My 2 yr old GWP has a habit that I'd appreciate opinion about: Walking off lead on a vacant beach, wearing his ecollar, totally excellent behavior. GWP crouches down...watches me a while...then launches an "attack" at me...leaps into the air at my shoulder height...RACES around me in tight circles, has been known to grab my coat sleeve with his teeth. At "sit" command he immediately responds by sitting. Make him sit/stay for a few minutes, signal him to "come" which he does and then he will Stop behavior. I gotta admit that this behavior makes me laugh and it was funny until he tore my coat. It has been going on for a couple of months. Is it a mistake to let him continue to do this?? (not tear my coat)....play in this manner....Is he "playing" ?

The longer it is allowed to go on, the more ingrained the behavior becomes. I personally would not allow my dog to jump up and grab at any part of me or my clothes. I'm not sure what you mean by "is he playing?".

Sounds like this dog has a lot of excess energy. Have you considered working in agility with him? (What types of exercise does he get besides walking on the beach?)

Personaly, I only allow this kind of play if I initiate it. Otherwise I tell my dog to sit as soon as she seems like she is about to start up. Just by being consistent with this she has pretty much stopped doing it.

I do roughhouse with my dog quite a bit, we chase eachother around and stuff all the time. But its only on my terms. If she gets too intense I will stop playing and she knows it.

At this point, she has learned that if she wants to initiate play its better to bring me something to throw or tug.

eta: Are you considering a remote collar to stop this behavior, or did you put it in this section by mistake?

Play behavior, yes! At 2 yrs old it's also the beginning of very dominant play behavior. He's testing you leadership skills.
He doesn't need a "sit" command he needs a "NO" command.
When that happens it should be "NO" and all games stop!

"wearing his ecollar, totally excellent behavior."
Of course he is! You physically controlling him but that doesn't mean he's trained!
Nothing wrong with the ecollar. It can be an excellent tool but to many use it in the place of good leadership and a good connection with their dogs.

Come to think of it, for me "No" comes before I tell her to sit in this situation. So the sit is just an alternate behavior to cool her heels, and completely optional.

Great post, Bob, as always! I love when you are around.

 Quote: bob scott

Play behavior, yes! At 2 yrs old it's also the beginning of very dominant play behavior. He's testing your leadership skills.

I would like to hear more about 2 yr old dominant play behavior and its relationship to leadership skills. Even when a dog responds well to "NO!!" and has pretty good pack structure and routine, there is still often a new uppity thing they will do in play from time to time (at least at my house).

I am sure it is always a work in progress, but tips to get better are always great. And I guess, more importantly, how long does all the testing last?

Often times it's nothing more then a spoiled dog that knows it can get away with being an ass but that doesn't make it a dominant dog, just a spoiled ass.
Two yrs old is about the age that dogs, males in particular, mature and start pushing for position. Depends on the dog of course. Some will, some never will but working line dogs and breeds noted for aggression are more apt to.
As to how long, that's also dependent on the individual dog. Some only need one "talk with god" discussion.
I've had only one dog in my lifetime that continued to challenge me till the day he died. Uber dominant with more then a touch of nucking futs. At that point in my life all my ass kicking did with that dog was piss him off. One of those dogs I look back on with a "what if" on my mind.
IF your leadership skill are good and you've raised the pup from the get go then the chances are much less of it happening.
I prefer a dog with a little gunpowder in it's ass. I guess that's why I had terriers for so many yrs. That and I tend to be very demanding in what I expect and soft dogs are a pia (for me)!
That doesn't mean I physically over power my dogs. It means I out think them.
My temper/lack of patience has set my dogs back on more then one occasion. That's on me but also the reason I love, love, LOVE marker training. That's taken 90% of my issues out of the game.
Leadership comes from understanding what makes the dog tick and being just a teensy bit smarter.
Leadership has absolutely nothing to do with physical power over a dog. That's nothing more then control and some dogs are more then willing to keep looking for that weak spot.
Why pick a fight with a dog that loves to fight?!!!!

 Quote: bob scott

My temper/lack of patience has set my dogs back on more then one occasion. That's on me but also the reason I love, love, LOVE marker training. That's taken 90% of my issues out of the game.

Leadership comes from understanding what makes the dog tick and being just a teensy bit smarter.

A bit too long for a bumper sticker, but really, really worth understanding and remembering. So many of "our" (mine) issues are not relevant when using a non-threatening, non-confrontational method of training and being mentally engaged with our dogs.

Bob, go give yourself a high value reward.

 Quote: Bob Scott

My evening computer time is usually with a big bowl of ice cream broccoli or a quart of milk cup of green tea and a couple of sleeves of Oreo cookies ounces of tofu.

Spoil yourself a little, Bob