puppy training – jumping?
My german shepherd is almost 5 months old and is constantly jumping up on me and my kids, and taking food off of table and counters. when she jumps on me I block with my knee, say Down, and give her a tap on the nose. This does Absolutely nothing. Please tell me how to stop this behavior
Never knee a dog who jumps up – some dogs simply don’t get it, some think you are playing, some get angry, and either you or the dog could get hurt.
Turning away and folding your arms should work to a certain extent, if you do it consistently, calmly, and silently. You may need to leave the room altogether for a few seconds (if you’ve just come home, you may even need to go outside), then come back to give the dog another chance, repeatedly.
However, all of this is still reacting after-the-fact, which is always weaker than giving the dog something else to do. The dog has gotten a chance to practice the behavior, and get whatever pleasure it gives him, which reinforces the behavior, sometimes despite whatever you do afterward.
He may also be begging for some consideration and for the kneeing to stop — jumping up can be an appeasement behavior.
What works better is to give the dog some alternative behaviors, that you can ask him to do. The best “recipe” seems to be things that are contradictory to the unwanted behavior (like sitting instead of jumping), and/or that satisfy something the dog may be getting from the unwanted behavior (desire to touch you, interact with you)
For the jumping up:
1. Manage the behavior, for now, by having your dog in an area of the house that is blocked off by a baby gate.
As you approach where he is, if he jumps up on the gate or does anything else you don’t like, silently turn around and start to leave again. Wait a few seconds, then give him another chance. Do some greeting over the gate, if possible, to give him some time to calm down a bit.
2. Spend time, several times a day, teaching alternative behaviors you *do* want to see. Both calm, “good dog” behaviors and cute tricks have value. Your dog should have a repertoire of behaviors you like, that he will do on cue. So, sit, down, stay, give paw, etc. are all good.
Nose targeting your palm — touching it gently with his nose — can be really useful; you can ask him for it, and hold your hand so he has to have “four on the floor” to do it.
Train these behaviors using a kind, reward-based method, at calm times when the dog is receptive and you don’t really need them.
3. Practice the desired behaviors in lots of settings, still with very little temptation or distraction. Gradually build up the level of distractions.
4. Turn some of these behaviors into a greeting ritual. Sit, stay and/or nose targeting are useful — maybe give paw, so he gets a chance to touch you with his paw, but on cue and in a controlled manner. You may even have jumping up on cue, but he has to wait to be asked!
As for the counter-surfing:
1. Manage thye behavior by keeping the counters and table completely cleared, for now, if the dog will be allowed in the room, unless it’s for a training session. Baby-gate him away from the kitchen or crate him if you are not training.
2. Train an alternate behavior for being in the kitchen — go to your mat and lie down is good.
Practice a lot, tossing him bits of food only if he stays on the mat, ignoring him otherwise. You can have him tethered to a sturdy table leg (ONLY WHILE TRAINING!), to make sure he can’t reach what you are preparing if you step away from it.
Eventually he should learn that staying in place earns him stuff, and wandering to follow you or search for food is useless.
Sound like a lot of work? It’s probably not more effort than what you are doing now, it’s just more planned. It’s also more enjoyable for the dog, and will teach him lots of behaviors you can ask for in all kinds of settings.
How to stop Jumping up!- clicker dog training