over excitment

Hi James/everybody.
James would love to hear your opinion on what you constitute as over excitement and at what point excitment crosses the line into aggression or even dominance. I ask this as in all my years of owning/working dogs it has been my experience that pet owners so often fail to see or understand these behaviours and very often fail to differenciate between them. I believe this misunderstanding is very common in the pet owner.

Its a very good point you raise and its one that often makes me unpopular when someone asks me for advice on the matter if they have an over excitable dog.....as often its caused by living with certain types of humans....

In general I view over excitement as a sort of neurotic behaviour in a dog and not good for its long term health in mind, spirit or body....

There are a number of examples, some dogs left alone for long periods, owner comes home after a long day at work, the owner wants the 'unconditional' love they believe the dog gives after a hard day and gets a dog that is full of energy worked up to the point of a frenzy where they may even need to pee on the floor etc....

People getting the dog over excited when getting ready to take it on a walk and then wonder why the dog pulls them on said walk....

Playing 'games' with a dog that to the human looks amusing but gets the dog too over excited and as a result creates an obsession .....I liken it to people laughing at someone who is staggering along the pavement drunk or high on drugs during the day, people may laugh but in reality that person needs help......

I see people who have multiple dogs and or meet up with other people with multiple dogs.....the dogs are getting on fine and then someone decides for some reason it would be a good idea to get them all excited, this can result in dog fights within the pack or other dogs / people kids nearby, the dog or dogs then get the blame for something caused by a human....

Dogs that get no exercise / mental stimulation are more prone to being 'over excitable' especially medium to high energy types......the build up of energy has to go somewhere.....often in the form of an obsession, ie chewing up the furniture or playing constantly with a ball all day long etc....

There are other examples, I am not saying dogs should never experience excitement, but not to the point when it becomes neurotic etc

Thankyou James, that is near enough my view too but what bugs me so much is when owners think that their dog is just happy. They fail to see that a dog in a hyper state of excitment can so quickly turn the other way I must admitt Teller is prone to getting over excited [ keep in mind she is only 6mths], she is also high energy and is very intelligent. We have often said that in the wrong and lazy hands she could become trouble . From day one I have consentrated on manners, getting her to use her brain and appropiate exercise for her age and developemental stages. Her energy never seems to run out and at times she has made me feel quite old. Her eagerness to please sometimes works against her in training as it can verg on excitment so I have to be laid back with my praises, if you know what I mean? Teller is very, very quick to learn but like I said she is high energy and as a pup can be prone to being overly enthusiastic. Patience , firmness and contenuity[oops! spelling lol!] I know will bring much reward and a dog that I can be proud of. Having said all that I have met owners who have seen her and many say that she would be too much for them, being honest, I agree that she would be for most of them. She tries so hard, bless her and I wonder all too often how many breeders really know the importance of matching the right pups energy with that of the would be owners, fortunately mine did and I knew what I would be taking on and as you know I do the same with my pups. This subject is so dear to me as I see all too often pups being sold to anyone just to get rid of them and owners being dumped with an unsuitabley matched pup.

I agree that people think an over excited dog is a happy dog, hence why I am often unpopular when I tell them its the opposite....

If teller is a challenge for you then I also agree in the wrong hands or energy levels then she would end up being branded a dog with issues....

I also think over excitement can get dogs in trouble with over dogs as they can view it as the wrong behaviour and discipline / attack accordingly in the main to just try and calm the dog down, but often it won't be seen that way and the dog trying to 'help' will be branded an aggressive dog and all it was doing was trying to calm the dog down.....

I guess Teller has shown me more than anything how easy Ute's are and she has rekindled my love for the gsd of years ago, she is like them and not the stodgy show type. As for challenge, well all I can say is that she challenges my stamina and my dog trainning knowledge. I hope that I will do her proud X

I know you will......