[Jenness]

Amazing dog EXCEPT for jumping!!

I've had my dog Bella for five months now. She is seven months old and we are in love with her. She truly is an amazing, very smart dog. She knows all basic commands. Sit, down, stay, come, go to your spot, leave it, drop it. She can do some simple tricks too. She has been a breeze to train EXCEPT I can't get her to stop jumping on people!

She has a very strong urge to get close to people's faces. She want's to lick people in the face (particularly in the mouth area) after she does this she seems to be content and she will stop jumping. Obviously this is not a solution as I can not ask everyone that meets her to let her lick their face that is just weird!!:redface:

If there are other people out there that have had dogs that also have a very strong urge to jump and lick the face I would love to hear what solutions you have found.

It's not just that she's excited, so she jumps, she truly wants to get up close and personal with everyone she meets, and by everyone, I mean EVERYONE, including small children she does not discriminate...

Things I have tried when guests come over:

1. Putting her in a playpen then treating her when she becomes calm and then letting her out.

2. Keeping her on a leash until she is calm.

3. Making her "go to her spot" and stay until she relaxes.

4. Telling guests to ignore her and "be a tree"

I have to admit I really haven't stuck it out with any of my methods. Part of it is my husbands sister and her family who comes over daily does not cooperate. She comes over going "BELLA! BELLA! BELLA!" (in high pitched voice) UGH gets her so excited! So frustrating. Also my husband enjoys when she goes nuts when he comes home from work and he praises her for the behavior! I am the only person that she will not jump on...

We have some friends that are not dog people and every time they come over I have had to keep Bella in her pen the entire time because I can not train her to leave them alone. I know if I let her out she will try to lick their face off!

I am wondering if anyone has a technique for desensitizing her from people coming to the house as I have plenty of family to help do some exercises. I think I have to pick one technique and really follow through with it, but it has proven to be a very frustrating task.

Any advice would be truly appreciated!

 

[Amaryllis]

Re: Amazing dog EXCEPT for jumping!!

You've really answered your own question. As long as people reward Bella for this behavior, she'll keep doing it, and all training requires consistency. The only way to train her to stop is to get everyone to agree to do the "be a tree" thing.

 

[Jenness]

Re: Amazing dog EXCEPT for jumping!!

Yeah I know I need to really buckle down now and solve this problem. It's so hard to get everyone on board, there is also a language barrier because my husband's family speaks Greek and broken English. They are also very hard headed when it comes to following my training methods, but they mean well. I think a family meeting is in order!

 

[xxxxdogdragoness]

Re: Amazing dog EXCEPT for jumping!!

I would get tough with your family, I all ready have with my family, my dogs, my rules, everyone knows. Even my OH & my parents who even ask before they give my dogs treats (excmpt josefina from this with OH since it's his dog lol). If they can't obey is there a way she can be crated when they come over or have a drag line on her so you can manage behavior?

 

[hanksimon]

Re: Amazing dog EXCEPT for jumping!!

Someone needs to write a book: How do I stop other People from Ruining my Well-Trained Dog!
1. I imagine these people come over announced, that they don't surprise you. Therefore, protect the dog! For your family, put the dog in a back bedroom and lock the door. When they ask, tell them that the dog is in training (True!). And when they want to see him, tell them that he is being punished, because he gets really wild when they come over (kinda True!). Then, stick by it the first time. The second or third time, they may listen to you, and you can let the dog out, then put him back, if they don't understand
2. Remember, this is serious, b/c if your dog licks a small child and the child backs away and falls... then you have absolutely no legal leg to stand on! The parents have the option to try to do anything they want at that point... And your family, who ruined the training, will have no responsibility in that matter.
3. Whenever anyone excites the dog and doesn't listen to you, act as if you are angry and punishing the dog (scare the people, when you are out of sight, not the dog), give the dog a treat and lock her in the bedroom, locking the door, so no one can sneak in.
Again, the magic phrase is that "she is in training."

Now, a method to stop jumping and licking.
1. Stop the problem at 8 weeks... otherwise go to step two, which takes longer
2. Try greeting the dog by kneeling to see if it is the need for being at face level or the need to lick.
3. Teach the dog to Sit on cue, then slowly increase distraction, then get 20 people to get her to Sit, then give your family treats and ask them to have the dog sit... or very dramatically "punish" the dog and send her to her room
4. An alternative method is to 'nuke' her and teach her to STOP licking everyone..
Look at the Sticky in the new owner section: The Bite Stops Here... but substitute licking instead of nipping. When this method works, the dog stops all licking... Be sure you want that.

 

[kafkabeetle]

Re: Amazing dog EXCEPT for jumping!!

If I had a nickle for every time I've told someone not to acknowledge Sydney when she's jumping on them and being crazy at the door and they've responded with "Oh it's ok!" and gave her lots of petting and baby talk I would be so rich. It's like a major problem now because I can't seem to train my friends and family. :/

 

[Jenness]

Thanks everyone for your input! This is a problem that is really hard for me to tackle. Last night when the family came over I gave them all instructions to ignore her and turn around when she jumped. The results where pretty good and they actually followed through! However, I still have to get my husband on board because he loves when she jumps on him when he comes home. Any suggestions on how we can come to some agreement??? Is there anyway to compromise or train her to only jump on him? Not sure if that is possible...

I think I will also start giving them some treats when they come over and having them reward for all four on the floor. The thing is that there is so many people and it is hard to control them all!!! If I start making it to complicated then they will not get it. I might try getting them to come in the house one at a time but not sure if they will go along with that...

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions I really hope I am able to stop this problem!

 

[hanksimon]

Ask your husband to kneel to greet rather than let the dog jump ???

 

[CptJack]

Thanks everyone for your input! This is a problem that is really hard for me to tackle. Last night when the family came over I gave them all instructions to ignore her and turn around when she jumped. The results where pretty good and they actually followed through! However, I still have to get my husband on board because he loves when she jumps on him when he comes home. Any suggestions on how we can come to some agreement??? Is there anyway to compromise or train her to only jump on him? Not sure if that is possible...

I think I will also start giving them some treats when they come over and having them reward for all four on the floor. The thing is that there is so many people and it is hard to control them all!!! If I start making it to complicated then they will not get it. I might try getting them to come in the house one at a time but not sure if they will go along with that...

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions I really hope I am able to stop this problem!

My (b)Rat Terrier loves jumping up. We put it on a cue. When he's told to jump up, he does and is THRILLED SILLY. The husband uses that command to give him attention as the dog is short, my husband is not, and his back hates him. It's also really useful for unwrapping his leash from between his front legs (happens a lot) without having to bend over. Minus the command he knows to keep all four on the floor. Dogs are smart. They do learn to be specific with what's allowed with whom.

 

[Pawzk9]

Get some people who are capable of following instructions, order some pizza and invite them to a "training party" Meet them at the front door with the dog on leash. If she jumps up, they can turn and leave her space (dramatics helps here). Because she is leashed, she can't follow them to jump on them from behind. They can even shut the door and then start again. If she jumps, person leaves. If she keeps four on the floor or sits, she gets attention and treats (delivered at UNDER nose level - if you bring them from above her, that encourages jumping. Schedule your guests to arrive at 5 minute intervals. And if you only have a couple of people capable of following instructions, you can have them leave and return a few times.