Pets

What’s the most effective way to train my dog to stop jumping up when he is excited?

Stop Jumping! Effective Ways to Train Your Excited Dog

What's the most effective way to train my dog to stop jumping up when he is excited? This is such a common question. And it's a great one. But unfortunately with all these animal questions, the first thing that I'm going to say to you is it depends. Because it doesn't say here if it's jumping up on people, if it's jumping up on other people, whether it's jumping up on you, it's jumping on the counter, jumping up on the other dog. But jumping is normal. We see jumping all the time. And the best way to answer this question in a very broad way would be to say that my recommendation would be to stop allowing the jumping to be reinforced in any way. So, you know, jumping is reinforced when your dog jumps up and you go, Hi buddy, how was your day? Or even if they jump up and you go, Stop it, get down, no. That's still giving feedback. So the best thing to do is to try to avoid and manage the dog as best as you can so that they aren't getting reinforced either directly or indirectly for jumping up. And then reinforcing alternative behaviors is a big one as well. You know, our go-to usually is always like sit. But sit can be almost like a preload to jumping. The dog sits and he's ready to pounce like Tigger. So, you know, teaching something like a relaxed down where the dog learns when he gets excited to actually lay down or do a rollover or something cute like get in between your legs and look up at you. You know, anything like that that is easier to reinforce and going to be easier for the dog to offer over like sitting and being completely still. So broad answer is stop letting the dog get reinforced for it. Work on teaching an alternative way to greet you when they're excited and manage them as much as you possibly can to stop it from continuing.

The most effective way to train a dog to stop jumping up when excited is to stop reinforcing the behavior and teach an alternative greeting, such as sitting or laying down. Additionally, managing the dog to prevent the jumping from continuing is important.

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The most effective way to train a dog to stop jumping up when excited depends on the specific situation. It's important to clarify whether the dog is jumping up on people, other dogs, or objects like counters. However, in a general sense, the recommendation is to prevent reinforcement of the jumping behavior. This means avoiding any form of positive or negative feedback when the dog jumps up, such as greeting them enthusiastically or reprimanding them. Managing the dog's environment is crucial to minimize opportunities for reinforcement. Additionally, reinforcing alternative behaviors can be helpful. Instead of defaulting to a sit command, teaching a relaxed down, rollover, or other cute behaviors can redirect their excitement and be easier to reinforce. The key is to stop allowing the dog to be reinforced for jumping and focus on teaching alternative greetings while managing their behavior as much as possible.

My dog crouches and lunges at other dogs passing on walks but not all dogs. How do I stop this if treats aren't working?

How to Stop Your Dog's Unpredictable Reactivity on Walks

My dog crouches and lunges at other dogs passing on walks, but not all dogs, how do I stop this if treats aren't working. So the great part of this question that is, is really good for me to look at is at other dogs, but not all dogs. So sometimes when you have that unpredictability, you end up waiting to see what your dog is going to do when it sees another dog on a walk and um what I would recommend doing is no longer giving your dog an opportunity to decide what they want to do. So I work really hard with my dogs to learn no matter what, where we are, what's going on. When you see another dog, this is the decision I'd like you to make and for me, that's usually a check in, right, They check in with me and then I q them to whatever it is that we're going to do, if I say with me, we're gonna keep walking and you know, I might pay them happily as we go by, um I may decide to to have them stop and do a different behavior to keep their mind off of the dog passing depending on what that other dog is doing. Um and then there are other things that you can try instead of things like that, where you could go into a pattern game by Leslie McDevitt playing the 123 game and all of that stuff, but the short answer is don't let your dog be the one that decides how they're going to react. You show them that no matter what, when you see a dog, this is the behavior I'd like you to do and really stay consistent in reinforcing that behavior.

Don't let your dog decide how they're going to react when they see another dog on a walk. Instead, teach them that no matter what, when you see a dog, this is the behavior you should do. You can also try pattern games like the 123 game by Leslie McDevitt to keep their mind off of the other dog.

