At wits end - my 11 month old big strong Gordon Setter is still jumping up - I know he wants to be friendly, but he is way too big for this, we've tried everything for months, turning our back on him ( he still jumps at our backs ) pushing him off with firm "no" - he keeps doing it, walking away, he follows - making him sit before we fuss him ( he sits then after his fuss he jumps ) we've stuck with each different method for weeks individually so its not like we've been half-hearted at it. One of the problems is because he is so adorable, everyone, including children, want to pet him, but its a nightmare, I wont let anyone near him until I have him sitting, and hold onto his collar, but he is a strong determined little soul - any ideas???? we've tried all sorts of bribery - he has learnt so much so easily, but this is the one thing he wont stop - oh that and digging the garden!!! He is totally adorable but soooooooooooooo frustrating - HELP!!!!

He's learning that if he keeps on doing it, you'll eventually reward his behaviour, which means he has learnt to keep it up - you must choose one method and STICK WITH IT - that may well mean for months rather than weeks.  A house line may help - a short length attached to his collar (washing line will do, or an old lead about 12" long without the loop handle, so it doesn't get hooked up) makes it easier to man handle him without giving him the physical contact which rewards him.

Digging in the garden?  Can you make him his own digging place?  Make it really rewarding for him, buy burying tasty treats and his fav toys out there, and showing him where they are - he'll soon get the hang of it, and when he knows the area that is most rewarding, he'll leave your flower beds alone :)

our dogs were like that wen he comes to jump up push him down and bend down to him and say hello to him

That can work, but for some bouncy dogs, the push becomes part of the game, and encourages them to do it even more.

Personally I don't mind my dogs jumping up - when I want them too, and another way of dealing with it is to train the dog ONLY to jump when given a certain command (I use a circling of both index fingers).  Having a dog that WILL jump up on command makes things like looking at eyes, ears, mouth etc. so much easier.  When the dog gets used to the command and being rewarded for jumping up on command, he'll forget the idea of jumping up on his own, because it's not as rewarding.

For the adults, when your Gordon starts to jump up bring your knee up so he hits it with his chest.   It will surprise him and prevent him for reaching his goal - your face. 

I have the same problem with my new dog, but he's a Cairn and a small dog leaves you fewer training options. :-)  Mine leaps straight up in the air to try and lick people's faces. 

Stacey

I taught my dogs (Large Munsterlanders) to jump up on command. I open my arms wide and say "up". They all know not to do it unless commanded. Though Chance still has momentary relapses ;) it tends to work for me.

I taught my two by compleatly ignoring the jumping up and walking away with arms folded so they couldnt get to them which meant ignoring them too so they wasnt getting any fuss off mummy. As soon as they stopped i went back liked i walked away and got down to their level and fussed them so they didnt feel they needed to jump up at me. It was worst when i'd been out to work or even to the shops for 5 mins so this worked too i would go in with arms folded and straight to the back door to let them out, they would go and do their bussines and would come back for a fuss at their pleasure instead of mummys home must get fuss! Now they only jump at the family members who let them jump at the beggining even when we were trying to make them stop and they said oh its ok ive got dogs so now i let them just to get my own back cous now there lots bigger and bound into them its not so much fun that'll teach them :D

Following Stacey's advice has resulted in dead dogs!  If the timing is slightly out, the dog suffers internal injuries, it's not recognised as an efficient solution :(

Digger,

Nonsense.  I am not talking about a dog running at you and then bringing your knee up into it's chest.  If anyone does that they are likely to wind up on the floor with the dog on top of them, injuring themselves and the dog.  I am talking about a dog standing in front of you and then you bring your knee up to block its progress.   And it often does work.  

Stacey

Stacey it's not nonsense, and that's not the situation I'm talking about either - a knee brought up like that as the dog jumps can rupture the diaphram - it's a fact!  I don't disagree that it CAN stop dogs jumping up - but it can also kill them!  If it's a technique you are going to promote on a public board, then you really ought to describe EXACTLEY how it should be carried out in your inital post, and let people know the possible consequences of getting it wrong :(

Digger,

Attaching a short lead to a dog and stepping on it as the dog is jumping up can also cause injury, such as ripped ligaments from the dog twisting and potentially falling off balance.  I am sure you are aware of that as well.  Sorry, but it is nonsense that bringing your knee up when the dog is in front off you  -- not launching themselves at you from a distance at top speed -- is going to kill it.   I should have spent more time explaining when it is appropriate and when it is not -- I guess that's the reason they now put warning labels on toasters, "do not use whilst immersed in water", or "this package may contain nuts" on a package of peanuts.  I assumed at least an average amount of intelligence by the reader. 

