Hi
I hope everybody had a great Christmas.
I have a problem with my 7 month old lab bitch.  I can't stop her from jumping at people.  When people come over she jumps at them to say hello and when we walk past people in the street she does the same and when we are in the park and she is off lead I have to watch her really carefully to stop her from running over to strangers and jumping at them.
It is really upsetting me as I really want a well behaved dog but she seems to be getting worse and not better.  I have heard that they stop this as they get older but I would like to nip it in the bud now.  She has been going to classes where they suggested a squirt of water which i tried this did not work and they also suggested dropping a biscuit tin on the floor as a distraction which I tried also but lets face it this is hard to carry when you are out walking a dog on the lead.
Are there any ways of stopping this jumping that you can help me with?
Thanks
Van

My lab was the same but I found bitter apple spray which after squirting him with a couple of times I now only have to show him the bottle.
When people come round I hand them the bottle to hold and he then doesn't jump at them but stands dancing round them for a fuss too.
He is not cured by any means but much much better.  Mine is 10 months old now and the bitter apple spray as stopped all that jumping on work surfaces and chewing me too

Bev

Hi Bev
That might work where do I get bitter apple spray?  Also do you actually spray it at them?  Would it hurt the eyes?
Van

You must make sure it doesn't go in thier eyes and yes I did twice spray a tiny bit of it on his lips although then as I said he only had to see the bottle and he backs off the taste is so disgusting.  i also sprayed it on the edge of my work surfaces when he was bad at jumping up at them and that has stopped now and if he forgets I just stand the bottle on the edge and he stays put on the floor.
You can get it on the web but my vet was selling it even cheaper for £5 something.  
I have hardly used any as it teaches them very quickly.

Bev

Hi Van

The way to stop her jumping is to immediately turn your back on her and ignore her. As soon as she is calm and not jumping then turn round and praise :)

She will then get the idea that jumping up means no attention but standing or sitting means that she gets a fuss !

Have a go and see if she improves .

Lucy
xx

Yes, Lucy that works very well, but it's difficult to get all visitors to do this!(especially the very young & very old...) Our labs rarely jump up at us now, but they do at visitors 'cos they're more exciting. The bitter apple spray sounds like a great idea, we'll give it a go.

Bitter Apple spray should not be sprayed on dogs it is designed to taste nasty to stop dogs chewing things & not as a behaviour tool in any other way

To stop the jumping up the nethod is to ignore the jumping up totally & also to teach a sit & as your dog approaches give the sit command(after it is 100% in training no point until your dog sits on command)& treat when your dog does not jump up You should also do this when guests come, you give the command & not the guest

you could also distract when guests arrive like the training discs or even cheaper a empty drinks can with pebbles in it, these are thrown unseen by the dog behind & NOT at the dog, The idea being that when the unwanted behaviour stops you reward the stopping

Bitter Apple spray can be sprayed onto dogs and can be used around stitches or a sore patch (not on it) to stop the dog from licking or chewing at it and fur chewing of any description.  Says so clearly on the bottle.

Bev

If my lot try and jump when we have visitors then a short sharp 'down' normally does the trick :) We do have some visitors that do like to wind them up and so have to tell them off as well ! ;)

It should be said though if you do use the spray the command off or down must also be given so they learn they must respond to your request.  The spray is only a back up to reinforce your command and as I said before once tasted the bottle is normally a good enough deterrent from  selective deafness.
I resorted to it as my lab was leaping on my cooker to see what was cooking very dangerous and had to be stopped immeadiatly.
I would like to add also that some dogs are just hader to teach and that my boy is the first dog in 30 years of owning dogs, breeding and showing and working in obedience, that i have needed this back up aid to make him realise I mean't what I said and he is not boss.

Bev

<around stitches or a sore patch >but never ever ON a sore or wound

It is not to be used near the eyes & is not meant to be used as a behaviour training aid by spraying it into the face of an animal. Is it NOT meant to cause pain & I defy you to be absolutely sure none went into the eyes of your dog

I had some sprayed by accident on my face & I was wearing glasses I ended up in hospital the pain was so bad & after I had had it washed out of my eyes it still stung for hours afterwards & I was advised by the makers after I contacted them never to spray it near the eyes or on the face

Moonmaiden that sounds horrendous! If the stuff's that unpleasant then I would think it's better not used! I'll persevere with firmness, after all....

The only spray I would recommend for use on an open wound is the "Leo Laboratories Bitter Spray". This specifically states:-

<<May be sprayed on open wounds. Spray the area until soaked. Repeat if necessary. Harmless on open wounds but some discomfort may occur for a short time after spraying.

For external use on animals only. Do not spray near eyes. Keep out of reach of children.>>

It is only available from vets (as far as I know). I'm never without it!

Regards, John

moonmaiden
i will not try the apple spray.  I am going to continue as I was with the sit command.  I am also going to try to teach her to sit on the word hello.
I really like the idea of the bottle with pebbles in as it is much easier to carry around than an empty biscuit tin and would fit in my coat pocket I think.
The problem is always other people when they come over but I will just have to persevere with her.
Thanks for your help
Van

Its a drinks can could even be one of the mini ones as long as your dog doesn't see you throw or rattle it ! A well know breed judge uses one to get dogs attenton LOL she rattled it at one of my collies & he grabbed it out of her hand !

lol
thanks i will try a small bottle or a drink can both are great ideas
van

I was told when my dog jumps up to gently blow on his nose, when he sat down praise him, he dosent jump up as much, now but yours is only still a baby, give her another 18 months...!!she will stop it eventually,my fella is 2yr old now, he used to jump up for his lead like a mad dog, I gently blew on his nose when he did this, made him sit then put his collar on, then went for a walk, now he just sits straight away for his collar to be put on.

If you blew on one of my dogs noses it would be an open invitation to getting your nose bitten! :(

I am not meaning to upset anyone, as it is only a gentle blow...

Hi

With our lab, even though he is just over 4 months , and we still, have a very lot to learn, with woody, we are constantly telling him to sit, stay, rewarding with loads of praise, keeping tight hold of him. whenever we are near people and other animals. eg park etc, when he does see people, other dogs etc. he does try to pull away, cause he does get excited. But we do encourage him to keep all 4 paws on the ground, either by the sit command, or this with a gentle but firm touch to his lower back.(eg we just touch his back very lightly, over his tail)  and he gets loads of praise and encouragement.

I must stress, so far so good, time will obviously tell. but if we start as we mean to go on. Maybe. just maybe we might be halfway there.

Today we have been to the park, the only time he actually jumped, was when someone encouraged him,when he was in the stay command, But they did apologise for this,

Alix