I thought that I'd been making good progress with Tara's obedience (I'm not very experienced, but she has been progressing much better than Bramble :) ). The last month she has been very flat at classes - I can't even get her from a down to a sit - she just lies on the floor as though it's all too much effort. She's OK at home. Any suggestions for perking her up without getting her hyper :)

Daisy

Hi Daisy,

Just a thought but could the classes be too boring and predictable for her as opposed to when you're training with her in different locations and on a more random basis?  I took my youngster to her puppy party/socialisation course (great environment, well run and controlled interaction, basic obedience and also involved *baby agility* and all sorts of games etc for pups and owners alike :) )
Anyway, long story short, but few weeks later after puppy course was over I took her to four consecutive obedience classes - aimed at pet owners with youngsters - by third class she was flat and uninterested and by fourth one was obviously bored to tears :(  Looking around I realised that was the case for virtually ALL the pups (up to 6 months) - there just wasn't anything very stimulating happening so she's not been back since and had her happy go lucky and interested attitude back within a week!

Your classes may be different of course to that described above - although the one I attended comes highly recomended and is run by a member of the APBC - so good for hyper/problem dogs but definitely not for happy go lucky dogs that don't need behavioural modification :(

HTH, Regards, Teri  :)

Are other dogs in the class giving her 'the eye'?  She may be reluctant to do anything as she's reading other dogs body language.....

Tara doesn't have a problem with any of the other dogs in the class :) She is just switched off and doesn't seem to respond as she used to, although at home she is much, more responsive. I don't use tit-bits, just her ropey toy as a reward after an exercise. She is in the top class at obedience (she is nearly 3) which are run by a member of the BIPDT. Although the classes aren't run primarily for competition, some of the dogs in the class are at a good standard and do compete. We do a variety of exercises and each dog is expected to perform at their own level.

Thanks

Daisy

I found my old boxer would switch off. His sit stay consisted of him laying on his back and paws in the air, then rolling from side to side. Funny to look at, but the trainer had a very low opinion of boxers and said what could I expect from a boxer. The fact he would stay there until I called him was over looked.

where do you go daisy i have had real trouble finding suitable classes for max and the one i attend is a really awkward time and i would love to find another

I'm having exactly the same problem with ellie at the moment, shes 2 and we have been going to fun obedience classes since she was 8 weeks. She is very good at most things, shes the youngest in her class, (the advanced fun and games class), and gets very excited to go in. But when we are in there, she will do what she is told, but inbetween she just lays down and sleeps. We do lots of differnt things, flymouse (smaller version of flyball,) some small bits of agility, tricks and advanced obedience. IT is clicker training usually using food (in her case liver cake.) But i still can't wake her up. The strange thing is that she is the youngest by far, and yet the older dogs are much more lively that her!

Tara is the opposite at agility - she gets a bit too hyper and I am working hard to stop her barking with excitement :D

Daisy