I had 3 requests for issues associated with jumping this week.
Door greeting manners are one of the most common and easily modified behavioral complaints of dog parents. If they nip it in the bud soon enough.
The biggest problem here is when we unsuspectingly allow our dogs to go willy-nilly and allow our friendly puppies and dogs to greet people without knowing they might jump up on people. There are usually two responses that will occur with the general public jumping, either they greet your dog and pet your dog while your dog stands on its hind legs leaning on the guest, or the guest tries to train and scold your dog while your dog jumps on them. These two methods are not the best to prevent this unwanted behavior
After your dog has been reinforced to jump even once, it has become a habit. The best way to re-teach your dog not to jump up on guests is to do some awareness to teach them what you want versus what you don’t want them to do. This means you have to manage the environment. Your dog must be on a leash when expecting guests and drag one. You should also have your treats close at hand, your dog should be well seated for guests, your dogs cannot be allowed to jump on people, this means you should also be a few feet away from people and he must be very well managed. Please don’t let your dog jump on people. It is up to you to control this behavior. Once your dog is trained and conditioned to sit politely for guests repeatedly, this will become his new behavior. Please don’t allow them to have a setback by relaxing and thinking that after just three repetitions of a nice greeting, your dogs aren’t going to jump up on people. The ways of old behaviors are too fresh and it takes dozens of repetitions for an old habit to be replaced by a good one.
There’s a fancy word for behavior modification called “history management,” and it means “preventative medicine.” This process is all about setting your dog up for success. For example, you know you expect company. You take your high value treats, you put the leash on your dog, you explain to the guest that the dog is in training and please wait, you ask your dog to go sit down asking him for a high value treat and keep him on a leash and prevent them from jumping up during the visit. (High value treats are real cooked meat or soft dog treats, not dry biscuits.) Release them when you’re calm. If they have too much energy and can’t help but jump up, put them in a crate or pen in the same room with something to chew on. The crate or pen should not be a punishment, but an area where the dog can be part of the activity and be safe from unrefined impulse control. Let them out when they are calm and try again. And repeat.
If you have a question about training or behavior, please email me at HappyLabLady77@Yahoo.com
Make it a Pawsitive day!
Val Stallings CPDT Behavioral Coach
Wags of Wisdom: Or food for thought. Can we do something to help dogs in Ukraine?
The DailyDog: The Daily Dog are this week’s ‘Daily Dogs’. They are roommates and meet Jax on the right and Arlo on the left. They were spotted doing very well at their mothers workplace. Their mother Tucker says these two are the best loyal, intelligent, protective and courageous dogs. They will play at dog daycare and with their cousins, go hiking and they are great hugs. Tucker says, “this breed is a challenge that requires consistency and discipline, but it’s worth it.”
I think you did a great job with Jax and Arlo and it shows.
If you would like to send a cute photo with a description or a short story about your favorite furry friend, please send it to HappyLabLady77@yahoo.com