Halcyon Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 We have a wonderful terrier mix, 11 lbs, who adores people. Problem is, he stands on his hind legs and leans on people when greeting them. I never saw it as a problem; he just likes to get up close. But i wonder if it is. What do you think? He generally jmps up on his hind legs to lick your hands (he's an inveterate licking machine). A problem? If so, how do i stop it? He's 1 1/2 years fwiw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 My aunt had a dog (golden retriever, I think) and she taught it not to jump on people by putting her knee up every time he tried it with her. When I was a kid, I was always a bit fearful of big dogs, but never hers. He would come up beside you and try to get his head under your hand so you would pet him. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted May 9, 2012 Author Share Posted May 9, 2012 My aunt had a dog (golden retriever, I think) and she taught it not to jump on people by putting her knee up every time he tried it with her. When I was a kid, I was always a bit fearful of big dogs, but never hers. He would come up beside you and try to get his head under your hand so you would pet him. HTH! Thanks. The isuue is, he's too tiny to get "under your hand" LOL. Ive used that twchnique with labs in the past, but this guy is so small! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yes, it's definitely a problem. He is not being respectful of humans' space. Your guests really don't want to be jumped on and licked by a dog, even a cute one. :D You could try lifting your knee when he jumps on you, so that he is bumped off balance. When he jumps on guests, you need to be right there to nudge him out of the way. Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, addresses this in general, as it is usually a sign that there are other areas where the dog doesn't understand that humans are the boss. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 If you're not against using a pinch collar (the really small ones for your size) you'd just leave the little "leash" that is a just a few inches long (not long enough to get tangled) You just give a little "correction" when they jump and say "off" :) Reminds me... I need to do some follow-up with my pup... He's getting too excited and jumping and twirling when he thinks he gets to go "bye-bye" :) (But, he's 70lbs, so it's more of a problem :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 My df puts her dog in a down-stay at a special spot by the front door before she opens it. Cassie is not allowed to greet until df says, "Break!" Then she comes to you more slowly. If she ever jumps or gets too enthusiastic, she is sent right back into her spot. It took a while to train her this way (smart dog, tho), and they didn't let her greet at all for a while. They also ignore her until she's quiet when they come in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Just saw this. I have some ideas but am heading to bed with a roaring migraine (see "mean girl" thread) :glare: and will catch up when my meds kick in.... astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 This is actually pretty easy. :) Dogs are rewarded by eye contact and other verbal or physical contact. When the dog greets you this way, turn your back on him, avoiding any eye contact or speaking at all. Just turn your back, ignoring him pawing your back. Greet him only once he has all 4 feet on the floor. When he is behaving, give him a nice quick pat and say hello. As soon as he jumps back up, just turn your back again. He just needs about 5-10 seconds of no eye contact to be "punished". As soon as he gets back off his hind legs, try to turn towards him again. Repeat until you get a chance to pat and greet him with all 4 feet on the ground. Once you've taught him not to get his feet off the floor to be greeted, the next thing, if you want even more control, is to teach him an "alternate behavior" which precludes the bad behavior. The best one in this circumstance is to teach him to sit to be greeted. Just look at him, tell him to sit, and then greet/pat/treat him once he is seated. (It's always a good idea to give a treat if you have them handy, at least until he understands what you are talking about. If he already knows the sit command well, then a pat on the head and a "good dog" will likely be enough.) Another option is to teach him to go to his crate or sit in a designated spot. To do this, you'd just send him there when the door rings, and give him treats as soon as he goes there, and re-treat him a few times over a couple minutes, then release him. You'll need a handler and planned sessions to teach this behavior, though. A designated kid to "treat the dog on his bed" whenever the door rings might be helpful. If you can do this with a kid/helper or spouse, you can probably teach him not to do it in a few short sessions. (No longer than 10 min per training session!) Then, recruit a friend to be the guest while you be the handler. . . . Repeat. He will be rewarded simply by your eye contact and greeting, so you don't even need treats. Treats are always good, though, but you need to be careful NOT to treat him at ALL when his feet are off the floor! Remember: eye contact or hand contact or talking is a reward! You could raise a knee to push him off you, but unless you do it painfully hard, he'll probably interpret it as playing/contact/reward, so it might make the behavior WORSE. And, if you raise the knee hard enough to be punishing, you might injure him. Rewards are generally much more effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 We have a wonderful terrier mix, 11 lbs, who adores people. Problem is, he stands on his hind legs and leans on people when greeting them. I never saw it as a problem; he just likes to get up close. But i wonder if it is. What do you think? He generally jmps up on his hind legs to lick your hands (he's an inveterate licking machine). A problem? If so, how do i stop it? He's 1 1/2 years fwiw. this is an easy cure for all but the most recalcitrant animal. and it needs to be taught. he's small enough he shouldn't trouble any but the most unstable adult (well, baring dirty paws on clothes), but he can knock over a child. when he jumps up, grab his front paws, get in his face and (in a sickeningly sweet high-pitched voice) tell him what a nice doggie he is, and how much you like him . . . go on for at least 20-30 seconds the first time. It won't take more than three seconds for a dog to try and figure out how to get down. dh had a colleague with an akita. That dog was taller than me on his hind legs. the second time we met as he rushed to "greet" me, he remembered exactly who I was. :lol: boy did he withdraw his paws fast - they never even touched me. Our "greeting" was much more appropriate than the first time we met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Yes, I think it is a problem. A dog shouldn't be jumping up on people to greet them no matter how small it is. I've used the knee up and do it automatically when a dog jumps on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 An 11 lb dog is too small for the "knee up" to work. They will be under the knee. ChrisinVA and Stephanie have excellend ideas. The dog has to be taught what to do and how to greet people. Many people think small dogs should be allowed to get away with inappropriate behavior, but all dogs need to be taught people manners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 Here's a good article. Essentially they need to be learn "sit" and "off", and shouldn't be rewarded (IOW they should be ignored) for behavior you don't want. We are clicker training our new puppy and are so impressed with how easily she is learning new behaviors and how well behaved she is. If only I could figure out how to get her to leave the cat alone... Anyway, you might really enjoy clicker training. I'd also recommend obedience school. I think it's essential for all dog owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lolly Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 An 11 lb dog is too small for the "knee up" to work. They will be under the knee. ChrisinVA and Stephanie have excellend ideas. The dog has to be taught what to do and how to greet people. Many people think small dogs should be allowed to get away with inappropriate behavior, but all dogs need to be taught people manners. Well, it does work when I do it. My foot catches the dog as my knee goes up. Small dog is most certainly engaged and sometimes flips.Not saying it is the best option, it is just my automatic go to when a dog jumps on me. I get the evil eye from my sil when her dog jumps on me and is flipped over. Me, I think she should take the hint and teach the dog to stop jumping on people. She gives it kisses and love when it jumps up on her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Here's a good article. Essentially they need to be learn "sit" and "off", and shouldn't be rewarded (IOW they should be ignored) for behavior you don't want. We are clicker training our new puppy and are so impressed with how easily she is learning new behaviors and how well behaved she is. If only I could figure out how to get her to leave the cat alone... Anyway, you might really enjoy clicker training. I'd also recommend obedience school. I think it's essential for all dog owners. BINGO! I'm back from migraine-land and this is exactly what I would say.... Dog has to learn that NOTHING good happens unless he has FOUR ON THE FLOOR. astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 BINGO! I'm back from migraine-land and this is exactly what I would say....Dog has to learn that NOTHING good happens unless he has FOUR ON THE FLOOR. astrid Thanks everyone!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruby Rose Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 You can download these 2 books for free. They have great info on training your dog. http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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