Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 12:32 pm Post subject: Boisterous greetings - 5 month old lab
I've read loads of threads on here, and I realise boisterous greetings are all part of a labs way of sharing love with the world. We started off right from day one with Max not allowing jumping up, turning our back on him if he jumps, and he might try it once at home, but quickly gets the message with us.
We are going to training classes, and have taken him out and about a lot, from 8 weeks when we got him home. He has had time off lead to play with other dogs since he was nearly 4 months old. I feel like we are doing the right things, inlcuding having him on a lead at home for the first half an hour or so when people come round so he calms down before he says hello.
He just seems to be getting more excitable by the day in greeting people or dogs when we are out and about, or at home. We are using high value treats while we are out, and working on "look at me", "leave it", "heel", when we go past people, but if we stop to say hi, I end up with him lunging towards them on his lead and I have to wrestle him away with my hand round his chest so I don't choke him.
I started last couple of weeks taking him to a boot sale to walk around and try to keep the focus on me. It has been surprisingly helpful and I am going to keep it up. I'm working on the basis that so many people, so much "stuff" and noise, kids, prams, other dogs etc - will all become white noise and eventually he'll be less bothered. Also most people there aren't focused on saying hello to the cute pup, which I have found so hard to control as they insisit on saying hello to him in mid jump, which just encourages him.
We'll keep plugging away, but any other tips welcome, or maybe we are being too strict on him as one man said to me last week? I just don't want a dog that greets everyone at 1000 miles an hour at waiste height, and I think if I don't start now, wrong behaviours will become habit,
There are lots of different approaches to preventing a dog jumping up but most of them rely on some action or co-operation from the person being jumped on. If only to prevent them inadvertently rewarding the dog in some way.
One of the best techniques is beautifully illustrated in this youtube clip
I dont think it is linked to anything commercial so hopefully it will be ok to post it here
I think you are being a very responsible dog owner and it is not being too strict at all. I love dogs and don't mind overly when they jump up, but some people are scared, and a lab is a big dog even at this young age, and to my mind a dog with good manners always reflects well on the whole dog community, so keep up the good work, you'll be so glad when Max is trained. We had our old lab who sadly died last year, and she was a lovely well mannered girl who everyone loved, she had impeccable manners, and children adored her. I was always so proud to go out and could take her anywhere.
We are on the long training road at the moment with our 10 month girl, but we have put a lot of work in and are starting to really reap the rewards as she is getting so responsive.
Good luck with the tips, there's a lot of stuff in the archives too if you type in a search question.
Oh that video is good, we will give that a try and get some friends involved at home too so it isn't just us.
One of the most frustrating things I have found is well meaning strangers saying what a lovely pup and stroking him as he jumps up. meanwhile i try to wrestle him down, then they promptly say, oh that's ok I don't mind he's only a pup and carry on fussing him while I am trying to calm him. Then they say hello in a fizzy excitable way guaranteed to put a rocket up his but. Don't get me wrong, I've loved how friendly people have been out and about since we've had him, but there comes a point when they need to check first if it's ok to say hello.
One man last week said "are you sure you aren't going to train the dog out of him?", while I was in mid leave it, look at me, heel mode. I explained what I was trying to do, Max bless him sat quietly, I said the man could say hello as Max wasn't "asking", but I asked him if he wouldn't mind turning his back if Max jumped. He went on to fuss Max as he was jumping.
Today Max sat nicely watching some children on a fairground ride. Next thing I know he ran behind me nearly pulling my arm out of its socket. A well meaning lady had walked behind me and called Max. When I explained what I was trying to do, she just said oh well, he just wanted to say hello like I was willow the witch and should be reported to the RSPCA!
Sorry, that has turned into a rant, but it is frustrating when what we are trying to do gets undermined.
Anyway, thankyou for your reassuring comments, and we will have a go with the video,
I well remember those days where I would be frustrated with people fussing a jumping up pup! I don't mind jumping up dogs but if the owner is obviously trying to get them not to do it I tend to get right down to a pup or dog when I fuss them so that there is no incentive for them to jump up - they get the fuss with 4 paws on the ground and if I'm bent over they can't jump up.
I absolutely LOVE that training video idea and will definitely do some work with Luna using that technique of putting the treats on the floor when someone enters she's likely to jump on - it's especially those people who are fearful and back off that she is likely to jump so I'll do lots of proofing! Have no idea why I hadn't thought of that before - food definitely motivates Luna and I love pre-empting problem behaviours!
Thanks for posting!
And don't wait for a new pup to train in that way Helen - train your 'old' pups, it's never too late to train a new concept!
I have to say my focus is always on Max at the expence of my guests, or people I meet outside. My view is it is my responsibilty to help him grow into a well behaved dog, and I certainly don't sit around ignoring him waiting for a problem to happen. I would say people visiting is the least relaxing time, and we think ahead what may happen, and how best to set him up for success.
So I don't think focus on the pup is the issue - if only it were, I could change that much easier
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when they try to jump on everyone to say hello as they pass - arrghh!
