# letting pup know playtime is over?



## njk (Jan 11, 2014)

Hi, just looking for advice on how to let a pup know enough is enough? it's easy enough when it's fetch or tug or whatever, but my girl has a particular love for her flirt pole. She goes nuts when it gets brought out and just won't accept when it has to go away. I think she'd keep going til she passes out if she could! I thought maybe using her favourite treats would help so when I went to take the flirt pole inside I said "no more" (I've consistently used that term and I'm pretty sure she knows what it means, maybe not?) and then handed her a treat from my pocket. She didn't even see the treat, looked around it at the pole and couldn't take her eyes off it. When I tried moving away she followed and kept jumping in the air grabbing at the flirt pole. She ended up nicking me on the finger accidentally. 

I'm not sure how to penetrate her mind when she's like this? her love of the flirt pole has been a great help with her training, as she's not very treat motivated, but perhaps I should retire it? TIA


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

We need to train our pup THROUGH their high drives, why the flirt pole is great.

So you don't want to stop using it to train.

When 'the game' is over (and, BTW this is YOUR game with YOUR rules, so hopefully you've been practicing your 'sit' 'down' 'stays' using the flirt pole) you just calmly put it away (I would put it out of sight (closet) and then go on with life. If you need to calm your dog for awhile by crating her after so she gets the 'time out' and chill then that would be fine too.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

You end play time near a laundry room or closet, and, as said above, calmly put it in there. Mark after the toy is out is sight, so she can understand. 
I usually mark with, "OK, that's enough." 


Many times I tell him to get in the pen so he can settle down and rest. 
You are in charge, the toys belong to you, and get put away when you want to end play time.


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## njk (Jan 11, 2014)

Cheers guys! yeah, the flirt pole goes into the laundry cupboard but we play with it outside. So it's getting the pole from outside back into the laundry without her jumping all over me lol we do all the basic commands while playing, and when she catches the toy she's quick to let go and sit and wait for her next command so we can keep going. She just doesn't like the "no more" command, and she makes it clear. Her jumping in general is a bit of an issue, but our friends and family are co-operating in helping us try and get it out of her (turning their backs and ignoring her when she does it) but she's very much a 'me me me' pup. Just wasn't sure how to correct her when I have the one thing she wants haha I will try saying "no more" after I put it away, I've likely just been going about that wrong so she hasn't learnt what it means.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Then bring a large trash bag to put it into when you're done.
I think people talk to dogs expecting them to understand English, or whatever human language they're speaking.
Heck, it takes humans at least six years to understand the language well and (maybe) do what they are asked.
A good friend of mine shared what a trainer always said: 'Dogs do what is best for dogs."
So if she jumped on you and got more flirt pole, you just taught her that jumping on you will get more flirt pole.
Maybe you could try putting away the pole immediately if she jumps on you. Keep it far enough from your body that she doesn't touch you.


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## njk (Jan 11, 2014)

We've had success with her jumping when we get the flirt pole out. When she jumped, I'd turn around and put it back in the cupboard. So she's been quite good when we get it out, she restrains herself quite well, she just doesn't want the game to end. I played with her earlier after I posted here and I put the pole over our gate when we were done, as it was right behind me, and said no more. So she didn't have time to jump, and she sat staring at the gate for awhile before coming back to the door to come inside. I went later and retrieved it and put it back in the laundry lol I'll take it one step at a time. Thanks again, I'll let you know how we're going in a week's time.


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## njk (Jan 11, 2014)

Update: so since I've posted this I've been using the words "OK enough" when it was time to stop, and I'd been putting the flirt pole behind the gate near where we play. Then I'd point to her water bowl and tell her to have a drink. Yesterday I said "OK enough" and straight away she walked over to her water for a drink. She did it today as well. I hadn't even put the pole away. Also, when I get the pole out now she goes straight to the grass area where we play and sits patiently waiting for me. It's amazing this change, I love it LOL thanks so much for the help guys, I definitely feel like it's my rules now


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