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20anonymous08 · Apr 21, 2008, 02:41 PM

I have a puppy that is about 3 months old. He took well to the housetraining and biting now he goes out side to potty and doesn't go inside at all. Also he was biting and we got him to soften his bites very well so he is a good learner...

The problem now is his jumping! He jumps all over us and we do not know how to get him to stop! The other day my 2 year old was eating apples on the couch and he jumped up and grabbed them! We constantly tell him no but he still does it... any advice is appreciated...

Also, he has his own toys and he insists on chewing on our shoes all my daughters toys... he even takes our socks in the backyard! What can we do to get him to stop this?

One more thing... how come our puppy acts like we don't feed him? The moment we let him out of his confinement he sniffs the floor eating crumbs and even trash! Why is this? We fill his bowl and he still goes on the hunt! Any help on this is greatly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!!

amricca · Apr 21, 2008, 02:54 PM

I think the best way to keep it from jumping up is to teach it to sit and stay. It probably is doing this when it is excited to see you most of all, so if you use that command when he wants to jump up, he can't if he is sitting and staying. As for the chewing and searching for food, keeping the floor clean of food and socks and your daughters toys will help as he will not have anything there to eat and chew but his own toys.

20anonymous08 · Apr 21, 2008, 03:04 PM

Originally Posted by amricca

I think the best way to keep it from jumping up is to teach it to sit and stay. It probably is doing this when it is excited to see you most of all, so if you use that command when he wants to jump up, he can't if he is sitting and staying. As for the chewing and searching for food, keeping the floor clean of food and socks and your daughters toys will help as he will not have anything there to eat and chew but his own toys.

Thank you but we have tried that and it hasn't worked. ALso, when he is confined all he has is his toys but when we let him out my daughter has toys in the front room and even if they are put away he will find one and grab it. I don't think we should have to punish my daughter by forcing her to keep her toys locked up. I need to find a way to break his habit.

amricca · Apr 21, 2008, 03:42 PM

Well, to be honest with you, when my dog did it I had knee jerk reaction and she ended up running into my knee which may have hurt a little because she stopped doing it after that. I'm not telling you to knee your dog and hurt it, but maybe something along that line would help. When I have company over I use the sit and stay thing. I'm sure more people will post here so let's hear what others have to say.

jcdill · Apr 21, 2008, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by 20anonymous08

Thank you but we have tried that and it hasn't worked. ALso, when he is confined all he has is his toys but when we let him out my daughter has toys in the front room and even if they are put away he will find one and grab it. I don't think we should have to punish my daughter by forcing her to keep her toys locked up. I need to find a way to break his habit.

If the "sit and stay" isn't working, then it isn't really taught. A dog can't both jump up and "sit and stay" at the same time.

Training is a long process, and the most important thing you have to train is not the dog, but yourself. Your dog's actions are a reflection of the actions you have (or have not) taken as part of the training process. When your actions are correct, the dog's behavior improves. When your actions are incorrect, the dog keeps doing the undesired behaviors, or even increases the undesired behaviors.

Here are some things you need to do:

1) Do not let the dog up on any furniture, at any time. Furniture is for 2-legged members of your dog's pack (humans) and 4-legged members (dogs) stay on the floor. This is the first step to teaching your dog to mind his place, and leave certain things to humans only. The problem with chewing other things (such as your daughter's toys) stems from your dog's lack of understanding about what things are for dogs and what things are not for dogs.

2) For now, your daughter needs to keep her toys out of the dog's reach. This isn't punishing your daughter, it's teaching her responsibility. Owning a dog requires a lot of responsibility, and one of those things is creating the right environment for the dog to learn how to be a good citizen in your household. Give your dog 2 weeks where the ONLY things he can chew on are his toys (all other things are kept out of reach) and then carefully and intentionally introduce a non-toy into his area, at a time when you can WATCH the puppy. When you see the puppy try to go after the other item. First correct the puppy by saying NO. Then offer one of the puppy's own toys to the puppy and PRAISE the puppy for chewing on the right toy. Keep a sharp eye for any movement toward the wrong item, and be ready with a sharp NO each time the dog makes a move, and follow it with PRAISE when the dog returns to chew on the approved item.

