waiting your turn in class???

Maybe the toy & stick wound him up more?  When I'm waiting with Caleb, I just do silly/trick things like "high fives", wave, paw, kisses, etc.  No real obedience stuff, but it keeps his little brain focused.

 Thanks for responding - he actually was so into all the other dogs and sights and smells that he didn't bother with the toy.  I did some tricks and down stays and heels etc but he seems to know I'm just trying to divert him, because he does it and then goes right back to doing what he wants to do.  And that is getting more and more stimulated.

We started yesterday's class with tremendous control and he was awesome.  There are young two dogs in the class that are barkers and fitful which aggitates Bugs.  They both were a nightmare yesterday so I tried to keep him more towards the calmer two dogs.  But even without all the stimulation B gets flat out bored and an hour and a half in a park with lots of human activity and dogs barking and lunging and mucho smells and nothing to do he is a nightmare.

He already has his CGC so this is just practice for us but when it was finally his turn - the sitting to be pet and standing for exam were more than his hyper butt could handle.  There must be some things that people with real high drive dogs do to get their dogs right back on task after waiting.

Thank you again for your input

An hour and a half is way too long to wait. Even Emma, the queen of going last, can't handle waiting that long. She's pretty go go go about training, but that's ridiculous. How many dogs are in the class? 

 There are 5 and we did a little work at the beginning and then she wanted to do a complete CGC for each dog - we went last, which was an hour and a half after we arrived.  I know it is excessively long but I was just wondering how you keep a dog that desperately needs to be doing something somewhat engaged when it isn't their turn.

Bugsy seems to know it's class and he is ready to work when we get there - but insert downtime and he's going to find something to focus on.  I know I can't entertain him for that long in a highly stimulating environment with more training so what can I do?

For our CGC classes when we do practices we do an exam or two at a time, so each dog only is waiting a few minutes max.  On the day of the test, the instructor has three people come right away and three people come 45 minutes later.

For other types of waiting, I use a crate and practice being calm in the crate with distractions.  Often I bring more than one dog to training and have classes back to back so one dog has to wait in the crate for over an hour.  In two weeks Nikon starts puppy and Coke is retaking intermediate so both will practice being in the crate while other dogs are working.  Beyond that, I agree with Jennie, I wouldn't expect my dogs to sit patiently for that long while other dogs are working.  OK, Kenya maybe but she's rare, lol.  That's why I take crates along, b/c the dogs are so contextual and I can use the crate (or a "go to the mat";) and proof it at the training club as a place to be calm and rest.

If I'm going to have to wait that long, Emma goes in a crate. Ena would do the same. I only work them for a couple of minutes to get them warmed up and engaged before running through whatever. An hour is too long. 

 Thanks both of you - a crate for him isn't realistic, just too non-portable and he does 'on your mat' but he is just not a dog that does nothing very well.  In our other class he can stayed on the mat for 15 minutes or so (always looking ready to leap into action) but even in that class one night he just got up and started to watch birds out the window.

Yes I know he is hyper and exceptionally alert however he could work for however long you wanted him to but in a stimulating environment relaxing isn't his style.

I am going to take him to the actual CGC exam just to see how he does in the waiting then working again.  

I'm not sure what our next class will be but I sure hope that he gets to be more active

Karen, have you considered trying massage on Bugsy?

When we were trialing with Bevo, if his turn wasn't until the end of the class I had pretty good luck keeping him somewhat relaxed by using massage.  I'd have him lay down on his side, give him a frozen kong to entertain him, & start massaging.  As our turn got closer, I would get him warmed up, & ready to work again. 

If Bugs is receptive, it might be worth a try.

Amanda, that sounds like a great idea!!  I have a kinda crazy dog who gets very antsy waiting her turn.  She loves to be massaged and just melts into the floor.  I will definitely be trying this

BEVOLASVEGAS

If Bugs is receptive, it might be worth a try.

I have done the thing where you massage sort of under his ears - I read that is calming

you can get quite large lightweight folding portable soft-sided crates. People with super-high-drive dogs usually don't get them out until a few minutes before "go time" because otherwise they just get wound up, and people with easily stressed dogs usually don't get them out until a few minutes before "go time" because otherwise they just shut down. It's good practice for actual trials where the dog spends most of the day doing nothing.

mudpuppy

you can get quite large lightweight folding portable soft-sided crates. People with super-high-drive dogs usually don't get them out until a few minutes before "go time" because otherwise they just get wound up, and people with easily stressed dogs usually don't get them out until a few minutes before "go time" because otherwise they just shut down. It's good practice for actual trials where the dog spends most of the day doing nothing.

Yep, that's what I meant when I said I bring a crate to class.  It's a soft crate, totally collapsible, the biggest size I could find so it would fit Buggsy (it's actually plenty big for Coke and Kenya, they could get in it together).  When I arrive I bring in my crate and purse.  If we're outside and it's hot I put one of those reflective blankets on the crate on the side in the sun.  Then go back to the car for my dogs.  Sometimes I even leave the crate at the club, if I'm not going to need it during the week.  Normally I wouldn't use a soft crate but in class it's a good chance to train the dog to stay settled and since I'm right there they won't be busting out.

 I use a pop up for Emma, too. It's very portable and easy to carry. If the puppy's coming, I still use a plastic crate, just in case. She'd fit in a shoe box, though....