If your dog crouches and lunges at some dogs during walks but not all, and treats aren't working to stop this behavior, there are alternative approaches you can try. The unpredictability of your dog's reactions can make it difficult to address the issue. Instead of allowing your dog to decide how they will react, take control of the situation. Train your dog to understand that when they see another dog, there is a specific behavior you expect from them. This could be checking in with you and following your cues, such as continuing to walk calmly or engaging in a different behavior to redirect their attention away from the passing dog. You can also consider using pattern games like the 123 game by Leslie McDevitt as an alternative approach. The key is to consistently reinforce the desired behavior and not let your dog be the one making the decision on how to react.

Why is recall so hard for my dog? It seems so easy!

Why Recall is Hard for Your Dog, Despite Seeming Easy

Why is recall so hard for my dog? It seems so easy. Well, to us it seems easy, right? You know, if I call my dog, it seems really easy if I've called them to just come back to me. Just the same way as it feels easy to me for my five-year-old to just put her shoes on so we can leave the house. But for her, that can feel like quite the task, especially if she's got a bunch of other things that she's doing, like trying to feed her a baby doll or trying to get her baby's carriage into the thing. And I'm just like, can you just put your shoes on? And that's, I think, a lot of the ways that we look at recall. Like, no, just come back to me, okay? That's all I'm asking. But for many dogs, that is not the easy thing. The easy thing is to follow that smell or to chase that squirrel or to go have fun with the other dog that they just found or chase the neighbor's chickens. And those things are much more reinforcing than coming back to you. So the best way to make it easier on your dog is to have them realize that coming back to you is the best decision they can make. And it also doesn't mean that the fun is always going to be over when they come back.

Recall can be difficult for dogs because other activities, such as chasing a squirrel or following a smell, may be more reinforcing than coming back to their owners. The best way to make recall easier for your dog is to make sure they know that coming back to you will always be the best decision and that it doesn't mean the fun has to end.

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Why is recall so challenging for my dog, even though it seems easy to me? Well, from our perspective, calling our dog and expecting them to come back seems like a simple task. It's similar to how we might think it's easy for our five-year-old to put on her shoes before leaving the house. But for her, it can feel like a big task, especially if she's engaged in other activities like playing with her baby doll or organizing her toys. We might say, Just put your shoes on! Similarly, many dogs find other things more enticing than coming back to us, such as following scents, chasing squirrels, playing with other dogs they've encountered, or even chasing the neighbor's chickens. These activities are often more rewarding for them than returning to us. So, the key to making recall easier for your dog is helping them understand that coming back to you is the best choice they can make. It's also important for them to learn that coming back doesn't always mean the fun has to end.

What safe product can I buy to keep an off-leash dog away from my leashed dog when walking?

Keep your leashed dog safe with these products

What safe product can I buy to keep an off-leash dog away from my leash dog when walking? This is a great question. I get this question a lot because here in New Hampshire, we have a lot of off-leash dogs that will quote-unquote mug you and your dog while you're walking, even if your dog is on leash. So it is good to have some things on hand. Here are a few ideas. One is a product called Spray Shield by a company named PetSafe. That's a great product that can help be used as a deterrent. My recommendation is that you try using it first in your backyard with obviously nothing around and learn how it works because it actually goes in one big stream. So knowing that you know how to use that. I love pop-up umbrellas, you know the ones that you press a button and it pops up. I love to always have a handful of treats or bag of treats on me anyway when I'm with my dog. So I'll take a handful of that and I'll throw it at the oncoming dog. But those would be my top three, you know, the Spray Shield, a pop-up umbrella, and something to throw to distract or redirect the oncoming dog. And other than that, you might just have to, you know, book it and get out of dodge or scream, my dog is contagious to get that person to get their dog back away from yours as quickly as possible. It's never a situation that you want to be in, but as much as you can be prepared ahead of time, the better.

A safe product to keep an off-leash dog away from a leash dog when walking is Spray Shield by Pet Safe, pop up umbrellas, and treats to distract or redirect the oncoming dog.

