Jumping Up

[remy lover]

Any ideas please on how to stop our 8 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback from jumping up at both us and visitors and also jumping up at car windows if excited enough. She is femail and generally very well behaved otherwise.

Many thanks

[hairylemon]

a smack on the head and a roar will sort that out no bother. teach her to stay down by offering her no attention when she jumps up but pat her when she sits patiently

[shaneystar]

Jumping up is a common way that dogs try to get our attention. Although this can be endearing, it really isn't a good idea to let your dog do this.
Old fashioned dog trainers used just to knee the dog in the chest when it jumped up. This quite often stopped the dog jumping up but it risked breaking its ribs or even more severe injuries. There is a better, kinder way.
This is simply to ignore all jumping up.
Ignore really does mean ignore - no words, no eye contact, no angry exclamations! Telling a dog off is NOT ignoring. Move away from the dog and go and do something else, anything else. The idea is show the dog that jumping up simply doesn't work. So, for instance, when you arrive home walk in, ignore the jumping up, and move straight into the kitchen to start putting away your shopping.
At first the dog will seem to be worse. She will try even harder to get your attention and for the first few days you wonder if this is going to work. PERSEVERE. If you forget just once and pay attention to her, you will not succeed. The difficult period will last for about a week, maybe a few days longer, and, as long as you hold out, it will work.
Then�. When your dog stops jumping up, you start rewarding her for keeping all four feet on the ground. Lower yourself to her level and give her a pet. Or hand her a treat. You don't have to reward her every single time, but try to do it about once in three occasions.

If your dog has the habit of jumping up at visitors, the easiest way to deal with this, is to put her on a lead before you go to the door to greet them. Hold the dog and tell the visitor to ignore the dog. Explain to the visit that this is part of your dog training and that she can give the dog a good cuddle later. Only let the dog off the lead when the visitor is in the room and settled down.
Remember to praise your dog and give her a treat each time she greets somebody with all four paws on the ground.

[shaneystar]

As for smacking a dog on the head that's just plain cruelty.

[hairylemon]

not if its corrective rather than abusive shaneystar. wise up

[shaneystar]

Well I have owned many dogs and never had to smack or roar at any of them to get them to behave.I believe in kindness and firmness mixed with a lot of patience.That's how I see it anyway.Each to their own.

[shaneystar]

i've just realised that you also advised someone to grab their dog by the scruff of the neck and chuck it into the deepest part of the water because it was a bit frightened of swimming.
I think you need to wise up.

[shivvy]

I reckon shaneystar has given you good advice remy lover.  Your pup is still only 8 months old and has lots to learn.  If you chose to smack her to train her (as hairylemon suggests) you are making big trouble for yourself as well as unnecessarily traumatising the dog.  She will learn as long as you are consistant in the way you deal with the negative behaviour.

Good luck!!

[shaneystar]

Thanks shivvy .Glad to know someone shares my way of thinking.

[Snappy]

Turn your back when she jumps up. She must learn that she doesnt get your attention unless she is sitting or at least all 4 feet on the floor. As for what hairylemon said, a smack is definatley not the answer! Or a roar, but when my dogs misbehave i growl the word no, which they listen to. In this situation though dont use words just ignoring her will soon make her realise you dont want her to jump up. This is a difficult age for dog owners as it seems the puppy forgets everything you have taught them in the last few months but keep at it, it will work!