All of us have seen or experienced it. You come home and
your dog is so excited to see you that he jumps on you and
knocks you off balance. While it may cute when the dog is a
puppy, once they become adult, it can become a real issue.
Most dogs will jump on people at times. The frequency will
vary with breed and by individual. One theory suggests that
dogs use their nose and eyes to explore and that whenever
they try to get close to a person's face it is not to
attack, but to interact.
If this theory is true, then one way to prevent jumping is
to kneel down and interact with the dog at its level. Keep
an eye out for excessive enthusiasm but let the dog explore
your face. If you have taken the time to become the pack
leader, you should not fear a bite by interacting in this
way.
In the case of an older rescued dog, or an unknown dog, you
should take proper precaution when using this technique.
Keep a thumb inserted in the dog's collar, just behind the
neck and be prepared to jerk sideways, if necessary.
Whenever possible, use a sideways jerk as opposed to a
sharp pull backwards as the dog's throat can easily be
bruised. The movement is not meant to punish but to protect
the owner and inform the dog.
You can also discourage jumping using off-leash training.
Begin by having the dog stand in front of you. Using a sit
command is very useful against jumping but your dog can't
sit all the time. Start the exercise with the dog standing
as jumping usually follows standing or running. Keep a
close eye for any body tension that precedes jumping and
when youyou're your dog about to jump order a 'sit'. At
first, your dog will probably jump anyway. In that case,
lift your leg slightly and bump the dog's chest with your
knee or thigh. At the same time, you want to thrust a palm
near the dog's face. Follow this by a sharp command:
'off!'. ('Down' is a separate behavior.) Using a raised
knee helps to keep the dog off and puts it off balance
while the hand in the face both obscures its vision and
discourages a repeat jump.
For more stubborn cases, enlist the help of a partner and
do some leash training. Have your partner jerk sideways as
you issue the 'off!' command as soon as the dog starts to
leap. As you need to have the dog focus and obey you, you
should issue the command, not your partner. If you are
working outside without the help of a partner, you can use
a long leash wrapped around a tree or post. This will be
more difficult and the jerk may be more back than to the
side. Another option is to use positive reinforcement
techniques. With the use of a treat or a favorite toy, hold
out the treat or toy above and slightly behind the dog's
head as soon as the dog starts to jump. This will distract
the dog and puts it slightly off balance. It will also
encourage a sit, just when the impulse was to jump.
Be patient and firm when training the 'off' command.
Repetition and consistency are, as with any training, will
be your key to success. With time, most dogs will learn to
control this natural behavior until and unless they receive
permission to jump.
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Discover proven ways of puppy potty training, tips, tricks
and other training methods. Stefan Hyross writes and
provides information about dogs and puppies. Learn about
dog behavior problems and how best to solve them.
http://www.allaboutdogsnpuppies.com/
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