JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/15/2009 9:45 PM |
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Ok so I expected high energy but not like this wow Abby never stops and right now the weather sucks we are having storms daily with 30 + MPH winds and rain downpouring all day long. I cant take her for walks before or after my husband leaves or gets home from work as its dark out both times and I cant do it during the day cause I have my 2 year old that I can not take out in this nasty of weather. I try to wear her out doing tons of 10 -15 minute obedience or show training sessions but she still is bouncing off the walls. She after a 3 mile walk or even a 5 mile walk will be bouncing at the end of the walk (fast paced walk) and nothing seems to get her to slow down. Shes just wired 24/7 and when we go to bed at night she whines and cries and wont stop some nights. What can I do to wear her out so she is calmer in the house. If the weather wasnt so bad I would take her out and let her run in a field but I cant with the weather being so bad and no one to watch my son during the days.
I really need some help as she is just way more wired then I thought she would be.
Thanks in advance,
Jana |
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Texas Belle
Austin, TX
MH
Posts:4827
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| 11/16/2009 12:18 AM |
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| First, if you haven't taught Abby the find game now is a good time to do it. Hide a treat or toy and tell her to find. At first you will have to start easy by hiding the treat in the same room and let her see where you hide it. Make her wait and then tell her find and let her go. Progress to more challenging hiding places. Most dogs love this game and it makes them use their brain and nose. Also, get into a routine with her. Dogs love routines. Finally, use the crate and make it a place she loves, then use it to give you and her some breaks. She needs to learn to turn that energy off and on. Although these dogs are high energy, they should be able to stay quietly in a crate when we ask them too. |
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Bev Quarles, the Pointer Sisters (Belle and Halo) and the Outlaw GSP (Johnny Ringo)
Yellow Rose GSPs
   
"A dog has the soul of a philosopher." --Plato
"..It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.." --Samuel Adams |
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JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/16/2009 6:01 AM |
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Thanks Bev will try the find it trick she loves to use her nose so hopefully this would help. She loves her crate (if she goes in it when I tell her she gets her Kong filled with peanut butter and food) so she loves going to the crate I can send her from any room in the house and she races wagging her tail the whole time its only when I leave the room she definatly has become bonded to me and even when I run to the store if I dont take her she will whine and cry at the door till I get home (my husband says screams) and if I have to give the baby a bath or I go to bed thats when she will whine. Shes fine if I am in the room but doesnt like when I leave. She will stop eventually but she has waken up the baby many times by whining so loud.
I wish we where having better weather as she would be getting a 3-5 mile walk everyday but I have also been under the weather the past four days with a major tooth abcess and infection thats into my neck and jaw getting the tooth pulled today so hoping I start feeling better soon but right now feel pretty lousy.
I am hoping once we move it will be better as she will have a much bigger yard to run and play in even when the weathers bad (she will be able to come and go as she pleases into the back yard and house) so hoping that helps but thats still a few weeks off.
Jana |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:1165
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| 11/16/2009 6:54 AM |
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| I didn't read all the posts, but I have a puzzle ball that has treats in it and it keeps my busy and he loves it! |
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http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2553
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genview.php?id=2554 |
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MelB
MH
Posts:991
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| 11/16/2009 8:15 AM |
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I got lucky in that Xara is not that high energy. However my Sniper always was and still is. He is like your Abby. I can take him on an hour long jogging trip and when he comes home he's still ready for another 20 miles. I did what you are doing. Tons and tons of obedience work, and I also did a lot of tennis ball fetch in the back yard. When the weather is bad we do lots of tennis ball fetch up and down the hallway, or even up and down the basement steps!!! The steps are about the only thing that will wear him out, and even then a 20 min cat nap is to him what a full nights sleep is to most dogs. Playing with Xara helps his energy level A LOT now, thank goodness!!! She can wear him out in an hour with the zooming around the house and wrestling matches.
