I have a chocolate lab who is now 18 months old. He goes to dog training and has passed his silver award  and we are working on his gold so most of the basics he is fine with. i am having a problem with him jumping on people. He will not jump on me as I have used the OFF comand with him since he was 8 wks old. He gets so excited with other people he can't help himself but jump up on them. He is very friendly with both people and other dogs. He is not too bad at jumping on children but although I know he is not meaming harm other people do not. Has anyone who has experienced this problem managed to get their dog to stop it and how? I am worried he is going to harm someone by accident as he is now 30 kgs. Please help.

Adrienne

Hi Adrienne.  When we got our golden retriever nearly a year ago (he's 1 on Sunday) we realised pretty quickly that this needed nipping in the bud as he grew like topsy (now nearly 40kg).  Our puppy dog trainer suggested that if he jumped up we (or whoever he was doing this to) folded their arms (or with kids tuck their hands under their armpits), stand up and turn away.  Don't give the dog any attention.  When he stops jumping, turn round and praise him.  We found that a lot of people flap their arms and hands around when a dog jumps up, which is an automatic fending off type of behaviour, but to the dog just looks like funny flapping things to jump up at.  Like your dog, ours is very friendly but is a big dog and we have found this very useful over the last year.  Our dog's "excitement" bit is to wee on the floor - everyone says he'll grow out of it !

people ignoring the dog when they come to your house is a start, i found i had to tell anyone in advance i wanted them to give no eye contact and no petting or speaking to the dog when they first arrived. this does work if you can get other people to abide by your rules, not always easy i know. this can also stop the dog weeing as if their given no reason to get even more excited then they calm down but if people give them attention when their already excited then this makes them more excited and prompts them to wee.
The other way rather than moving your hands and ignoring is to do the same but walk into the dog and keep moving, they can't jump if your pushing into their space. i've done both methods  and i prefer the later as if you just stand their they can continue to jump up.
Keep going with the training ie the word off as this will sink in  as the dog gets older. 

When my boy was jumping up more than I wanted him to (I have grandchildren) I actually taught him to jump up on command. He is now 6 years old and only jumps up when allowed.

I now have Papillons but in the past had German Shepherds and with young kids it was vital that they did not jump.
As my big boy was very food orientated it was easy to cure.
As he jumped I , or whoever he jumped at turned away but kept a watchful eye and asked him to sit. As he sat we turned around and instantly gave him a piece of livercake or treat and "good sit"
From here I moved to the sit command as soon as a visitor appeared in the door/room and the visitor gave the treat.
He learned fast that sitting in front of a visitor meant yummies and each time the praise "good sit" was given to reinforce the idea.
It got embarrasssing if meeting people in the street tho as he would sit in front of them as I chatted and drool for his yummy for being so well behaved.
I guess they jump as happy and excited and it is changing the focus so jumping gets nothing and sitting gets the reward

Hope that makes sense- good luck

Hi! I have a Bullmastiff who does exactly the same thing. She is SO friendly, but doesn't seem to understand the word NO! We have to be careful with our young nieces and nephews - she wouldn't hurt them, but her size is the problem. When I go out with her, she seems to think that everyone that we meet is out to see HER!!! I've found that if I give her a short lead, tell her to walk on and distract her (click my fingers near her face, hold up my hand near her face etc.) this usually brings her attention to me, and stops her jumping. I then give her lots of praise, and it seems to work because next time we meet someone, she usually just walks on. However, I have to do this every day!!! I don't know if she's just a slow learner (she's two) or if that's a characteristic of the breed......you might have more luck with your Lab!!! Anyway, it's worth trying! Good luck.

Hi Adrienne,

I have a ten month old Boxer and he is the liveliest dog I've ever owned. He used to go nuts whenever we came home and if anyone else came to the house he would go bananas. I soon realised that this wasn't too bad when he was two months old but as he got bigger it was actually dangerous and after he winded me one day I realised it had to stop.

