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Jumping
Up
by David the Dogman
Recently a man wrote to me about his dog jumping
up and I produce part of the letter and my reply:
"I have been doing the off command as a dog
trainer told me since he was small and
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kneed him in the chest
all to no avail. I have put him on his leash with choke collar
and he is still tugging away. I use the sit command and eventually
he calms down enough but that initial greeting is a horror story
every time. It has become very frustrating and obviously not pleasant
for others. I'll just keep trying."
Give up it will not work. The knee in the chest
is so outdated and in my opinion bad advice to ask any pet owner
to knee his dog. Pet owners have enough emotional problems and
like you give up.
If
a dog is jumping up, most pet dog owners will have all hell trying
to get a dog to sit. Lets get it right, sorry for being blunt
but I shoot from the hip! Most people have never bothered to attend
a training school, read a book and now expect to train a dog by
letter, well I do not think it can be done.
Dogs react to a trigger like a doorbell for excitement,
it is an arrrival of another member of the pack, I must jump to
show I am the host. With jumping dogs I like to consider removing
excitable triggers. The front door bell rings, before opening
the door I put away the dog. I am the host not the dog, this raises
my status and reduces the dogs.
I bring my guests in. To me my dogs are not big,
to me my dogs do not smell, to others they are big, they smell.
I also advise my pet owners that what is acceptable to me is not
always acceptable to my friends. It is a good idea to remove all
excitability when entering your own home. Try walking in without
looking, touching or talking for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes then
talk and love you dog. This has removed the excitability trigger.
For dogs that jump up we have to think that a
dog will do what is rewarding, if its good he does it, if it is
not good he does not do it. Simple as that.
When a dog jumps up, do not be aggressive and
knee, simply hold him up by his front paws and in a loving voice
tell him you love him. He has jumped up so you react by holding
him up. Do not let him down, keep him up as long as you can. By
keeping him up, I mean stretching him up, and up and keep talking.
He will then start to mouth your hands, then and only then drop
him down. Do not place him, drop him.
When he is on all four legs which God gave him,
love him to bits, cuddle and talk. Then encourage him to jump
again, he might well try, as soon as he does grab the paws and
repeat the whole exercise.
It is important to get the timing right, it is
important that the whole family learn. Your dog will learn in
a few minutes that to jump will make you react and he will not
find this rewarding.
Its easy, simple and kind..
Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.
Do
you have any problems with your pet? Then why not send your problem
to DAVID THE DOGMAN. David is a Canine Behaviourist who works
and lives in Marbella, Spain.
Tel/Fax (00345) 2883388. His web site is located at: http://www.thedogman.net.
David has his own radio and TV shows, and writes for many newspapers
and magazines. David has been working with dogs for many years
and started his career in Israel, working on the Border Police.
He has been involved in all forms of training, including air sea
rescue, air scent work, and has trained dogs for finding drugs.
David has devoted the past 10 years to studying behaviour and
the very passive approach. He does not use choke chains, check
chains, or any form of aggression.
David
The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home,
for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388
