[Manders]

I have an aussie mix that is an attention hog. She often "demands" my attention. If she is not getting what she wants, she will swat at you with her paw. It really hurts even though she doesn't intentionally mean too do harm. Has anyone had a dog with this issue and how did you deal with it? The only thing that I know to do, based on what I've read and researched, is to ignore her anytime she "demands" attention or otherwise you are rewarding bad behavior. But this strategy hasn't worked for her paw swatting. She still does it.

[Cracker]

Ignoring can work sometimes..but I prefer to give the dog an alternative behaviour and teach it to them.
For example: You are working at the computer and the dog is pawing at you (ASSUMING he is not trying to tell you he NEEDS something..like to go potty)..you train him to "go to his mat" on cue. If you train the behaviour of "go to your mat" and reward it heavily (using treats and then letting him have a bone or stuffed kong while he's there) he will be much less likely to bug you..as he has something better to do.

A lot depends on when and why he does the pawing behaviour. In many cases pawing is an appeasement behaviour...something dogs do to say they are worried you are angry or frustrated with them. Context is everything...when exactly does the dog do the behaviour and what PRECEDES it?

[TooneyDogs]

I'm with Cracker in teaching an action that WILL get your attention.
I taught my dogs to get a tennis ball if they want to play. If they just want attention/petting, they sit politely at my side or, most often, right in my face but they do it politely.

[TxRider]

Originally Posted by TooneyDogs

I'm with Cracker in teaching an action that WILL get your attention.
I taught my dogs to get a tennis ball if they want to play. If they just want attention/petting, they sit politely at my side or, most often, right in my face but they do it politely.

ROFL..

Then you get a tennis ball tossed in your lap constantly..

I guess that's better than claws though.

[meandean]

lol.

the only dog in our circle of friends that paws is a dog that was taught to shake and "give 5". the dog has been taught that touching the paw to someone is a rewarding action...so i don't know if this may be a problem??

[MelB]

I created a monster with my springer teaching him to give paw! He does that very thing now. He wants my attention he swats me. I tell him "off" (in my house off means all 4 on the floor) and if he fails to get the hint I either turn my back or stand up and walk away and refuse any attention until he sits nicely and waits for me to pay attention to him. He's learning, slowly.

[Euphemism]

I seriously regret teaching my pup to shake. It took him literally less than 5 minutes to master both paws. It was kinda weird. Easiest thing I've ever done.

It taught him how to use his paws though, very bad. He paws at everything. He is teething and he still would rather punch his toys around to play with them than chew on them. I just don't get it.

The flying two pawed punch isn't much fun either.

That and he paws at other animals when he wants to play with them, and I feel like this is a bad behavior that needs fixing now!

[TxRider]

My GSD Hope does it as well since she learned to shake and high five, BIG feet with big claws... She doesn't do it so often, normally when she's escited and trying to gain a toy or treat but you certainly know it when she does because her claws are out in grip mode.

My new girl Kaya is just a natural pawer, she cheats when I tell her to down if I am kneeling down or sitting sometimes, and puts both paws on my leg and sorta hits the "down" position with both paws up on my leg... She paws me for everything, attention, a toy, food, or just as an appeasing gesture all the time which I hope wears off over time... After Hope's monster claws it's not such a big deal though.

Luckily Hope usually appeases with a toy offering or other gesture.

[Manders]

Cracker - Let me go into more detail. Naomi is an Australian Shepherd, a breed that tends to be velcro dogs. She is a classic example of a velcro dog. She follows me from room to room. She won't even eat if I'm not in the same room with her sometimes. She is always by my side and would be perfectly happy if I would or could pet her every single second of the day. I've never spoiled her. She came this way when I rescued her. Naturally, she got very attached to me. Ironically, the behavior does not occur when she actually needs something.. like to go out HA HA. We're still working on teaching her to "tell us" when she needs to go out rather than just walk around aimlessly until we notice or assume that she MIGHT have to go. A good example would be when I'm at the computer. Just the other night, right before I posted this thread , I was checking my email and she was sitting next to me and then hit me in the face with her paw... like someone else said... big paws with big claws backed up by a pretty large aussie mix really hurts. I never even see it coming because she is such a gentle, timid dog. She doesn't paw lightly. She smacks at you one good time! For this very reason, I was advised by a trainer to never teach her to shake, and I haven't. So the behavior literally only happens when she wants my attention.

I like your suggestion of teaching her an alternate behavior... I have tried to teach her to sit for pettings. Like, when she gets pushy I will ignore her until she sits quietly and patiently and then I will reward her with lots of love and attention. It has definitely helped matters, but she still will come out of nowhere and hit me or guests sometimes, always when we least expect it.

I find the idea of appeasement behavior very interesting. I haven't heard of that. I have trouble reading Naomi. She is one of those dogs that looks sad almost all the time. I don't know if she really looks sad or if it's just me projecting lol. Don't hold me to this because like I said I'm not very good at reading her, but to me, she seems like a nervous, anxious, scared dog. A dog that is very insecure and constantly needs my approval, love, attention, reassurance. She is unlike any other dog I've ever had. She is almost always calm and gentle and quiet so I could just be mistaking good dog behavior for "sad," "scared" dog behavior.. LOL.

Any further thoughts you or anyone else may have on this matter would be appreciated. If it is appeasement behavior then what do I do? How do I build her confidence and independence if she is lacking in those characteristics.

[TxRider]

You could try an aversive method as well, like grabbing her paw every single time she does it and holding it until she is as uncomfortable with her paw being held onto as you are about being pawed.

Could make her decide to experiment and find another behavior, especially if you reward her when she does.

[ColoradoSooner]

Our rat terrier does this, too, and it drives me nuts. I typically ignore him until he quits, then make a big fuss. But husband thinks it's adorable so he just keeps reinforcing it. Argh! Luckily it doesn't hurt (unless you're laying on the bed and he gets you in the face) but it's just one of those behaviors that annoy me for some reason.

Because I ignore him, he does this with me waaaay less than he does with my husband. Remember, any reinforcement or attention (even negative), can be rewarding to a dog. That's why they tell you to break jumping by turning your back and being boring.

And don't forget about the extinction burst. If you go the "completely ignore" route, it's quite probable that this behavior will get worse before she gives up entirely. You just gotta be tough, grit your teeth and get through it.

[REB]

Our rescue dog is an attention hog, but he's too short to paw at me effectively when I'm working at my computer (thank goodness). But he comes up and puts his head on my knee, and whines if I don't pet him. Cute though he is, ignoring is really the only option or I'd never get any work done! I make him sit and/or lie down before I'll pet him, and I also taught him to go to his blanket in my study when I'm working (I hid kibble and treats in and around the blanket and put a couple different stuffed toys there every morning for two weeks!). And people are right-- it'll get worse before it gets better. And right now, Mac is curled up on his blanket next to my desk-- good boy!