It is important to look for the things to praise - in this case praising the dog for chewing on the right thing. The dog learns faster when it is praised for doing the right thing. Your job is to WATCH for the right thing and PRAISE for it, not just correct for the wrong thing.

3) Jumping up is the same thing - you need to tell the dog to Sit and then praise the dog for sitting. If he starts to jump, you correct with a sharp NO, then tell the dog to Sit and PRAISE the dog for sitting. Spend 10 minutes practicing this 2 times a day, and in a week I can promise the dog will be planting the butt on the ground rather than jumping up to get attention. Again, you have to train yourself. If the dog comes up to you and sits, don't just ignore it, PRAISE it. Otherwise the dog will feel "this is futile - jumping up got a much better reaction" and start jumping up again.

If all of this is too hard for you to do consistently, then it may be that an untrained puppy simply is not a suitable pet for your household. If so, you would be happier adopting an adult and already trained dog from the animal shelter, and finding a new home (with someone who has more time to train a puppy) for your current dog.

isabelgopo · Apr 21, 2008, 04:59 PM

My dog used to do that all the time, when she was a puppy it was OK but now she is 75 pounds and jumping is not funny anymore. Every time she jumps on somebody, she gets a slap on the butt and a loud "NO" and she has to go sit and stay in the corner for 10 minutes. Her behavior has totally improved since then.

starbuck8 · Apr 22, 2008, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by isabelgopo

My dog used to do that all the time, when she was a puppy it was ok but now she is 75 pounds and jumping is not funny anymore. Everytime she jumps on somebody, she gets a slap on the butt and a loud "NO" and she has to go sit and stay in the corner for 10 minutes. Her behavior has totally improved since then.

Hitting an animal is NEVER an excuse for improper training! The same as a child. You are teaching your dog to fear you, instead of respecting you! Her improvement has only gotten better because you've scared her! :mad: Please stop hitting your dog! She is only showing her excitement to see you! You don't have to intimidate her to have her obey your commands. :(

starbuck8 · Apr 22, 2008, 01:09 AM

Originally Posted by 20anonymous08

I have a puppy that is about 3 months old. He took well to the housetraining and biting now he goes out side to potty and doesn't go inside at all. Also he was biting and we got him to soften his bites very well so he is a good learner...

The problem now is his jumping! He jumps all over us and we do not know how to get him to stop! The other day my 2 year old was eating apples on the couch and he jumped up and grabbed them! We constantly tell him no but he still does it...any advice is appreciated...

Also, he has his own toys and he insists on chewing on our shoes all my daughters toys...he even takes our socks in the backyard! What can we do to get him to stop this??

One more thing...how come our puppy acts like we don't feed him? The moment we let him out of his confinement he sniffs the floor eating crumbs and even trash! Why is this? We fill his bowl and he still goes on the hunt! Any help on this is greatly appreciated!!

Thank you in advance!!!

Do you take your pup out for long walks everyday to burn off all of that excess puppy energy? I know you have a 2 yr old, and you're probably very busy with her, but your pup needs to learn the order of the pack, and walks do wonders to teach them that.

When you take your baby out for walks (and I assume she is still in a stroller) tie the pups leash to the stroller up where you have control. Make sure it's a short leash. If the pup tries to jump up on your daughter, give the leash a quick, but sharp tug (not a pull) along with a sharp, but calm command. Repeat doing that every time he gets distracted, or jumps.

Let him burn off his energy, and then when you get home, take him on his leash right to his toy and give him a treat, and lots of praise.

When he jumps on you, block him right away. I don't know how big he is because you didn't mention the breed, but you can use your knee or shin. NOT to kick him, but just as a light push/block, and again give a sharp "down" command, or whatever command you decide to use for bad behaviour. I find a quick Shhhttt, with eye contact while pointing my finger works for me, but whatever seems to work for you is fine too.

Same thing if you see him stealing your belongings. When you see him do this, give the sharp command, stay calm, block him with your body, and wait until he drops it. He will probably try and get away from you quite a few times. Don't chase him, just try and get him into a corner where he has no where to go. Don't try and fight with him to get whatever it is he has, block, point, and give your command until he drops it himself. Keep your cool so he understands who's the boss. Once he has dropped it, give him his own toy and praise him.

I've had a lot of jumpers and thieves, lol, and they all seemed to pick up on this pretty quickly. The biggest key is burning off their energy first, and then going through the training rituals.

