In an effort to get some more self control on Kenzi, I've enrolled her in a basic OB class.

She is awesome, drivey and fun to work with. She is also a spaz that looses her brain around lots of people.

She has had quite of drive and focus training (Michael Ellis style) and her ADD has vastly improved. She has pretty nice OB at home.

First class was yesterday. Only 2 other people with dogs (perfect!) I went in with a pocket full of HV treats and a prong collar. She was a spaz at first (as I expected). But by the end of the class I was getting some very nice loose leash walking.

Now I'm forming my plan for the rest of the class. I think I'll get there early and take her into the corner and calm her down so we start in a better frame of mind. I'll also create a spot for her in the corner that I can take her to "chill" if I see her getting too amped up. The instructor was talking to her a bit yesterday, and practicing meet and greets. I'm going to ask her to change that to just walking past me since any sort of attention starts to amp Kenzi up. I'm aslo going to ask if she is fine with me criss-crossing the room so I can work Kenzi close to her (people!!) when I see that Kenz is nicely engaged with me.

Boy does that sound familiar. That's exactly what we had to go through with our Bailey in her OB and agility classes. If others beat us to the class, she would go nuts entering the facility and seeing everyone all at once. Had to get there early and do our own drills to get her focus going and to calm her down. Eventually, she became comfortable with everyone coming and going but it was a battle at first.

Good luck!

 Quote: Greg Meyer

Boy does that sound familiar. That's exactly what we had to go through with our Bailey in her OB and agility classes. If others beat us to the class, she would go nuts entering the facility and seeing everyone all at once. Had to get there early and do our own drills to get her focus going and to calm her down. Eventually, she became comfortable with everyone coming and going but it was a battle at first.

Good luck!

Yep...
Same exact experience with my dog at the schutzhund club, and I used the same approach. I would let her check everything out (including a visit to the potty area), then do some OB. When people and dogs would start to arrive, we would move off to one side and work on desensitizing. I would literally sit next to her, reassure her, and redirect any reactions with "look"s and treats. Eventually we moved closer to the crowd, and then I started working on putting distance between her and I. This evolved into our "long down under distraction" training.

Check out Dr. Karen Overall's Relaxation Protocol - if you google it, you can find the steps. It was very helpful in teaching my spaz to settle down

You know Greg, I've always suspected that after the two BCs that I now have that I'd be ready for a Malinois if I wanted one...

Looking back, my first dog was perfect and made me look like a training genius. Now I know SO. MUCH. MORE. but you wouldn't guess that by looking at my dog. Well, most of the time. She is generally good, just very intense and, well, spazzy and easily gets to the point where she moves a step ahead of her brain. And not the amazing blend of perfect that my first dog was.

Seems getting there early wouldn't condition them to the stress. Thats taking away the stress.

I would try this, instead of going inside, just sit outside off to the side of the entrance, don't give any food reward, just pet & praise until they calm down. then go in after the other dogs arrive.

When you enter, go slow, if they get over excited, turn around and go back a few steps (or even all the way back to the car) then wait for them to calm down. Try and make the dog perceive that unless they stay calm, we don't go in.

Also start going to parking lots and walk around, and you local pet stores everyday, places where you dog can go inside and there is the same kind of activity.

I used Pet Smart with Tibby & Fritzi. Once I got them inside we picked an aisle and just sat there until they laid down & became completely calm. Then I would walk them around the store. They still get a bit excited but it does not last as long.

Still in all it takes some time, just be patient, every dog has a different level of anxiety.

 Quote: RC Dennis

Seems getting there early wouldn't condition them to the stress. Thats taking away the stress.

I would try this, instead of going inside, just sit outside off to the side of the entrance, don't give any food reward, just pet & praise until they calm down. then go in after the other dogs arrive.

When you enter, go slow, if they get over excited, turn around and go back a few steps (or even all the way back to the car) then wait for them to calm down. Try and make the dog perceive that unless they stay calm, we don't go in.

Also start going to parking lots and walk around, and you local pet stores everyday, places where you dog can go inside and there is the same kind of activity.

I used Pet Smart with Tibby & Fritzi. Once I got them inside we picked an aisle and just sat there until they laid down & became completely calm. Then I would walk them around the store. They still get a bit excited but it does not last as long.

Still in all it takes some time, just be patient, every dog has a different level of anxiety.

Actually my goal is to take away as much as that environmental stress as possible to begin with and start her in a calm/focused frame of mind. If she is in there and in work mode, then the people come in, she'll be much more likely to stay in "work" mode judging from past experience. So I'm not avoiding the stress, I'm adding it to an environment that she's already adjusted too.

We've been to 3 classes now and have a 4th later this week.

Last week I worked Kenzi in just her flat collar and the instructor asked if I had run her on a tread mill before coming to class. So I think that means things are going pretty well

I used a clicker instead of "yes" last week since she is used to both. I think the clicker actually worked better for her - sharp, distinct noise was good.

She is still quivery, excited and a bit over the top, but I can engage her and I can get calm focused behavior to build on

It's so different watching Kenzi in comparison with the other dogs in class. She's a lot of dog to handle and she keeps me on my toes, but because of all the engagement/focus foundation work that I've done with her, it's working. She is into the concept of learning and wants to work even though the environment is a challenge. And other dogs are still like "just what are we doing here?" Part of it is definitely the breed, but a big part of it is the engagement foundation.

"I used a clicker instead of "yes" last week since she is used to both. I think the clicker actually worked better for her - sharp, distinct noise was good".


I believe the clicker is much better for beginning training for the very reasons you stated. "Sharp, Distinct noise was good".

People will say that "You can't always have a clicker in your hand". Fair enough but the switch over to a vocal marker is sooo easy for the dog. Many here do both. I'm one of them!