Do you have steps you could toss a ball down? Or even as I said tossing it down the hallway a few dozen times wears a bit of the energy out. Now that Sniper is approaching 3 yrs old he is calming down some, but he's still one huge bundle of excess energy. |
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MegC
Ellensburg, WA
MH
Posts:986
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| 11/16/2009 8:36 AM |
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If everything else doesn't work and you can sneak 15 minutes outside, I'd take her tire dragging. Round up a small car tire from the ditch, the local Les Schwab, etc., drill a couple holes in the tread, thread a rope loop through it. Then harness Abby up w/ a 6'- 8' rope clipped to the tire and take her for a walk.
FIVE MINUTES EVERY OTHER DAY TO START WITH MAY BE PLENTY. Also watch feet/nails for wear.
And sympathy for the little kid/bad weather/GSP bouncing off the ceiling thing... it's not easy. |
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Megan
+ Dulcie (Lehmschlog's The Right Spot) + Rogan (Lehmschlog's BR Rogan) + Anya (Lehmschlog's Anya O Conchobar)
Intro to harness sport/mushing- start here! |
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newnenglander
SH
Posts:57
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| 11/16/2009 8:48 AM |
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I second the "find it" game (we use a favorite toy + tug of war when he brings it back). Also, when we have bad weather we feed lots of extra treats/meats stuffed in various kongs, bones, treat balls etc. Our boy is on the skinny side, so we feed quality extras liberally on bad weather days. Nothing like a kong stuffed with beef heart to take the edge off a wild mood. |
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JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/16/2009 12:37 PM |
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| Thanks everyone she has her kong and bones but those only keep her entertained for awhile the past 24 hours we have been getting 70 + mph winds and steady rain we are over 3 inches in the past 24 hours its been crazy bad weather the past two weeks had two nice days out of the last 14. Our front and back yards have 3 inches of standing water in most places we are under flood and high wind warnings right now. I will try the find it game and the tennis balls down the hall she plays all day but just never seems to get warn out LOL. |
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JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/16/2009 2:51 PM |
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Ok now that the yard is flooded I think she has figured in here by the fire is a much better place to be LOL shes been mellow mellow today and hasnt had a run in fact she runs out goes potty and comes running back in hates being outside in this weather so hoping she is learning being calm in the house is a good thing.
Shes a great girl though and learns things so quick her first show will be in 11 days 
Jana |
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david.marra@gmail.com
Posts:2
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| 11/16/2009 9:13 PM |
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| You ever think about training her on a treadmill? |
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JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/16/2009 11:39 PM |
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Shes too young to treadmill or at least I always thought with only being four months old. I have never started a dog on a treadmill before a year and a half.
Jana |
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pixie bee
MH
Posts:2488
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| 11/17/2009 5:52 AM |
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| Have you thought about tieing her to your leg,I put my foot thru the loop of a leash, and just teaching her to be calm? If she is unable to learn to manage her energy she will be an ADHD child her entire life. |
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Be the type of woman that when you wake up each morning and put your feet on the floor the Devil says -
"Oh Crap, She's Up!"
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genedit.php?id=2229
http://www.perfectpedigrees.com/4genedit.php?id=2230
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/17/2009 6:35 AM |
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The mental stimulation suggestions are great and will help.
But IMHO these dogs need to run plain and simple. The longer my GSP goes without a run of some sort, the more keyed up/mischievous she becomes. A 2-hour walk won't do it, but a good run or fetch session does the trick - even if it's just 15 minutes. Weekends are easy and this is when she does best. Work weeks are tough especially if there's a lot of rain, and now we can't go to the park after work because it gets dark, but running her at least every other day for about 15-30 minutes (mostly fetch, some training) in the rain if need be, definitely takes the edge off.
How old is your dog?