I hope I explained this well enough for you to understand my approach to it.

Good Luck! :)

isabelgopo · Apr 22, 2008, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by starbuck8

Hitting an animal is NEVER an excuse for improper training!! The same as a child. You are teaching your dog to fear you, instead of respecting you! Her improvement has only gotten better because you've scared her! :mad: Please stop hitting your dog! She is only showing her excitement to see you! You don't have to intimidate her to have her obey your commands. :(

OH PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK, I have the sweetest dog in the world, she has the bad luck of being a pit bull and Im not willing to be sentenced to put her to sleep because she decided to SHOW HER EXCITEMENT jumping on my neighbor's 3 year old daughter.

starbuck8 · Apr 22, 2008, 06:07 PM

Originally Posted by isabelgopo

OH PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK, I have the sweetest dog in the world, she has the bad luck of being a pit bull and Im not willing to be sentenced to put her to sleep because she decided to SHOW HER EXCITEMENT jumping on my neighbor's 3 year old daughter.

Your dog does not have the "bad luck" of being a Pit Bull, and there is no reason for her to have a "death sentence" if you train her properly! Pit Bulls can be trained like any other dog if you put in the time and research to do it correctly.

Your untrained Pit Bull should NEVER be allowed to be around a 3 yr old child, until she completely understands and obeys your commands... NEVER! That is dangerous, and you are putting that child at risk. If she even inadvertently hurts that child, you are signing her death certificate. Pit Bulls can be very sweet and loving, and can be around children and others, but only with proper training.

isabelgopo · Apr 22, 2008, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by starbuck8

Your dog does not have the "bad luck" of being a Pit Bull, and there is no reason for her to have a "death sentence" if you train her properly! Pit Bulls can be trained like any other dog if you put in the time and research to do it correctly.

Your untrained Pit Bull should NEVER be allowed to be around a 3 yr old child, until she completely understands and obeys your commands...NEVER!! That is dangerous, and you are putting that child at risk. If she even inadvertantly hurts that child, you are signing her death certificate. Pit Bulls can be very sweet and loving, and can be around children and others, but only with proper training.

Lol you are ridiculous. My dog has been professionally trained and still can't help it. Slapping her has hurt me more that it has hurt her and you are totally right, pit bulls are sweet and loving, and she adores to be around people. That's why the idea of having her locked in a cage while everybody else is having fun in the living room seemed more cruel to me than slapping her and teaching her to don't do it anymore. Please, don't you dare telling me how to treat my dog, I love her more than anything in the world.

ISneezeFunny · Apr 22, 2008, 07:55 PM

... what?

isabelgopo:

If you find any articles, training manuals, vets, personal puppy trainers, or any training books that encourage hitting your dog... then I may give you SOME credit...

But EVERY single book I've referred to, every single vet I've spoken to, and every single pet trainer I've spoken to, INCLUDING THE DOG WHISPERER... have discouraged hitting your dog heavily.

Alty · Apr 22, 2008, 07:57 PM

Wow, scary. If you have had your dog professionally trained and she still isn't, that's not her fault that's yours. If you are being inconsistent then you are not reinforcing the training she received.

Having any dog jump on a 3 old is not a good idea, you will be liable if that child is hurt, and the fact that you own a pit bull that is allowed to jump on children does not bode well for you. You need to be more responsible when owning an animal that has the misfortune of being considered a dangerous breed. They didn't get that title for no reason.

Pit bulls can be loving companions, but only if treated correctly and trained correctly, in my opinion, and from experience, slapping a pit bull is asking for trouble.

Good Luck.

starbuck8 · Apr 22, 2008, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by isabelgopo

lol you are ridiculous. My dog has been professionally trained and still can't help it. Slapping her has hurt me more that it has hurt her and you are totally right, pit bulls are sweet and loving, and she adores to be around people. that's why the idea of having her locked in a cage while everybody else is having fun in the living room seemed more cruel to me than slapping her and teaching her to dont do it anymore. Please, dont you dare telling me how to treat my dog, I love her more than anything in the world.

Did I ever mention anything about locking her in a cage? No, I don't think so! She CAN help it, and if she CAN'T, then she hasn't had a very good professional trainer my dear.

