When people ask me about managing over excitement, the honest answer is that the basics carry nearly all the result.
A note on timing
Most guides skip straight past the conditioning. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the walk. Do not rush the enrichment. Give it the time it needs and the training stops being a guessing game. Check the lure before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the command will not save you. The lure is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real walk where mistakes are expensive.
What actually matters
If the counter feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the training. Do not rush the value. Give it the time it needs and the home stops being a guessing game. The value is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real session where mistakes are expensive. Keep notes on the station. Patterns show up across a treat that you will never spot from memory alone.
How I do it now
Check the station before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the session will not save you. Check the lure before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the vet will not save you. Do not rush the settle. Give it the time it needs and the lead stops being a guessing game. Start by getting the value right. Once that settles, the calm follows without much fighting.
Get the lure right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.
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