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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MegC
Ellensburg, WA
MH
Posts:986
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| 11/17/2009 8:22 AM |
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Egads, I didn't realize she was that young... Having flashbacks to Rogan at that age banking off the furniture, lol! I wouldn't see any problem w/ the treadmill at low speed for very short spurts (2-3 minutes at a time). If pupalupagus was outside she'd be doing at least that much activity anyway.
That's all assuming you're not flooded out or blown away by now of course. |
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Megan
+ Dulcie (Lehmschlog's The Right Spot) + Rogan (Lehmschlog's BR Rogan) + Anya (Lehmschlog's Anya O Conchobar)
Intro to harness sport/mushing- start here! |
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TessaGA
Georgia
MH
Posts:2079
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| 11/17/2009 9:12 AM |
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Oh, 4 months old - I think what you are looking at are the puppy crazies, and there is not much you can do about that, except ride it out. It will get better, of course, the exercise requirement will increase over the next few months as well.
Keep her busy mentally, play games in around the house, a dog to romp with would be helpful, keep training but remember their attention span at that age is short, so keep the sessions short and very fun - and put her in the crate for time out every so often.
Tessa was off the chain at that age almost impossible to control at times. Really wild especially around people. I did what I could but a lot of it was unsuccessful. My trainer said she's one of the dogs that really and truly just can't help it but that she will eventually come out of it. Tessa is now 16 months old and has calmed down considerably. A lot of people have lately commented on how wild she was as a pup and how much calmer she is now (although, I wouldn't say she is a calm dog per se - just more normal lively).
Good luck!
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To live without dogs would mean accepting a form of blindness. [Thomas McGuane]
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auwallace
Auburn, AL
MH
Posts:222
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| 11/17/2009 9:18 AM |
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| Lola isn't very high energy, but Lilly is a firecracker. But taking up jogging was the best thing for them and me. They get regular exercise (in addition to their regular romping) and i lost over 20 pounds. Its a win win in my book. |
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dieterthegsp
Cape Breton, NS, Canada
MH
Posts:415
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| 11/17/2009 12:06 PM |
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i know your weather is terrible but an off leash walk(run) is worth a million dollars to me...i make it a must to get out everyday for 40 mins to an hour.
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Properly trained, a man can be dog's best friend.
Videos
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JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/17/2009 4:01 PM |
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Unfortunatly with the weather being outside isnt an option but luckily she has decided being calm in the house is much better then being soaked outside not sure what happened but yeasterday when the weather was so bad she didnt even want to go out to go potty it was quick out and quick in and she is still high energy but much more controlled with some fetch down the halls and the find it game and then her obedience and show training we have been doing inside.
We have a little bit of calm today here in between storms so she got a run outside and that helped its kinda not the best time around here cause our fence is down to take to our new house that we should be moving into within a few weeks and so she cant just run but my dad said I could take her to his house and so she ran and fetched in his backyard today and that really helped. I know she just needs runs cause when she does she is great but when she doesnt ohh man she litteraly is jumping off of furniture and the walls.
Thank you everyone today is much better then it was so hoping the fetch down the hall and the other mental stimulation is going to help that and she has learned to love her crate LOL shes been in there most of the day with the door wide open (of course she has her kong and bones in there and knows our other dog Kenna will steal them if she comes out so shes a happy girl right now.
Thank you again for all the advice,
Jana |
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JLKShorthairs
Westport,wa
MH
Posts:143
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| 11/17/2009 4:03 PM |
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Forgot to add sorry i didnt get back quicker we had 70+ mph winds almost lost power and then had over 4 inches of rain just yeasterday in less then a 24 hour time period so just getting a chance to get on today. We have another storm even worse coming tomorrow.
Jana |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:1811
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| 11/17/2009 5:55 PM |
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I feel for you -- when we brought Bo home at 8 weeks, my husband's father was dying of cancer. Given all the running back and forth to the hospital, there were days I didn't think we'd all make it through. However, Bo was a godsend during that difficult time, especially for my husband.
Hang in there ... it will get better. |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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