Happy 2011 everyone!
It's my first article for the new year, so i thought I'll touch a little on a very common behavior problem that many dog owners face. Picture this scenario: Its a regular Monday morning and you're dressed for a very important meeting at work.
You come rushing downstairs and Rusty your Golden Retriever jumps up on you for a huge sloppy morning kiss. In the process, he rips your clean new blouse.
You're frustrated and yell and scream at him and he just starts jumping even more.
More small breed dogs get away with jumping because they rarely do much damage and most people find it endearing when a shih tzu jumps, it becomes a huge problem not just for you and those at home but also your guests.
Imagine how embarrassing it can be when your dog leaves paw prints all over your guests as soon as they walk in though your door?
To save yourself from some of those embarrassing moments, here are some simple tips on what to do when you have a jumping dog on your hands:
1. Teach him to Sit
Before teaching him not to jump on you, teach him to Sit.
Perform this behavior as many times as you can in as many places as you can around the house. Now every time your dog approaches you, tell him to sit before he has a chance to jump.
If your dog jumps up at you turn your body sideways and move your hip toward him.
This prevents him from reaching your face.
Wait for your dog to get down on all four then ask him to sit again.
When he does, reward and praise him. While you are practicing this, you will need to have a reward in your dog jumps to most.
For example, at the door, near the front gate or at the bottom of your stairs.
2. Tether your dog
Nothing is more embarrassing when your dog jumps on your guests and either leaves dirty paw prints or worse still rips their clothes to shreds.
Prevent this with a few precautionary measures.
First, keep your dog tethered near the entrance within viewing point of your guest but not close enough that he can jump on them.
Educate your guest that you are teaching your dog not to jump.
If your guest are dog-loving people enlist their help to teach the dog.
Once the dog calms down, ask him to sit and then ask your guest to give him a reward.
If the dog jumps as your guest approaches then get your guest to take a few steps back until he calms down.
The key to this exercise is to only reward your dog when he is calm and has correctly performed the behavior you are asking.
3. Stay calm
This is one of the hardest things for dog owners AND guests to do.
When a dog jumps on you, most people tend to scream and yell and push the dog away with their hands.
What happens when you do this is the dog gets even more excited.
Dogs respond to high pitched sounds and noises very well.
These sounds make them more aroused and their senses are further heightened.
So, what you are inadvertently doing is encouraging the dog to jump by screaming and shouting at him.
He thinks you are inviting him to play.
By staying calm and giving a firm command to your dog, you are asserting your leadership towards him.
Be careful not to shout and intimidate your dog in the process.
Try these tips in a clear and consistent manner and you will be on your way to a calmer less jumpy dog.
Good Luck and Happy Training!
