[Greater Swiss]

I mentioned in another thread (in response to someone else), that there is a particular spot where Caeda goes WILD, it might be a scent or something, but that isn't really the issue I'm asking about (I know I've got some desensitization and training to do on being appropriate there). It happens in a couple other circumstances too, I try to ease into them, but sometimes things just sneak up. Its her frustrated zoomies I'm wondering about.
What I think I'm seeing is frustration, she wants to do something (who knows what!), that being on the leash (sometimes flexi, sometimes regular) doesn't allow. She'll occasionally get bitey during this, but thankfully her inhibition is great so she isn't bearing down, she runs back and forth to the ends of the leash, no matter what the length and gets really defiant and ....well.... frustrated. Doesn't listen, luring doesn't work no matter what the treat, tug/play is a bad way to go, it seems to feed the craziness. I don't think this is simply need for exercise....it often happens towards the end of a good length walk (it could be tiredness).
So, what is the appropriate way to deal with this? Sometimes I can't get her to calm (in a reasonable amount of time, 3-5 mins or so), so the only real option (that I could see at the time) was to basically just shorten the leash and deal with her frustration and manhandle her out of the situation. I don't like this....is there a better way, keeping in mind that toys and food don't have much effect?

 

[qingcong]

How long do these episodes last? I sometimes deal with this type of craziness when walking other dogs. When my dog was younger he got worked up at the fall leaves flying around and would go nuts chasing them. To me, his reaction to leaves was fine. It was really funny and he would eventually get tired of it, and it didn't create problems later. These days I can trigger some zoomies by splashing leaves on him just as easily it can be turned off and the walk proceeds as scheduled.

I think you're probably aware, but the flexi leash is an impossible tool to do leash training on. When the dog goes crazy at the other end of the leash, I just kind of ride the wave. I don't try to make it stop or do anything to get the dog's attention, it's like a modified "be a tree". I'll maneuver around to keep the leash loose and then just let the dog hit the end on his own. If the leash is tight then you trigger opposition reflex. Eventually the dog will stop when the crazy behavior doesn't accomplish anything.

 

[Greater Swiss]

When we're really lucky it'll last about a minute and then she'll calm down.....I can tell its her trying to act nicely, rather than being happy not zooming around. Often it'll last about 5 minutes before I get truly fed up (I've got to get to work or whatever and just can't wait!) and do the super short leash awkward wrestle away from wherever it started.
Yeah, I know the flexi isn't great for training....other than training her to be allowed to sniff and wander a little extra on walks while not going too far. If she weren't so good 99% of the time on it she would never get to go on the flexi-walks, but she very obviously loves them, so do I, and they do wear her out WAY more. I'm using that as an alternative to a long line, simply because it doesn't get quite as wrapped in the bushes and saplings. We're working up to some off leash walking/playing (some day!), and will go to the long line once I'm more confident that she is keeping an eye on us and less prone to distraction.
I'll try your modified "be a tree" and hopefully next time she does it I won't be in a hurry to get back home so I can see how long it takes to wait her out.

 

[wvasko]

Well if your religious, prayer may help.

 

[nbsandhills]

I'm kind of going thru the same thing, but I think we are learning how to get thru these times.

My golden, Dug, seemed to have hit a phase where all of a sudden he is scared of everything - he just turned a year old. Kinda like a spooky horse, he just looks for goblins everywhere and then goes bonkers bucking and jumping. Usually there is no warning, he just goes nuts! The other night he freaked out over a spider web that was blowing out of the weeds into our path... lol!

"Being a Tree" does seem to help. I just stop and wait for him to quit acting up, plus he has to sit calmly by me for at least 2-5 seconds, then we can move on. This appears to also be teaching him to "check in" with me more frequently as well. Last night and this morning, we actually had uneventful walks. We even had a prairie chicken that was trying to bait him (thats when they take off acting all injured and sqwaking like crazy - usually to get you away from their nest) and Dug looked at me, evidently saw that I wasn't worried about it, and we continued on.

Good luck!

 

[Greater Swiss]

It'll take more than 2-5 seconds for Caeda to calm down...but the idea is the one I'm going to follow. She didn't get them so bad when we went by the particular "zoomy spot" last time, she just got really into sniffing and didn't want to come along. I gave her a minute or two to sniff and when she finally came to me on her own I praised her hugely.
I just LOVE her exuberance, but its when its inappropriate (and dragging me around!) it gets hard to handle....I just don't want to do the wrong thing that might extinguish some of it. In addition to being a tree for her zoomies I think I'll do some major tug and fetch with her any time she makes it past that spot nicely (or at least reasonably). I think its a major crossroads for deer and moose wandering the woods, so I'm SURE there's tons of awesome scents there. And/or if she sits at that spot nicely I might allow her to lead me for a few minutes on a sniffing spree, maybe work on getting her to sit on command in the middle of it for more sniffing. Maybe I can manage to do that before she gets TOO worked up. I think she's getting super aroused by the scents then getting some leash frustration by not getting to follow them.