We bought a trampoline for the kids Much to Hazard's dismay. He has always been "excitable" with barking and pacing when there is boisterous activity that he is separated from, but is generally good at calming down when given a "relax" command.

The trampoline has become is nemesis today. Seeing Owen (youngest child and Haz's best buddy) bouncing inside an enclosure and not being able to get close has him in a frenzy- pacing yipping, going through every ob command he knows on his own trying to get me to let him in! I anticipated a little bit of the pacing as it is his nature to be active when something new is going on, but not quite to this extent.

For now, we are successfully doing a few easy commands with Owen sitting still on the tramp, combined with tethering/distraction and avoiding the yard during peak jump time, but is there anything else I should be doing? Just covering my basis. Don't want to flood him.

Fatigue? Tired dog before peak jumping times might be my first route.

Oh yes He is well exercised before we've been heading out.

Is there a distance you can get him from the trampoline with kids jumping on it where he is able to stay calm? This might even be out the yard and down the sidewalk! If there is any such distance, you can use that as a starting point for him to see kids bouncing on the tramp and not reacting. Once he experiences being relaxed at that distance, you could start by walking him away from it, and then walking closer to it. See if you can get closer than last time, before he goes over threshold, increase the distance and reward him for getting the distance he needs to stay calm, and doing that without barking.

This is a very rough approximation of the BAT technique - without knowing what the functional reward is that he is seeking - Is it protective/alert barking because the kids have been swallowed by an enemy net enclosure? Is he feeling separation anxiety at being left out? Is he over aroused by the energy level? Squeeling kids voices? Once you know what he is trying to accomplish with his barking, you can work on desensitizing him to that - getting used to the sound, knowing everything is okay, when we go in the enclosure we come back out and he gets rewards for staying calm, etc.

I have been practicing BAT with my reactive dog - basically he perceives any change in the environment as a threat that must be driven off - by teaching him we don't have to panic, that crow, cat, siren, wind, kettle boiling, etc. do not pose a threat and we can stay relaxed. We always have to start with enough distance so that he can get instruction.

When you get your dog to 'relax' is he really letting go of the tension in his body? Or is he assuming a position (like a sit or down) that would be a relaxed position if his eyes were half closed and he had no tension in his body?

i was going to say what Jenny said.

Take the dog on a lead away from the trampoline to his "calm zone"
to the point where he will focus on you and not the trampoline.
Does he focus on the trampoline if no ones on it? Is he obsessed by it only when people are jumping?

Thanks Ladies. It would have been difficult for me to take him away (out of the yard) with kids jumping due to lack of supervision for them as my husband is only home for about 4 hours long after the jumping has ceased this week. It's planting season
I did figure out by observation that is was a combo of escalated excitement that he wasn't taking part in and a perceived lack of my leadership. He didn't get that even though I was all over the yard cleaning up, I was still managing my "flock". Once I stopped moving, sat near the trampoline and gave the kids dirrection, he was fine. Laid down and watched calmly. When I started working again, I put a long line on him so he could be near the kids, but not circle them and he stayed relaxed.
I'm thinking that we have some pack work to do. Teaching Haz that even when I am not 100% focused, I am still 100% in charge of the situation Fun.

Nice work, Amy! Aren't our dogs amazing creatures?