Thanks to this web site we are making strides every day. Here is another issue that concerns me. When I go to get the leashes for Jeter and Dakota Jeter goes crazy. If he is in the crate he starts to whine and scratch at the bottom of the crate. Once I put on his leash he goes bananas whining and running around the living room until I get him out the door. Lately what I have done is make sure to have him in the crate and when he starts to get crazy I direct him to "wait". he will sit and wait until I open the crate and put his prong collar and leash on. I would like to wait until he is completely relaxed but that doesn't happen. he will sit still when I ask him to "wait" but he is shaking a little and I can see he is holding back a ton of energy. Outside once we are walking he is so focused and into the walk that if we stop (he sits immediately ) he shakes and whines until we begin to walk again. In the winter it is impossible for me to get him out every day. I have a 30'X 30' run that I built for him and Dakota so I get them back there and exercise them as much as I could. I also have a treadmill. it just seems that he is so pent up. If we see another dog he starts to pull towards the other dog in an aggressive way. I can put him in a sit and get him to focus on me but he shakes and whines. Thoughts?

Sit on a chair across the room from the crate - watch some TV while you clean / condition the leashes, take your time - do it several times a day. Put your jacket on and drink some coffee, put your shoes on and sit on the sofa.
Basically you having a leash in your hand does not mean that he goes out.
Maybe start tethering him to you for periods of the day.

Keep doing variations of this - he should eventually calm down

The shaking / whining could just be excitement or there could be anxiety too. Hard to tell without seeing it.

That's a good idea. Doing all the activities involved with going out but not actually going. I will try that. Can you tell me about this tethering? This is not the first time this has been suggested to me. You are saying that I should tie him to me? Please explain how that help this particular issue...thanks

 Quote: tanith wheeler

Sit on a chair across the room from the crate - watch some TV while you clean / condition the leashes, take your time - do it several times a day. Put your jacket on and drink some coffee, put your shoes on and sit on the sofa.
Basically you having a leash in your hand does not mean that he goes out.
Maybe start tethering him to you for periods of the day.

I'd suggest the same tactic, though I think there are 2 things going on here. A. Jeter needs to be conditioned out of the direct "leash in hand = imminent walk" scenario (using a method like Tanith's) and B. Sounds like Jeter could use more exercise . I know it can be hard to find time to get an active dog out and about for lots of tiring activity every day, but the truth is, an active dog NEEDS an active lifestyle, or any number of unwanted behaviors can develop as a result of stockpiled energy. Can you run or bike with him? Can you work a few more rounds of fetch into his schedule?

And as far as working on getting him calm before you go out - this is a perfect place to use markers. Yes, let him see you with the leash and collar at random times and stop jumping straight to the excited "walk" conclusion, but also start marking for every millisecond of calm behavior when you actually ARE getting ready to go out. Sounds like you're somewhat working on sitting and waiting, but keep at it, integrate markers, maybe even ask for a little OB routine in the hallway, to get his focus on you and away from the anticipation of EVERYTHING going on outside. I'd consider sitting and trembling a step in the right direction, if you used to deal with spinning, crying and barking.

~Natalya

 Quote: Alec S. Garrison

That's a good idea. Doing all the activities involved with going out but not actually going. I will try that. Can you tell me about this tethering? This is not the first time this has been suggested to me. You are saying that I should tie him to me? Please explain how that help this particular issue...thanks

I suggested the tethering as another way of reducing the value of the leash. Dog is leashed to you around the house, maybe in the garden for yard work or whatever - none of which means that he gets a walk but he does get to go near doors with the lead on and as it happens often it has little / no value.

I do bike with them. In fact I will take them both for a bike ride and because Dakota is not as high energy as Jeter after our bike ride I will drop Dakota back at the house and take Jeter for a all out sprint ride. He loves to run and it seems he never gets tired. I want to put some pics on this sight so you can all see my dogs but I cant figure out how. I am not as computer literate as some of you so can someone give me simple instructions??

Alec, I'm sending you a PM about images, so we don't detract from the thread...

But as far as exercise goes, if it feels like you're already giving him a good daily work out (excellent!) then the work on avoiding excited freak outs before walks will come down to the conditioning and marking for calm behavior.

~Natalya