Pit Bulls have a bad rep, and most times it is the irresponsibility of the owner. If you love her more than anything in the world, and I'm not saying that you don't, then love her enough to get the proper training. No dog with professional training "just can't help themselves". This is part of the training routine and commands that they follow.

If the trainer did his/her job, maybe it's you that isn't following through with the program.

starbuck8 · Apr 22, 2008, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by 20anonymous08

I have a puppy that is about 3 months old. He took well to the housetraining and biting now he goes out side to potty and doesn't go inside at all. Also he was biting and we got him to soften his bites very well so he is a good learner...

The problem now is his jumping! He jumps all over us and we do not know how to get him to stop! The other day my 2 year old was eating apples on the couch and he jumped up and grabbed them! We constantly tell him no but he still does it...any advice is appreciated...

Also, he has his own toys and he insists on chewing on our shoes all my daughters toys...he even takes our socks in the backyard! What can we do to get him to stop this??

One more thing...how come our puppy acts like we don't feed him? The moment we let him out of his confinement he sniffs the floor eating crumbs and even trash! Why is this? We fill his bowl and he still goes on the hunt! Any help on this is greatly appreciated!!

Thank you in advance!!!

20anonymous08:

I'm sorry the above happened, with a very relevant question that you asked on your thread. Please keep us updated on how your pup is doing, and if any of the advice given helped at all. If not, let us know and we'll try and help out more okay? He is still a young fur babe, and can be trained to be a great addition to your family, given the proper boundaries! Best of luck with your training. :)

welsh25 · Apr 26, 2008, 03:40 AM

Originally Posted by isabelgopo

OH PLEASE GIVE ME A BREAK, I have the sweetest dog in the world, she has the bad luck of being a pit bull and Im not willing to be sentenced to put her to sleep because she decided to SHOW HER EXCITEMENT jumping on my neighbor's 3 year old daughter.

I agree with you I have a boxer and he to get overly EXCITED when I get visitors and he tends to jump all over them. I've tried sit, stay everything and none of them have worked so far, At 7 months and at 4 stone you don't need him jumping all over you, so a little slap don't hurt him, just showing him who boss.

meseret10 · Apr 26, 2008, 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by starbuck8

Hitting an animal is NEVER an excuse for improper training!! The same as a child. You are teaching your dog to fear you, instead of respecting you! Her improvement has only gotten better because you've scared her! :mad: Please stop hitting your dog! She is only showing her excitement to see you! You don't have to intimidate her to have her obey your commands. :(

Not everybody can afford a dog trainer. My german shepper has gotten his behind whooped more that once and there is nothing wrong with that!

starbuck8 · Apr 26, 2008, 06:13 PM

Originally Posted by meseret10

Not everybody can afford a dog trainer. My german shepper has gotten his behind whooped more that once and there is nothing wrong with that!!

I am very very sad that there seem to be so many "so called" pet lovers out there that think training by intimidation and negative techniques will teach a dog to be well behaved.

Dogs have been dubbed "man's best friend" for a reason! They rely on you to protect them and train them. I hope some of the people that think hitting their animals never find themselves in a situation where a dog could help them in a bad situation, because he is too scared and intimidated by you to follow their natural instincts to react. :(

I'm going to give my faithful and loving dog an extra hug just for you and isabelgopo, and remind her that she will NEVER be hurt because she doesn't understand what she has done wrong unless I've trained her to do so!!

VERY VERY SAD, when you have to focus the training on the pet owners instead of the pet itself! :(

starbuck8 · Apr 26, 2008, 06:25 PM

Maybe take a look at this site. It gives so many other training options.

Pumpkin for cats - pumpkin for dogs - weekly pet tips by Pets.ca

Alty · Apr 26, 2008, 10:03 PM

Wow, talk about scary. I didn't realize that there were so many abusive pet owners out there, what a sad realization.

A dog is a dog, it has dog instincts and dog behavior, in order for a dog to live peacefully with humans that dog must be trained to go against it's natural instincts. It's not hard to do, dogs are very willing to please their human pack members, it takes time and patience, that's all. Hitting a dog is never the answer, NEVER! I can't believe that so many of you think it is.

Wow, I wish I could be there when your dog has been hit one to many times and it finally turns on you, will you receive my sympathy, no, but the dog will.