Venice is a super biddable dog and gets really excited about working. Whenever I pull the clicker out and start a formal training session, she immediately starts throwing behaviors at me in rapid succession, barely waiting a second before trying something else. I don't mind this - usually she tones it down a notch once I start shaping something. But it's causing a bit of an obstacle right now.
I'm practicing pivot work with her - specifically, placing her front paws on a telephone book and pivoting around it, partly to build a stronger foundation for formal heel work and partly to build hind end awareness. She is so frantic to 'get it' that she is all over the place, constantly stepping/slipping off the book, pawing at it, backing up, downing on the book, etc.
She is obviously having trouble understanding what I want, but I think my timing is okay. Does anyone have any tips on showing a frantic dog what you want? Or how to adapt to that learning style? Do you get more success with luring, rather than shaping?
I'm practicing pivot work with her - specifically, placing her front paws on a telephone book and pivoting around it, partly to build a stronger foundation for formal heel work and partly to build hind end awareness. She is so frantic to 'get it' that she is all over the place, constantly stepping/slipping off the book, pawing at it, backing up, downing on the book, etc.
She is obviously having trouble understanding what I want, but I think my timing is okay. Does anyone have any tips on showing a frantic dog what you want? Or how to adapt to that learning style? Do you get more success with luring, rather than shaping?