Help with Brutus Please!

[critter crazy]

Okay, here is the deal. Brutus is a great dog, and I love him to pieces, but some things concern me. I am not concerned for me, but for him. He came from a very abusive home, and has been adjusting quite well. He is still pretty skitish about certain things, but has greatly improved in the months we have had him. His headshyness has also improved, once in a great while you will notice it, but not like bfore where you couldnt move your hands at all without him ducking. Anyways, the problem with him now is his excitement level over affection. I realize that to him affection is like a gift from god, compared to how he was treated before, but he just gets way too excited! Now matter hom many times I pet him a day, each time it is like the first and last time!! He goes bannanas!! He loves to be patted, and will do anything to get as close to you as he can, even so much as trying to jump in your lap! For a Rpttweiler, that is alot of dog, in your lap! Anyways, it just seems to not get any better. He piddles everytime he gets excited, so Of course he piddles everytime to gets petted! He gets tons of excersise, even to the point where he passes out! but if you wake him up, and call him over, it is just like he hasnt seen you in months, and goes insane!! the point of all of this is, how can I get him to calm down some?? I am afraid he will have a darn Heart attack!! Thats how excuted he gets!! Shoudl I even be worried about this?? do you think he will calm down at all on his own?? I have never had a dog so starved for affection before!! And boy is he starving!! Any tips or Tricks?? I just want my boy to be happy!! That is all I ask of him.

The other concern is tied into his excitement level, how the heck can I train him when he gets so excited?? I cannot get him to calm down enough to work on things like stay, laydown ect... which I need to teach him, as a rottweiler, and their bad hips and elbows, I want to be able to place him in a lay or sit stay command, for when i am busy, other wise he will ge up and down everytime I do, and it just isnt good for his Joints. Rottis are renowned fro their Velcro status, and with all our other Rottis a sit stay was Imperative to ensure good joints. Otherwise they will just wear themselves out, by being up your butt, litterally! Any tips or Tricks??

we have had Brutus for 3 months now and he is 4yrs old.

I hope this makes some sense, as I seem to have babbled again!

[anna_66]

Well as a big dog owner with a very excitable boy I understand your delima. Just the other morning Bon was so happy to eat breakfast he jumped up and hit me right in the bread basket Knocked the wind right out of me!
I ignore him every morning, don't say a word, but he still does it. So believe me, I know how you feel.

I'm not sure if this is of any help, but here's what one website says. Needless to say it doesn't help me...but it might you

http://www.petdoctor.com.au/2005/07/12/training-tips/

Also taking him to school would probably be great for him, if he gets along with other dogs that is.

Good luck!

[Freedom]

Try this; maybe you already have.

You start to give him attention. The MOMENT he starts getting wound up and excited, you stop. Just do not move, do NOT look at him, breathe slowly and calmly, and wait. May take 3 or 5 minutes the first time, but when you stop responding he will HAVE to slow down as well. (Won't he??? LOL) Just stand there in a calm comfortable pose, looking anywhere but at him. It will take time for you to figure out what is the FIRST indication he is getting excited. Is it an ear movement? A head tip? A front paw that lifts as he gets ready to bound and bounce? Once you figure that out, the instant you see that signal you stop midstep and WAIT. Once he slows down and wonders what to do next, you calmly say, "Good boy, Brutus." Not an excited, "Good BOY, Brutus!" Give him a small pet and WALK AWAY. Until next time.

It will take some time but this may help. The hardest part is finding that initial cue that he is ready to rock! Good luck.

[Giselle]

I agree with Freedom.

Easy answer is to ignore him when he gets excited and reward him when he's relatively calm. You may feel mean ignoring him, but if you pet him when he's bonking you upside the head, you're rewarding him for being overly physical. All dogs are allowed to be excited. That's normal and healthy. But bumping into you, demanding to be in your lap, and excitement urination are not healthy behaviors. If you ignore him when he's excited and reward him when he's calm, he will stop peeing and the other behaviors will subside.

Re: training - same thing. At one point in your day, Brutus is at a controllable level. Train him during this part of the day (late evening may be a good time). If he's getting overly excited, cross your arms, look away, and ignore him. Train him when he's gotten a grip on himself. Tough love

Also, the process of getting up/laying down repeatedly will not necessarily exacerbate arthritis. It may cause pain, but it's not necessarily "bad" for his joints the way you were describing. Running on concrete and stairs and strenuous exercise may impact Brutus' joints, but getting up/down has very little effect on the joints themselves.

[lizbud]

You've gotten some good advice here already. I think the 3 words to
remember with training are, "exercise,discipline, affection ". Try to see that
he gets lots of excercise to wear him out & training on obedience (commands)
every day, before he earns affection.

I don't know what you think of Cesar Milan's ideas about dogs, I think he's
got it right with the order for successful interaction with our dogs.

[critter crazy]

Thanks for all the great advice!! I will do my best to Mkae Brutus a Happy, but well behaved boy!!

Anna- I would love to take Brutus to a Obedience class, but The problem I have run into with Owning rotts, is that there just isnt anyone around here that will work with them! and the few Places I have found that will take them are places like Petsmart! I dont feel confident that Petsmart would be of any help for us, except for Socialization, which I already do!

Gisselle- I have had many Rotts, and every single one of them had Hip, elbow and spine problems. I am just being cautious, there is no harm in that. I want my boy to live a long and happy life. This is the problem with Rescue dogs, it is pretty much guranteed they came from BYB's, so their health is always an issue. and on top of this, we do have some concrete floors, as well as many stairs.

Lizbud-I just Love Ceasar!! He is my Hero!!