Dogs Behaving Badly...

What should you do when your best friend is just not listening? 


Well here's a few tips that can help you solve your problems or at least get you on the right path. Many dogs "act up" because they get something out of it. 


Here's an example:
You come home from a long day at work and your best buddy is overwhelmed with excitement when you come in the door. He boundless jumps all over you. For some owners this is a real problem where they can actually be injured and knocked over. 


So how would you go about teaching your beloved (and happy) pet to relax when you come home? 


A great place to start is by asking yourself "What would I want him to do instead?". Dogs can not just stop and do nothing. We have to take all that energy and excitement and direct it at another source. This is a great time to teach a good solid sit stay or even a "drop/down stay". One of my clients opted to teach her dog to go get a toy and bring it to her. This gave the dog a very specific job and a way to burn his energy. Another one of my clients decided to teach her dog to go to bed and wait for a few minutes so she could get her shoes and coat off. Once she was ready she would release the dog and he'd be allowed to offer a "hug". The choices are plentiful and can be as creative as you like. 


The key to stopping "bad" behaviour is replacing it with something more desirable. Many owners need help with this and it sure pays to have a trainer you can consult with. 

Sit For Greeting

Have a dog that jumps up on everyone he/she meets? Learn how to teach a sit for greeting.

The first thing you need to ask yourself is: has my dog been reinforced for jumping up? Do you pat your dog when he/she jumps up? Do other people? Do you push your dog off of you and reprimand? Have you used your knees or legs to kick him/her? Have other people?

What you need to know about reinforcement is that good or bad reinforcement can encourage a behaviour. So it doesn't matter whether I'm petting my dog for jumping up or pushing him/her off of me. My dog is still being reinforced for jumping.  Makes things harder doesn't it?

Alright here's a few steps to get you on the right track and remember practice makes perfect!

Step #1 - teach your dog to sit on voice command or hand signal but without touching your dog. It's crucial that you have this basic obedience command down pat.

Step #2 - begin to practice sit around more and more distractions. Ask for sit and then as soon as that butt hits the floor reward. Practice this at doorways, on walks, in the park, around friends, etc.

Step #3 - when you come home from being out don't make eye contact or speak to your dog until he/she sits (without a command). As soon as your best friend is sitting then shower with praise, toy, pets, food, etc. If he/she jumps go back to ignoring. For those really high energy dogs keep your vocal praise low key so you don't trigger the jumping up again from excitement.

Step #4 - start to add friends/family to training session. Have your dog take a sit position before the person even becomes visible. Reinforce continually to keep your dog sitting (meaning giving a kibble or treat every few seconds). As long as the dog is sitting the person can come closer. If the dog gets up then the person immediately needs to back up and leave.  You then start again. Eventually the person will be standing beside the dog while the dog is sitting. You can then have your friend/family member give the dog a treat for sitting. Practice until this is easy.

Step #5 - slowly fade out the food reward until you can do this without food. Meaning over the course of several training sessions use less and less food. If the dog regresses then go back to the basics.

Step #6 - begin to ask your dog for a sit whenever a person comes into view. Over time your dog will learn that he/she is expected to sit when greeting a human. Once your dog is reliable on leash then move to practicing off leash.

If your dog does jump on someone unexpected have the person become a "tree" and if they need to they can turn around so their back is to the dog. This works great for kids. 

Visitors & Dogs

The holidays mean that for many of us company will be coming over. For those of us with dogs this can be extremely difficult and frustrating! Every the bell rings the dog becomes more and more excited, jumps all over friends and family and just generally embarrasses you. 

Here's a few ideas for welcoming company and showing off your polite pooch:

1. Teach your dog to go to his/her kennel or bed when the bell rings. A kennel works very well because you can shut the dog inside until he/she has calmed down and guests have gotten settled in. Always reward with a treat when you dog goes to his/her "place". This gives your dog a job to do when this exciting event of company occurs. Make sure to practice A LOT when no one is actually at the door by ringing the bell yourself. 

2. Teach your dog how to settle. Begin by keeping your dog on leash near you when company is over. Whenever your dog lies down reward with a treat. Before long your pooch will have learned to chill out and handle the room full of friends and family. 

3. Teach your dog to sit when greeting people. Practice with several good friends and family members. Ask your dog for a sit/stay and have a person approach. Reward your dog for holding his/her sit. If she/he gets up then have the person back up and start over. Make this a rule for whenever your dog is greeting anyone (yourself, family, kids, strangers, etc). 

Remember our dogs want to be part of the fun but sometimes it is best if they stay in their own room or kennel when lots of people are over to celebrate. Dogs with fear or high arousal should be kept separately for their own well being. If in doubt contact a positive reinforcement trainer in your area. 
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Where's Your Sit is currently offering a Holiday Manners training program to help your dog learn the skills described above. Visit www.wheresyoursit.com for more information.