For the most part, I think our home has a very calm assertive energy. Our kids are a tad wild at times of course, but my husband and I are careful to always give off a good energy..especially around Vader and when working with him. My in-laws are visiting today and he has been a different dog. He has been whining nonstop and is very on edge and anxious. We've tried everything to get him to calm down, and eventually we had to put him outside on the back deck in his crate because we couldn't talk over his high pitched yapping. Even his bark collar isn't making a difference. In general, my in-laws are very high energy, excitable people who really don't have a clue how to act around dogs. They have two mini schnauzers who are completely out of control and hyper. Vader has met them before, and he always has the same reaction no matter where we are. Is it possible he's feeding off of their crazy excitable energy? It's not that he wants to play with them or anything..in fact when let out to meet them he pretty much ignored them. I have had calm strangers visit before and he barely pays them any attention. We only get this reaction when people who are naturally excitable and high energy visit. Any ideas what's going on? It's getting to be quite a problem....

 Quote: olivia brown

For the most part, I think our home has a very calm assertive energy. Our kids are a tad wild at times of course, but my husband and I are careful to always give off a good energy..especially around Vader and when working with him. My in-laws are visiting today and he has been a different dog. He has been whining nonstop and is very on edge and anxious. We've tried everything to get him to calm down, and eventually we had to put him outside on the back deck in his crate because we couldn't talk over his high pitched yapping. Even his bark collar isn't making a difference. In general, my in-laws are very high energy, excitable people who really don't have a clue how to act around dogs. They have two mini schnauzers who are completely out of control and hyper. Vader has met them before, and he always has the same reaction no matter where we are. Is it possible he's feeding off of their crazy excitable energy? It's not that he wants to play with them or anything..in fact when let out to meet them he pretty much ignored them. I have had calm strangers visit before and he barely pays them any attention. We only get this reaction when people who are naturally excitable and high energy visit. Any ideas what's going on? It's getting to be quite a problem....

When my in-laws came to visit last year, my mother-in-law wanted to do the high pitched "hi, how are you, what a cute boy, come here, let me pet you, blah blah blah blah" and was annoyed when JD wouldn't come anywhere near her. Her husband, however, sat quietly on the floor and allowed JD to come to him. She also couldn't understand that even though she'd been at the house the day before JD would still bark when they arrived. I slowly got her to understand that quiet, calm energy is what will work, not the excited baby talk. It made a difference. Of course, I'm sure we'll have this same conversation the next time she visits :-)

Calm, quiet energy.....

Oh, and JD is not allowed to come up to anyone that is visiting without being told it is ok. He's made to lay quietly on his bed or wherever I put him and not be a pest. (Mom also didn't understand this requirement, either).

However, they also have a Mal (not really the dog for them, but that's just my opinion) who is totally wild in the house for the most part. She gets the excited energy 100% at their house and far too little exercise or training. This just reaffirms my thoughts.

I think energy from any person whether it be family or friends can effect the dog. We try to keep a calm assertive energy in the house (and outside) and I have a few good examples. My dog Maggie is a pretty excitable dog, she loves people and LOVES dogs. So here we go again with the in-laws ... my mother and father in-law can come in and they start petting excitedly and using some of the baby talk and Maggie is excited and hyper. As soon as they relax and sit on the couch she is as mellow as ever. Now Lynne can come over and ignore Maggie for a few seconds and she is calm. It really depends on the energy and introduction, no matter how many times they have met.

That's pretty much what I think too...we've tried to explain to them how to act around him, but they don't get it. They are just like that naturally and I guess they give off a vibe that puts Vader on edge.

 Quote: olivia brown

That's pretty much what I think too...we've tried to explain to them how to act around him, but they don't get it. They are just like that naturally and I guess they give off a vibe that puts Vader on edge.

Yep, I agree. Mom is one of those "bigger than life" boisterous people and doesn't always get that quiet and calm will get her farther. She always comments on how much calmer JD is than her female Mal but after my original discussion with her about why I didn't think a Mal was the dog for her and that I thought she was way in over her head, I leave her to her own devices. Rather than figuring out and handling problems herself she relies on taking Shiloh back to the breeder or friends to get her "straightened" out. Of course, she's done no real training with her, either, and has a very heavy hand with her as well.

Again, I stay out of it

I love it. All these naughty in laws. I take my dogs to my parents house all the time. When Koenig gets out of line, Mom or Dad will holler 'PLATZ, KOENIG!' Works like a charm.

I kinda like it that my dog gets so amped up when I'm around.

And if he isn't, I'll slap him on the sides and talk real excited to him to make him that way.

High energy people are a great fit for high energy dogs, IMO.:wink: Why not? Makes sense.:smile:

Lol, Dana. My parents are pretty dog savvy. I'm lucky!

 Quote: Kelly Byrd

Lol, Dana. My parents are pretty dog savvy. I'm lucky!

Sigh.....mine only THINK they are