided you with might be superfluous, but we are at our wits end. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

Once again, a big "thank you" for your prompt replies!

Do you mind going into more details about what your training schedule is like.


For example, I do no formal training with my dogs or any activity right now, but I spend at least 10 minutes every day with the clicker and some treats, just working their brain.

For many many dogs 10 minutes would not be enough.


Also the not letting go of objects can often times be fixed by teaching two ball or trading for another object.

Edited by Jennifer Lee (08/12/2010 01:06 PM)
Edit reason: missed info in first post

Jennifer - this is what we know so far about his exercise:

"Fritz recieves a great deal of exercise daily- 2 one-hour runs behind a bicycle, jumping over obstacles on our grounds behind the house, and the usual runnning after balls and toys."

I think this can probably be handled with some dedicated obedience training and determination on your part, but I'm interested in hearing what other folks might say.

Several TRAINING sessions daily using markers and yummy treats. REALLY reinforce his obedience. Start making him sit before going outside, sit before you put his food down, sit to be petted, etc... He doesn't get anything without working for it. This is then going to include coming out of his pen. If he is spinning and howling and won't sit (ONCE you have reinforced this under lower levels of stimulation) walk away and ignore him. Wait ten minutes, go back, tell him to sit, walk away if he doesn't.

I'd also suggest making sure you are using a negative marker for behavior he offers which is incorrect. If Falcon starts offering me behaviors I'm not asking for I simply say "nope" in a happy voice. If you start doing this in your sessions daily, and then offer the same "NOPE" when he is spinning - I think it will start to click.

He can't be rewarded when he is spinning. Period. That was yesterday, but from now on he has to be a calm pup to eat, to go outside, to what ever.

It MIGHT help to always have a SHORT with no handle lead on him (18") while retraining this so that you can physically stop the spinning and get his focus back on your command.

Also - it might be helpful to teach something simple like "touch" (your hand) - THAT simple command might be easier for him to follow instead of sitting when he is so up. Touch is a more fun thing and might work...

Hope something out of this helps!

Jennifer,

We do basic dog obedience training with our GSDs' for 4 periods a day of 5 minutes each per dog in the morning.

We have tried two ball or trading for another object with absolutely no success whatsoever with Fritz.

Barbara, many many thanks for you input
Would it help if I were to get my daughter to make a film of Fritz spinning like a top and put it on You-Tube for you to view?

Arun, not that I don't want to see it, I just don't know if it will give us any more insight... If we didn't know if it was a medical problem vs a behavior issue I'd say YES post a video, but in this case - which ever you want to do.

Tell us what you HAVE tried so far. Even if you think it was stupid, didn't work, or wish you hadn't tried it.