Looking for advice. I have a female german shepherd puppy, she is 9 months old, I took her in because the previous owner didnt know what he was getting into when he bought her, She is all working lines. He got her when she was 8 weeks old and she became too much for him to handle. Instead of taking her to training he stopped contact with her. I took her cause I didnt want to see her go to the humane society. The main problem that she is having is she goes absolutely crazy for attention. To the point of jumping, scratching, biting your arms, legs, Just uncontrolable. I can get her to settle after a bit, but she will get re-excited very easily. She is also very stubborn. Once I can get her on the leash she will heel and sit and work for me. If I take her off she is back on a rampage. Once I wear her out she is very sweet. She seems to be very confident, not shy or skiddish of anything that I have found. She is good in the house as far as pottying or chewing. I'm wondering is there a way to settle her and to stop this craziness? She will hurt you when she is in one of those rampages and dont realize it. She could be a good dog I think if I can get her turned around, But its to the point where I'm not sure how to do it. I think most of this is from being left without any disipline. I would appreciate any ideas.

 Quote: Debbie Dibble

Once I wear her out she is very sweet.

This dog needs lots and lots of exercise. Lots. A couple hours a day in the AM and probably the same again in the afternoon/evening/ Not walking on a leash (which of course is good, but unless it is a serious, power walking non-stop workout, it doesn't count in the wearing her out department...) Working line GSDs are not your normal house pet and she is telling you the only way she knows how that she is going crazy. She isn't being stubborn - dog's don't act/think like that. Somewhere along the lines she has learned/been conditioned that on the leash she acts one way and off the leash she acts another, but it has NOTHING to do with being stubborn. At nine months of age you are going to still have to be careful with types of exercise so as to not injure her legs/growth plates, but this poor dog must be given a way to burn off her energy. Are you planning on working her in Schutzhund or any of the sports?

Are you familiar with marker training?

I want to do training with her. I think she would do well if I can get her turned around. She seems very smart, Iwant to channel her energy to something positive but she gets so excited that I have to put on long sleeves and boots before I can let her out, she will injure me if I dont watch what I'm doing. I need to try to make her focus, but I'm not going to get anywhere until she gets some energy out and can settle down.

Are you familiar with Marker Training? It will help you train her to sit calmly to get her leash on.

Is she crated at night?

I know alittle about marker training that is what i have started with her, just little things like sit and heeland I mark her good behavior with the word YES and give her a treat. She is kenneled at night,she likes her kennel, but when I go to let her out she tries to come out like a maniac, I have been working with her on making her sit before I open the door and she will. But she is very hard to control comming out of the crate, I do see progress but it takes little right now for her to resort back to being a maniac.

I have a dog that I obtained in adult hood which exhibits some of the same behaviors you have described. And I think her motivation was the same, such a need for human interaction.

She has over the top ball drive and I have used that. Spin and run around all you want honey but the door to the kennel or crate is not going to open until you sit pretty. The first few times be prepared to wait her out---a lot. And when you go to open the door and she starts acting like a crazy loon, say no, drop your arm, and take a step back.

When she would exit I would immediately reward with a toy. High ticket item for her, and she couldn't nip me with something in her mouth. <grin>

With dogs like this I wait out a lot of behavior. They do not get my attention until they have "settled" for lack of a better word. They do catch on fast because your attention is what they want more then anything.

I do a lot of focus work with a ball on a string or a toy.

And I found that with this kind of a dog I need to keep my praise calm and soothing. If I use my squeaky voice I amp her up.

It didn't take long until this girl would search for her own toy in order to calm her self. I know not everyone agrees with me but when I have a dog figuring out how to control them self to give you the behavior you are asking I go with it and fade it out later if necessary.

As Barbara suggested lots of exercise, lots of Ob with marker training goes a long long way.

And with dogs like this I pick my training times carefully especially in the beginning. Guarantee that the one time you are in a rush is the time they will act like a friggin nut in the crate. Especially in the beginning you have to be very careful not to reward the "crazy" behavior. Hard to do if you are already running late for work or something.

thanks for the help! Just like with a child patience, patience and more patience, and consistency!

 Quote: Debbie Dibble

thanks for the help! Just like with a child patience, patience and more patience, and consistency!

Yes, patience, and showing/teaching her what SHE has to do in order to get what SHE wants. Acting stupid results in not coming out of her crate... calm behavior, she comes out AND gets a toy/reward! (As Betty explained really well.)

I bet she is a smart cookie and will catch on very quickly.

I was wondering if you have her in the yard and she starts to jump up and go crazy, can you just immediately turn around and go back into the house and shut the door on her? Then after a few minutes, start to open the door again and if she starts it again, close the door? it takes time but she may start to realize every time you come out and she is rowdy, you go in. She may stop her excitement.
I had to use this on Cody when going out side or coming in, well actually I have to use this on Cody regarding everything. He is very, very excitable and I am continually reinforcing that if he doesn't calm down, I won't notice him.
Just a suggestion. Is that picture of her? She looks much younger than 9 months there.
Sharon

I agree with Betty. It can be trying at times and some days you wonder if they are ever going to get it. But they eventually will. Cody gets it, he just gets so excited that he is in another world for a moment. Like this evening, a bee got into the house. He went nuts jumping and trying to snatch it out of the air. I got the bee outside in about 3-4 minutes, but that one incident hyped him up and the rest of the night we had to work on getting calm again.
I agree with the other posts too I bet she is really smart...starved for stimulation, and attention. And I have found that to be true, using any kind of excited voice with Cody sends him to the moon. i also tell people who are visiting not to use their "gosh you are so cute voice" with him or it begins again for the whole day. So, don't loose heart, I think you'll see it will work.
Sharon