Our method was and still is: I keep a jar of treats by the front door and as soon as we walk though the door he is firmly told to sit and given a treat. He is very good at sitting so he took to this pretty well. Each time he went to jump he was told to sit and if he stayed sat he got a treat. I then bend down to him and give his tummy a rub and say hello. It took a few days but he quickly got the hang of it. I have twelve nieces and nephews ranging from 4 to 17 years old. Whenever they see him they keep their hands by their sides as flapping movements excite him and they tell him to sit really firmly and reward him with treats. Funniest thing in the world seeing my four old niece telling this big muscly Boxer to sit still and behave but because she says it with confidence he listens.

I think the key is being really firm with the command and not giving in at all. Out of habit I always used to say to Nero "that's enough". Now whenever he's being naughty or doing something I want him to stop I say "that's enough" and he quits what he was doing so that's been an added bonus.

Good luck
Rosie

> When my boy was jumping up more than I wanted him to (I have grandchildren) I actually taught him to jump up on command. He is now 6 years old and only jumps up when allowed.

It is a great way to teach them..  My eldest Bearded Collie will now actually "ask" to put her feet on my shoulders.  (I call it her tippy toe dance.)   :-)

I have the same problem with my 11 month old lab. I have tried everything she seems to go deaf. Im at my wits end. She doesnt do it to me just to anyone that enters the house. Even if I tell the guest to turn their back. Tried the walking into her we just ended up in a heap. You cant ask guests to do that as the last thing they want is to get closer to a dog launching themselves at them. When we are out walking she runs up to people and as soon as they put their hand out to stroke her(all doggie people seem to do this why they should know better) up she goes and starts behaving like a kangeroo. At one point she knocked a ladies glasses off. Tried keeping her on a lead but being a lab she needs to run. You can guaranty that when the coast is clear. round the corner comes a person!! Any new suggestions.

> Any new suggestions

Not really :-(

I guess nailing her feet to the floor is out of the question?  :-p

> I guess nailing her feet to the floor is out of the question?  :-p

You're a bad girl :-p

> You're a bad girl :-p

Yes I know, but only since I became old and wrinkly.  :-)

Prior to that I was WICKED! 

> Yes I know, but only since I became old and wrinkly.  :-)

Many a good tune played on an old piano :)

> Prior to that I was WICKED! 

As all good girls are :-p

I just asked every one who came to the house to ignore, turning their backs if necessary to make the point,  until the dogs were sitting down or were calm.Once they were calm, I asked my guest to  acknowledge them. It did not take long for the message to get through. Except my brother who encourages them to jump up :-( so when they jump at him when he is wearing his suit it is tough luck!!!!

To All

Thanks you so much for all your advice. I think if i can start from the begining and crack the jumping on house guests i might be in with a chance of stopping it outside. I already ask friends to turn away and ignore him until all his feet are on the ground but it is more difficult outside with strangers. He sees everybody as his friend. I like the idea of treats by the door and somehow i think he will too! Thanks again.

Adrienne

You could try putting her on a lead when the doorbell goes so that she isn't able to get close to your guests and then carry on with the paws on floor routine before your dog is acknowledged by the guest.

I had forgotten this,with a rescue BC I had years ago, I kept a lead looped under the leg of a sofa which I clipped on to him when we had visitors. He was completely ignored until he was calm, then I took the lead off .. I think I did this for something like two weeks and after that he was fine..

This is something you just have to keep on at, they do get it eventually.  With our GR we used a combination of turning our backs and ignoring her until she sat and waited.  It took a while but she eventually got the idea, now when people come into the house she sits and waits literally vibrating with excitement until the person says hello.  If they don't say hello she will eventually go and sulk and give them dirty looks :). 

She is a GR and has this deep held belief that there are only two types of people in the world: her friends and those who will be her friends when she meets them, she doesn't understand it when they ignore her :)