Gigi's Over the Top Prey Drive Conflict vs. Responsiveness, Focus and Control

There is a need to deal with Gigi’s present efforts. She is too over the top on Hillmann's excitement approach. When we first started the early puppy chase "stuff" it was rather obvious after about a week. Eyes glazed over, possessive, shakes and thrashes anything she could get a hold of. I have never had one this driven to "kill" whatever she goes after. She is about 50 pounds now. When "fetch" is involved she is too wild deal with...up close.

I did throw some short remote winger singles for Pounce the other day. Afterwards, I brought Gigi out to the line. She was very steady....did not move at all.....waited for the releases and marked well. On the returns, about ten feet in front of me the situation falls apart. The beast mode appears. It is hers and she is keeping it. Hillmann describes this issue. There are many “parts” to a completed retrieve and each must be taught separately.

I have spent a lot of time working on remote sits on a ten foot lead holding a bumper and returning to heel. Her prey drive is the off the chart. It is not just a fun game for her....it is the "thrill of the kill" and it is intense.

For some extra perspective, Grady pups evidently are slow to mature and being too wild and crazy is exactly what "we" do NOT need. Instead of ramping up the excitement with a dog that becomes overwhelmed with it......I am beginning to realize a need to NOT push her to the brink because hers is too high.......right now.

The above was a first step in clarifying the issue.

The next morning Gigi was "aired". The adjusted approach was based on taking advantage of what she does well and minimizing the present issue.

 I recently (just a few days ago) purchased a "giant" Flexi-Lead (part of the plan). Her remote sits are solid. I can sit her anywhere and walk away. However, a long rope is pretty much useless when Gigi comes “flying" in.

We began indoors and warmed up with the heeling routine around the pool deck. There is a two foot platform she will jump on, a sixteen foot elevated 2X12 to heel along the full length, an Avery dog hide she enters, turns around and lays down inside. Twice around was the "warm-up".

Then on "sit" she took a bumper on "fetch" and we repeated the above (not the hide) with “hold” being the main addition....no issues. She was then put on a sit and I walked away the full length of the Flexi-lead" and did “here”, “heel” and front “sit”. No issues then repeated it in the opposite direction.....three more times......a good bit of praise was interspersed. She is good with this because it is already a set of conditioned responses.

Then we did two more in the grassy area behind the house (some distraction proofing) with no bumper. She does not get all wiggly and excited about any praise.....but her tail is wagging some. I am fairly certain that if I had flipped a bumper out "the other animal" would have surfaced. I am thinking lots of reps in this mode may provide some balance....probably weeks not just a few  (simply trying to get the beast to begin following some alternatives). The "issue" is not her fault. Never had this issue before (not even close).

Hillmann's program essentially requires a trainer to adjust and do what the dog needs.