Hot dog! Or: When “LOVE” strikes …

Many owners of male dogs can tell you a thing or two about it. In particular, intact boys” already smell it 1000 miles against the wind, if there is a female dog in heat somewhere. As soon as the smell hits the dog, “automatic“ mode starts in many male dogs: They HAVE to find this female dog NOW!
Receptiveness? Recall?? Loose Leash Walking??? Negative … The male brain is as it were out of order. *Your call cannot be connected.*
The dog owner is standing there: out of the picture, hardly perceived by the dog and all the hard-trained signals are forgotten. 

Some humans take it personal. They are annoyed and frustrated, and think that the animal has to be made to see reason. Therefore: “Loom Sharp! Pinch! – It serves him right!“ 

The question arises: Since when can a living being consciously control its hormones? And how should positive punishment then work at all? Can the hormone-controlled male dog be influenced thereby permanently?
Somehow, of course, one has to get through this situation and time. And yes, this is very stressful and annoying for humans … But let’s try to understand the dog with the little hearts in its eyes and accept that the behaviour of the dog is only hormone-controlled and NOT a conscious one! Unfortunately, training does not help much here – no matter what type of learning you use. 

But what else can help everyone involved? First, if feasible, the dog should be kept as far away from the female dog as possible. If he likes, he may follow her trail. This way he can satisfy at least a tiny bit of his needs. But only if it does not make him even more agitated!
In addition, areas should be avoided in which the female in heat is out and about. Sure, on the doorstep this is difficult of course … Maybe then in the car and drive with the dog in an area that is not “contaminated”? 

As management tool, in order to reach the lovesick guy at least a little, and to get him slightly more approachable, the conditioned relaxation of our toolbox is quite helpful! *eeeeasyyyyy*
“To train it away” is not possible …
These again, are just a few of a variety of ways to help the dog.

You can find further information and links on this topic [in German] here:

Frühlingsgefühle beim Hund

Christiane Jacobs – SprichHund: Hormonknödel

Brigid Weinzinger – Denktier: Frühlingsgefühle beim Hund

Konditionierte Entspannung

Dr. Ute Blaschke-Berthold, CumCane Easy Dogs: Die konditionierte Entspannung beim Hund

Dr. Ute Blaschke-Berthold, CumCaneHundemagazin.ch: Take it easy – konditionierte Entspannung

Lina Stranghöner – Hey Fiffi.com: Ruhe in der Kiste – Konditionierte Entspannung

Alexandra Lange – 4Pfoten on Tour: Konditionierte Entspannung: Entspannungssignal aufbauen

Gaby von Känel, Alpakafarm.de – Markertraining.de: Mein Zauberwort: Konditionierte Entspannung, Teil 1, Teil 2

Petra Techert – Pfotenlesen: Konditionierte Entspannung im Hundetraining

Belohnung – Umweltbelohnungen

Piri Stechauner – Schlawienerhund.at: Die Ablenkung ist dein Feind? Mach sie dir zum Freund – mit Umweltbelohnungen!

Nerina Aupperle – CaneSance: Über Sinn und Unsinn von Futter als Belohnung

Carolin Hoffmann, Nicht nur Hund – Trainieren statt Dominieren: Klickertraining funktioniert nicht

Tina Schwarz – Tina-Schwarz.de: 3 Tipps, die Deine Belohnungen verbessern

Carmen Sternberg – Hundeerziehung-online: Belohnen aber richtig

Dr. Ute Blaschke-Berthold, CumCane – Easy Dogs: Motivation, Bedürfnisse und Verstärker beim Hund: Top20-Belohnungsliste