Try focus training. Start small. Start in a quiet area. The idea is to keep her in a situation long enough to sort of get bored. Have somebody walking behind or beside you, but not too close. She’ll probably be pretty intense at first, but just keep walking. Don’t sit still because then she is already bored and will focus more on this other person. Keep walking around the area, keeping the same distance between you and your training parter. As you sense her attention start to break make her sit. Hold the treet up and wait for her to look at you, even if just for a split second. Reward her every time she focuses her attention on you. As she starts to build her focus you can start pushing for her to focus for longer periods of time. When she starts to get that down move to an area where you can be around or encounter other people. As you walk practice getting her attention when people or other dogs walk by or as your walking by the soccer field with kids playing. Once you can get her to focus on you and sit and lay down, even with other people around, up the ante and take the training back into your back yard. Start with her on the leash. Walk around the yard, up and down the fence etc. It may be a challenge to your training at first, but just remember to reward her for even the slightest shift in attention from the dog to you. This type of training desensatizes dogs. They will be more relaxed and happier if they learn to focus on you rather than the dog across the fence or the bike rider in the park. The important part to remember is that it is a lifestyle. You can’t let your dog’s focus wander wherever on walks then expect her to pay attention to you at home, just because you want her to. Teaching her tricks is a great way to get her attention. As for the play, try time outs. Our dog Kaos is the same way. He is very energetic and has an issue with self control. We taught him the command, “Kennel Up.” When the command is given he goes into his kennel and waits for us to tell him to come out. The kennel doesn’t have a door, so this excercise needs to be trained for. It took a little while for Kaos to understand that he got sent to his kennel when he wasn’t socializing appropriately, but this training has worked FABULOUSLY!
