Help my puppy just is soooo excited to meet everyone!

Wattsy

I have an almost five month old choccie lab, she goes to training classes every week, and doing very well, she meets other dogs there as is very well behaved!
BUT, I have a woods opposite the house where she is walked every day, I let her off lead whilst I am in there, but I am finding as soon as I see anyone she has to go back on lead, because she jumps all over them if she has the chance, she ignores me completely, ignores the treats and jumps around on the end of a lead like a maniac. She is so lovely in the house, and she turns into a wild thing out of the house. I really do not know what to do, she is getting heavier and therefore pulling much more. I am not a first time dog owner but I have never encountered this before, she is just soo eager for everyone to pay her attention, and she is getting labelled as a nutty lab!

_joanne_ · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:16 pm Post subject:

This piece from my sticky in puppy threads may help you Very Happy

THE PESTERING POOCH

1. The Family Fusser

Is your dog a pest at times?

You've walked him, he's peed, pooed and has had a game in the garden. You've just settled down to read the newspaper or to relax watching a favourite TV programme. In comes the dog - nudge, shove. "Go away", you say. He can't need out - he's just been! Nudge, shove, nudge, shove. If you give in, you have just obeyed your dog's orders - "I want attention and I want it now!" You may try ignoring him but if you have acceded to his demands in the past, he will persist with surprising tenacity. Nudge, shove, nudge, shove, paw, bark, you get a toy dumped on your lap, nudge, whine, paw, bark and so it continues. Your newspaper is now in shreds and you've missed half, if not all, of your TV programme. Help!

Without saying anything, take your dog quietly and firmly by the collar and remove him to another room. You are teaching him that such annoying and persistent behaviour earns isolation from his pack (not attention).

Putting him in the garden is self-defeating: he can run around and have a wonderful time and play with next-door's cat, dig up the flowerbeds, etc and will, no doubt at some point, look in the window at you with his tongue sticking out!

It's so important not to speak to him as this in itself is giving him attention. Wait 3 to 4 minutes or until he has been quiet for several minutes then silently readmit him. If he swings into action again, repeat the process. Isolation from the pack is one of the most potent punishments you can give a dog - it's something he will understand and from which he will learn. A rolled up newspaper over the bottom only serves to make him frightened of his owner - and newspapers too probably - and certainly does not teach him to enjoy lying quietly while you read the paper/watch television.

There is another way of dealing with your pestering pet, especially if he's a door digger or scratcher and you would like to preserve your paintwork - you don't even need to get off your seat! As he prances past your chair, take hold of his collar firmly and sharply say "No" or another constructive reprimand - it doesn't matter what you say, it's the tone of voice that delivers the message that you are not amused. Keep a firm grip on the collar until your dog begins to relax. He will probably eventually lie down whereupon you can praise him quietly, then slowly release the collar. If he makes a move, quickly take the collar and repeat.

2. The Visitor Villan

Friends or visitors have just arrived. In comes Fido to check them out, pushing in with his wet nose, jumping up and generally barging around. Alternatively, he may have met them at the door and been greeted by the visitors before they've even greeted you! (just who runs the show around here?) The dog is delighted with his audience who first pet him then ignore him in the hope that he might just give up bouncing all over them. But Fido is very persistent and continues his assault with dogged determination: no amount of "Get off! Get down!" has the slightest effect. Eventually he is banished from the room - till the next time the doorbell rings!

There are various ways of dealing with the persistent pestering pooch, one of which, of course, is to isolate him when visitors arrive, in which case he'll never learn and may well become destructive.

The ideal way to train your dog to be consistently well mannered when visitors arrive is firstly to ensure he is well mannered when you and your family come in. (If you make a great fuss and allow your dog to jump up, you are effectively training him to jump up at anyone who comes through the door.) Then over a period of 2 days and with the help of friends and family, set up a busy schedule of well-primed visitors. Some cakes and coffee or even a glass of wine will reward their efforts while you will be rewarding your dog for his good behaviour. Provided consistency on your part is maintained, by swamping your dog with consistent repetitions and reward of the correct behaviour when visitors arrive, a lasting effect should be achieved.

Method 1
When visitors arrive they (and you) should ignore your dog completely, turning away, avoiding eye contact with him and generally pretending he is not there. After 3 to 5 minutes if the behaviour shows no sign of diminishing, remove the dog gently by the collar to the kitchen or another room. Remember not to speak to him. You are essentially isolating him from the pack and denying him the opportunity to check out the visitors on your territory. Wait a few minutes or until he is quiet, the SILENTLY readmit him. Everyone must continue to ignore him. If he starts his repertoire again, repeat the above and continue to do so until he learns that he will be banished for bothering, put out for pestering and isolated for insolence. Your dog will learn that calm controlled behaviour earns him pack interaction. In other words when he is calm, he may well be in with a chance of being called over (given an order) and petted - quite the reverse to his previous bouncing demands for attention.

Preferred Method 2
There is a more controlled way of dealing with the visitor villan. When visitors arrive, quickly put your dog in another room, reward him and close the door. Welcome and settle your friends, requesting that they ignore (have no eye contact with) your dog when he (eventually) makes it into the room. Put on his lead - make sure you have some treats in your pocket - and proceed slowly to where your friends are settled. He will, no doubt, charge ahead, at which point, SAYING NOTHING, abruptly go into reverse. Ask him to sit and give a food reward. Make sure your guests have plently wine/coffee/cakes - this may take some time! Move forward again and ask him to sit and give a reward. If he tried to drag you forward, reverse again and repeat the whole procedure until you are actually in the room with your visitors. Ask your dog to sit at your side while you stand chatting quietly, intermittently praising the dog softly before attempting to reach your seat with your dog still on the lead.

This method is by far the best way as the whole situation (visitors included unless they've drunk all the wine!) is under control and your dog learns that calm dogs not only get to come in to see the visitors but are given tasty treats too.

delighteddaisy · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:30 pm Post subject:

thanks for the above reply, my choc lab girl has exactly same date of birth as OP, and i have very similar problems. have taken your advice on board!!!

wonder if the dogs are littermates???
mine is from wilts.

ets2k9 · Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:41 pm Post subject:

Funnily enough my chocolate labrador Bailey aged 17wks is exactly the same. So thank you for the advice.

Wattsy · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 4:30 am Post subject:

Hi, thanks for advice, I have been putting her in another room with a treat when someone comes round that is not used to dogs, but I know it can be annoying and quite daunting when a dog is bouncing on its back legs!

But I do know that this is not the answer as she will never learn. There is a little dog show at the beginning of September I am going to take her because I thought the crowds of people will do her good!

What a surprise they always seem to be chocolate labs, how can a colour make sooo much difference!

_joanne_ · Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:06 am Post subject:

Never had this problem with Lana Laughing