# Attention Span



## Panda (Jan 7, 2010)

I am having trouble with Pandas attention span when outside (OK this has always been a problem). I took him to 2 courses of puppy classes (both 6 weeks long) and although I knew how to teach him all of the commands (which he knows very well) I never got ANY attention out of him at all in the classes as all he wanted to do was get to the other dogs and play. No food (he wont eat outside) or toy would get his attention.

Panda has now just turned 1 and we still have this problem. :doh:

When I take him on walks to a park and let him off lead he is actually very good at recall and as soon as I get his lead out he comes running back to have it put back on too. He will even recall away from dogs most of the time although I have to say his social skills are shocking and he tries to get every dog to play with him even if they are growling/snapping at him. Plus he gets big dogs to play with him and then screams as if he is being murdered when they do play as he is worried about getting trampled on (he doesn't hold back at all, he full on screams). 

In a training environment though he is just awful! I have just started taking him to flyball classes (first one today) and he was super quick over the jumps BUT on his return leg, instead of coming back to me, EVERY time he bolted straight past me and ran to a little cockapoo in the follow on team, stuck his head up her butt and started licking. He even ran over the jumps on thier side of the training area following her :rolffleyes:

Is there any training tips anyone has as to how to get his attention when there are a lot of dogs around? He knows the command watch but when there are so many dogs around he looses himself and you can see in his eyes he is completely over the top excited.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

Difficult if he is not into toys or food. Is there any food he really loves - chicken? liver? celery? Or a game that is the best thing ever? 

The only thing I can think of is to use life rewards. When he does as you ask, he gets to sniff the cockapoo (if she and her owner are willing). It does mean you need to find a way of controlling access to her, of course... A whistle, or some other signal he has not learned he can ignore might also help.

Finding some well socialised older dogs who will put him firmly in his place when he is rude might help, too.


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## Panda (Jan 7, 2010)

He loves treats at home and he loves to play fetch/catch but in a training environment, none of these trump playing with other dogs unfortunately.

At home he is perfect and I can get him to hold a stay even when I leave the room, leave his favorite toy or treat when thrown past him or perform his many tricks. 

I just can't maintain any level of focus/attention in a training environment which is very annoying as I would love to take him to agility after we get better at flyball.

He loves my liver cake at home but spits it out when outside. On a normal walk he will play fetch and if I get his ball out his attention is mine (although he gets over excited and if I ask him to perform a trick he does a super speedy impatient version of the trick or just reels off all the tricks he knows in quick succession)

Training classes however, 0 attention span, he gets completely beside himself with excitement.

Unfortunately I do not have any local friends with dogs otherwise I would take him round to socialize more. I know 2 people who are both an hour and a half away (I am actually visiting one next weekend) although no matter how much he gets told off by the other dog (he has rolled on his back crying many times from dogs reactions) he simply leaps up and continues what he was doing that was annoying. He never seems to learn his lesson.

I do actually have a whistle that I have never used so could try to teach him that the whistle means stop it.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Panda said:


> Is there any training tips anyone has as to how to get his attention when there are a lot of dogs around? He knows the command watch but when there are so many dogs around he looses himself and you can see in his eyes he is completely over the top excited.


Move him farther away from the "stimulus" (the dogs barking or whatever has his attention) until he is able to focus on you. Once he is able to work with you at a distance, then you can SLOWLY start to move closer and closer to the things that capture his attention. You are going to have to be more entertaining, enticing and interesting than the stimulus. You may have to spend your time far away from the other part of the class, but explain the situation to your instructor and use the class time to you advantage.


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## Panda (Jan 7, 2010)

I will go an hour early to class next weekend and practice this on the class that is run before me. I can do it every week and see if it helps. Once my class starts though I can't really stand too far away as otherwise Panda wouldn't ever get to run the jumps and learn flyball which I am really keen to do with him.

I hope I can learn to get his attention this way, it seems a good idea, if he gets too excited move further away from what he wants. The real test will be when he is off lead in order to run the jumps


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

Try other places besides your class. Maybe a pet store or places that dogs will be?


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## lcristi (Feb 27, 2011)

AgilityIG said:


> Move him farther away from the "stimulus" (the dogs barking or whatever has his attention) until he is able to focus on you. Once he is able to work with you at a distance, then you can SLOWLY start to move closer and closer to the things that capture his attention. You are going to have to be more entertaining, enticing and interesting than the stimulus. You may have to spend your time far away from the other part of the class, but explain the situation to your instructor and use the class time to you advantage.


yes - he needs to know it's time to work.
Also-try a squeaky toy to try to run the course-if your off-leash.


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## Panda (Jan 7, 2010)

I can try taking him to a pet store, I don't see dogs in there every time I go but I do sometimes. Last time I went in there he threw up everywhere and I haven't been back since lol! I will take him tomorrow though and practice getting his attention in there as even if no one else comes in with their dogs it still smells doggy in there and I can't think of anywhere better.

I am visiting a friend next weekend which will give me a great opportunity to practice as he is always non-stop over the stop with her dogs 0_o

I will have to see if I can find someone who is local to me who doesn't mind me going over regularly to practice with as I think that would really help training 1 on 1 and build up to being ready to tackle a field full of excited dogs ^_^


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## creativeparti (Mar 9, 2009)

You know what I'm going to say snip snip looking forward to seeing you soon


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## Panda (Jan 7, 2010)

Haha, yes I do need to get him neutered soon. He did have his head stuck up that cockapoos butt and was frothing at the mouth after he had been licking her. YUCK!

When I come down on Sunday we can have a go seeing if we can get him to be calm around your dogs instead of his normal reaction lol!


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## creativeparti (Mar 9, 2009)

Lol.. I'll have marigold as well can u meet me at mine in the morning..


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## Panda (Jan 7, 2010)

Cool, I look forward to it ^_^


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