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To keep an off-leash dog away from your leashed dog while walking, there are several safe products you can consider. One option is Spray Shield by PetSafe, which serves as a deterrent. It's recommended to practice using it in a controlled environment first, as it sprays in a single stream. Another useful item is a pop-up umbrella that can be easily deployed if needed. Additionally, carrying a handful of treats or a bag of treats can be helpful for distracting or redirecting the approaching dog's attention. These three options - Spray Shield, a pop-up umbrella, and treats for distraction - can provide some protection. However, in some cases, you may need to quickly leave the area or raise your voice to ensure the off-leash dog owner keeps their dog away from yours. While it's not an ideal situation, being prepared ahead of time can help mitigate any potential issues.

Is it okay so play wrestle with my dog if he’s enjoying it? Or can it create overstimulation/mouthing too hard?

Play Wrestling with Your Dog: Is it Safe or Overstimulating?

Is it okay to play wrestle with my dog if he's enjoying it or can it create over stimulation mouthing too hard? Well, it depends, right? It all depends on the dog and it depends on you and it also depends on the context in which the dog is living and where this play is happening. I absolutely play wrestle with my dogs. However, I've really made sure at an early age to build a relationship with them and help them learn self-control so that when I stop and say, enough, okay, let's lay down or whatever, the dog will learn, they can regulate themselves. So it's probably a good idea to not start those behavior patterns of wrestling early. Maybe wait till you've really built a solid relationship with your dog. You can play in lots of other ways, teach them how to regulate their arousal and calm down once excited, and then you can start introducing that kind of play, but short and sweet bursts at first. And so the dog learns again, short bit of play. Now I have to calm down. This all changes dependent on your dog, depending on your living situation, young children, all of that too. So make sure you reach out to a qualified behavior professional just in case you are not sure. Thanks.

It depends on your dog and context, but you should build a relationship with your dog and teach them self-control before introducing play wrestling.

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Playing wrestle with your dog can be okay if they are enjoying it, but it can also lead to overstimulation and mouthing too hard. It depends on various factors such as the dog, yourself, and the context in which the play occurs. Personally, I do engage in play wrestling with my dogs, but I have taken precautions to establish a strong relationship with them and help them learn self-control. It's important for the dog to understand cues like enough or let's lay down so that they can regulate themselves during play. It may be wise to wait until you have built a solid relationship with your dog before introducing wrestling behavior patterns. Prioritize teaching them how to manage their arousal and calm down when excited. Start with short and sweet bursts of play, gradually increasing duration as they learn to calm down afterwards. However, it's crucial to consider your specific dog, living situation, and presence of young children. If you're unsure or have concerns, it's recommended to seek guidance from a qualified behavior professional.

Old dogs, new tricks: Age is no barrier to training

Are dogs ever too old to train? What a great question. And my answer is no. In my experience in working with senior hospice, even special needs dogs, dogs that had eyes but then had to have their eyes removed or dogs that lost their hearing or dogs that have lost function of certain, you know, like their legs, you know, for certain reasons, they learn to adapt and they learn to work through that and they can absolutely be trained and work with at any age. They might be a little bit slower to catch on, especially if they are up there in age and they've never done any training, but just like us in our species, there's always room for growth and for learning. And so there's no excuses. We should be training those oldies too.

No, dogs are never too old to train. They might take a bit longer to learn, but with patience and encouragement, they can still be trained at any age.

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Are dogs ever too old to train? Absolutely not. In my experience, even senior hospice dogs and those with special needs can be trained and worked with at any age. Dogs who have lost their sight, hearing, or have limited mobility due to various reasons can adapt and overcome challenges through training. They may take a bit longer to catch on, especially if they haven't received prior training, but just like humans, there's always room for growth and learning in our furry friends. There are no excuses. We should definitely invest in training these older dogs too.

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Certified trainer and behavior consultant. Senior and hospice dog consultant.

Neither AnyQuestion nor its Experts provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment or otherwise provide professional healthcare services.

Helen St. Pierre