It is a FACT that almost anything can cause injury, including trying every other method with a large, jumping dog and failing to succeed.  In that case, the injury is most likely to occur to the human.   Rather than that happening, using a short lead or raising a knee, the result of both being to surprise the dog, throw it off balance, and prevent it from jumping up  -- and using either technique sensibly --- do generally work when the rest fail.

I get really irked when someone posts who clearly has tried everything possible and the assumption by the "experts" is always that they have failed, or not tried hard enough.  Every dog is different and although 9 out of 10 may respond well to softer techniques, the tenth is never going to "get it" and needs a different approach. 

Stacey

If you step on the leash before the dog is about to does not hurt the dog, instead it is a correction. If you know when your dog is gonna jump you can correct it before it goes to spring...I have also done the knee thing as well.

This is very true Stacey - but did I suggest treading on the lead to stop the dog jumping up??  No - I didn't - I said the house line was for man handling only....

It's a shame you get irked by scientific psychological facts - but I can't say I'm particularly bothered!

Digger,

I am not irked by facts.  It is a fact that some dogs just do not respond to the very things that are "supposed" to work. I think that when all the softer methods fail, the owner has used them properly, has given them enough time to work, and the dog continues a behaviour that could be dangerous to itself, other dogs, or people -- in those cases you have to try something different.  Even if the technique you try is considered "old fashioned" and is not a positive reinforcement.  The reason is psychological.  It the reward the dog is getting from its behaviour is greater than the alternative you are offering (like click and treat), or, the negative reinforcement has no effect on the dog (like turning your back to the dog when it jumps) .. then you have to move on.   And I do think that you always start with the softer, positive training methods first.  They do work most of the time and are the least stress on dog and owner.

Stacey

I think you may have tried this already but..
We were taught to completely ignore the dog if she jumped up. Turn your back, and if he jumps up walk away and leave the room. Do not shout or push him down, talking to him and touching him are both rewards. If he jumps up again when you re-enter the room leave again. Keep doing this over and over. You also need to train the other people around! Get your friends family members to do the same thing. Don't let people tolerate him jumping at them. At our training class we all got the dogs to sit then several different people walked around and around for a while. If the dog stayed on floor he got a treat, if he jumped up they simply ignored him and walked away. (Dog was on a lead for this)

You can keep his leash on, this way as he goes to jump up you step on the leash and say No jump, and if you want put him in a sit and praise. This way he is getting corrected by the leash and not you and he will think everytime he goes to jump he will get a correction :) hopefully in the end he does not jump but sits instead...Hope this help you out, good luck :)

Of course when you are not around and able to watch him do not leave the leash to be dragged around.

Maybe this link will help; cannot personally recommend "correcting" with a lead or using the knee as I prefer to use more positive methods.

http://www.clickersolutions.com/articles/2001b/jumping.htm

we taught him by ignoring him and walking  away,the only time he got the attention is when is said hello in a correct manner.no jumping up at people it is hard but they do learn it,he could knock any one off there feet being the size he is and he needed to learn jumping was not allowed.he still does it now and again but he soon thinks twice when i walk away.vistors react to him which makes it worse we have told them to ignore him and when he calms down to say hello.it is funny how they learn who they can and can't do it too.
you have to stick with it and they get the message thats its not the way to say hello.

I taught my dogs not to jump up by ignoring them completely when they did it. That means no speaking, no touching, no eye contact. It worked very well and cured them quickly.
HOWEVER my In-laws have JRTs that kept jumping up. I did the usual ignoring them thing. Result:- They jumped up and kept on jumping, seems the weren't satisfied until they'd laddered my tights at the very least. M-I-L said all tou have to do is bend down and acknowledge them and they will leave you alone. Was astonished when I did and they then happily trotted away, because I would have thought that petting them and talking to them was rewarding their behaviour. Obviously the JRT's didn't see it that way. Just goes to show that every dog is individual. So try all the suggestions, give each one a good go before moving onto the next if it's unsuccessful. You'll find one that works in the end. :-)

Hi Harriet,

Your in-laws dogs are a good example of what happens when you do not teach a dog not to jump.  The dogs were happy to stop jumping as soon as their behaviour was rewarded, by attention and a pat, but would not stop jumping before they got the reward.  Guess the thing to do in their case is to approach them when you are already bent down and ready to say hello before they get the chance to jump. :-)

Stacey

Yes Stacey, having just re-read my post it just dawned on me that they were getting rewarded for jumping up by me bending down to pat them, therefore perpetuating their behaviour. Think the reason my ignoring them didn't work (and I ignored over a period of several months) was because the inlaws weren't following it up and doing the same. For any method to work everyone in contact with the dog must show consistancy. I now do greet them in a bent position before they start to jump, saves a fortune on tights. :D