Jumping and leash pulling are two of the major concerns for pet parents. Every time the dog meets someone new, the dog displays behaviors of dragging their owner and jumping on the new friend. Even my own dogs love to jump.
Positive trainers often suggest turning away from the dog, and sometimes this method works, but there are flaws with this way of training. The more excited the dog, the more they fail. And the more they fail, the more engrained the habit becomes. Here are some of the major flaws that limit my students' success.
One of the main reasons for failure is that with this method as with any other, it must be consistent. Consistency is something we all fight with day in and day out, and I honestly believe that whatever method you choose, there must be consistency. Now here is the catch...it's not just you who has to be consistent, but every single person who meets the dog. The likely hood of this is pretty grim. Many of my students have learned to tell each person they meet to turn around when the dog jumps. Wonderful work guys! However, almost every one of the students, who stick to the criteria like an army Sargent, come back saying that it isn't working. The visitor will nod and agree that yes, they will turn away as soon as the dog jumps. Never having any practice with this method, the plan soon goes awry. And who can expect any different when these people with kind intentions give your dog attention!
Ignoring the dog is not only hard to maintain with other visitors, but it is also very frustrating for both the dog and any human involved. It is not rewarding. Whoever and whenever I train, I want to give both dog and human (even myself!) as much success as I possibly can. This method has way too much room for error on both the dog's and human's side! You're leaving the option of jumping and being ignored way too open. Ignoring the dog should happen when my new method goes awry and you don't want to reward the bad. Not as the main way of training the behavior!!!
The next problem is that these trainers only reward the dog in a sitting position. The first problem with this is that in the sitting position, the dog's hind legs are poised just right to act like a spring toward the greeter's face. Just like a rabbit looks like it's sitting before it springs, we are positioning our dogs in the same manner! The next problem is that if you only reward sitting, you've left an "open to interpretation" position for the dog. When they are standing, they have only been rewarded for jumping, not for keeping all four feet on the floor. Chances are, if you're in a store, or walking down a side walk, your dog will encounter people while he is in a standing position. Walking through a crowded area now becomes a nightmare as people randomly reach out to pet your dog on the way by.
Teaching the dog not to jump by ignoring the jumping behavior, and requiring a sit, are not bad things! In fact, with the method I am about to explain to you, you should be using these criteria. Some dogs will learn just fine with only these methods, but others need a little bit more clarity.
The very first thing I do is work with the dog on moving without jumping. I want to give the dog success at this. With the dog facing you, shift back and forth, when the dog takes even one step, click and drop the treat on the floor. Using the floor delivery will help encourage the dog to stay on the floor. The goal is to click and treat before the dog has a chance to jump. Also, I reward dogs that pay attention, so sniffing along the floor ignoring you does not count. As the dog starts to understand the game of moving and getting treats, you can ask for more. Step a little farther to the side and pause before you click and treat to get longer times of feet on the floor before reward. Once the dog can move with you without jumping, it's time to desensitize the dog to exciting movement.
Click and treat for small movements first, gradually make them bigger. For example, raise your hands away from your body, click and treat. Do bigger motions till you can throw your hands in the air, and the dog will not jump. Next do sounds, first make high pitch sounds of "hi Fido!" very quietly. Then gradually, with more excitement, be louder and louder. Then add the hand motion and the sound, but remember when you put these together to make them small together and gradually work your way back up.
The next thing I teach is a "rest" command. I teach the dog to rest it's head in my hand as I offer treats, that way a visitor can pet the dog's back. I will also use this to teach my dog to rest her head on a bed in hopes that we will be able to visit at a nursing home or hospital. With the rest behavior, you want the dogs jaw to rest in your palm without grabbing their face. Do not hold on. Offer your palm and lure the dog forward till their head is above your hand, lower the treat so that the weight of the dog's head is rested in your palm. Reward multiple times in order to lengthen the time they rest. Once the dog offers the resting behavior, simply add time between treats until they stay there until you release them.
Remember, not jumping is like teaching any other command and behavior, such as sitting or heeling, so train it with success. They do not know what you are asking, so remain patient. The more success you give your dog, the more fun you and your dog will have.
As we say in agility : "one of you better be having fun, and it better be the dog!"
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