Hi everyone,

Toby has this habit of putting his nose under our arms/hands etc and pushing upwards, often causing us to spills drinks or anything else we have in our hands.  I've tried simply telling him 'no' when he does it, but it's not settling down as well as everything else we're training him not to do.  He's stopped jumping up at me by me putting my hand out (as you would to make them stay) each time he comes bounding towards me, but this other problem isn't being sorted by a similar training method.

He's such a strong lad that he's sending our drinks flying out of our hands!  Does anyone know of any other way I could help to control this, or is it just a matter of time and repeating 'no' to him? 

Thanks.

Sharon

My 10-year old girl still does this! After the first few years you learn not to let down your guard .... ;) :D

HELP! That's not very reassuring Jeangenie!

I'm afraid that's among the things I've never managed to teach them not to do. Stroking us for attention is another - hard nails raking down your legs or arms (or head if you're sitting on the floor!) is hard to ignore. :(

My Springer does both - she's not so bad with me and the raking, because I make a BIG point of moving away, turning away, looking away and she seems to take the hint that this is not appreciated.  But the nose nudging really seems to be a matter of learning to manage it - put drinks down when not actually drinking etc.  because they seem to enjoy the negative attention of getting yelled at when scalding hot tea goes all down your front.....

Oh dear, it's a shame it can't be sorted because at the minute it's probably the most annoying thing about him - which is great of course, compared to what he used to do to annoy me!!  But I'd prefer a life without nose nudging if possible.  We always want it 'all' don't we?!  No?  Oh well, maybe it's just me :D

OMG - My Tervs are really Dallies without spots   That's why they're untrainable :rolleyes:

Edited to add: Just read Digger's post!!!!!  They're spotless Dallies crossed with undocked Springers :P :P :P

My Spanish do both too.  Try being at somebodys house with a large glass of red wine, sat on their white sofa when a Spanish does this, talk about Phantom of the Opera plus the poor person's sofa :d

As others have said you just have to try and not let your guard down :d  Sorry I can't advise better.

Willis is a master at the arm-fling-coffee-spill manouvre. He waits until I am engrossed in CD and sneaks up on his big dane tippy toes... just as I am about to lift the hot coffee to my lips he sneaks his nose under and launches my arm upwards over goes the coffee!

He also has the paw thing off to a fine art and will manage to get it right on the top of your head if you are daft enough to be sat on the floor... and if that doesn't work he stands over you and blocks the view of the tele Aw bless... don't ya just love attention seeking.

Yep, my two do it too Sharon.  Thai especially will dig her nose under your arm for a stroke then she will use her paw to push your hand down under her arm where she loves to be stroked :)  Bali is a good paw smacker, more of a lump than Thai but they all do it - I sometimes completely ignore my two if they have had loads of attention and Eastenders is on (although they tell me when it's on and know that is DOWN time LOL) I don't give eye contact, they soon go and lie down until I call them to me for attention - I love Bali's kisses  he he :D

Sit slightly side on with cup in your inside hand?  I think we instinctively do this because if the nose doesn't get you the tail will.

I seem to remember my old dog used to do this when we first got her.  Vigilance, as advised previously, and not responding to it were I think what made it fade.  With us, anyway.  Visitors were still fair game!

Thanks guys.  I guess I'll just have to accept it as a common problem, and try in future to ignore it.  Easier said than done though when you're hopping mad due to the mess they've forced you to make on the sofa with a glass of wine...., oops, sorry, mean to say cup of tea - I don't drink wine - obviously ;)

Roll on my leather sofas.......  At least then I can simply wipe the mess away :D

My 12 year old GR did the same thing as a puppy , it was usually just to get us to throw him tennis balls. Maybe he wants to play!

Oh he ALWAYS wants to play - trouble is I can't play with him 24 hours a day!  And when I return from work it would be nice to just have a relaxing drink without him spilling it for me!  I do give him as much attention as I can, but he always wants more!

The problem is the force at which he nudges me, it's incredible - I couldn't keep my hand still if I tried. 

How about teaching him a 'settle down' command - then, when he's been good, you can reward him with what he wants - attention and a game!

I know what you mean! What about teaching him to stay and wait for a treat while you are relaxing , or get a food toy like a kong to keep him busy?

Yes, I could certainly make him wait for a treat, he's good at that - but I always feel guilty if I make him wait too long and he starts to drool!!

He has got into the habit of doing it every time he wants attention, even when I'm not holding anything it's still annoying!

I train my puppys to wait and stay for 30 minutes at a time if i really need them to , like when i have formal company over and don't really want him to be in the crate while i am home. 5-10 minutes on a stay isn't to harsh!

Good grief - really?!  I'd feel so cruel!!  Toby keeps looking up at me with those sad eyes, just waiting for those magic words 'go on then'  It would tear my heart out to see him waiting that long!

However, I am, OBVIOUSLY, going to try it out!!!!!!!  Oooh, peace for 30 minutes - it is really possible?  Are the gods that kind??!

Well puppys usually have REALLY short attention spans , if he was a bit older he could probably stay 30 minutes max. My 15 weeker will willingly stay for hours for greenies!

Hiya, Toby is about 2 years old, so hopefully he'll be ok :)

My dobe did it until one day, when he nudged the wrong cup... got hot milk all over his face, and he hasn't done it since, the poor fellow!  He ran adn sat on the stairs, and looked at me with the most pitiful look while I ran to get a cloth to mop his face :(

I think they must be crossed with Cavaliers and Yankees too - or perhaps I'm just a softie! Never managed to train mine not to nudge, or not to whine for their morning walk, or not to jump on the sofa, or not to run upstairs and settle themselves on the bed....!! And yet the older 2 have Gold and Silver Good Citizen tests and the puppy has her Foundation assessment. I guess I just think the naughtiness is cute - big mistake I know!!!

Ditto Jeangenie, my 101/2 year old still does it and quite a few of my past dogs have.  I have just learnt to live with it!

Sue

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

The above may help

Training self control is excellent but please be aware that expecting a 9 week old puppy to maintain a sit stay for more than a few seconds is unrealistic as the muscles in its back are just not strong enough.

In competition no dog is required to maintain a sit stay for more than 3 minutes in the Uk and no longer than 10 minutes in a down stay.  You can of course train for longer but it takes a lot of time to get to that stage.

By all means train your dog to "settle" as digger suggests but do not expect behaviour from your dog that it does not have either the physical or mental capacity for.........

the 30 minute stay doesn't neccissarily mean focused sit, mine will just go into a down position and shut there eyes till i am back :):)

  When did anyone say the dog was 9 weeks old?!  Crikey, I can't cope with him at 2 years - don't send me back to when he was 9 weeks - I'd kill myself!

:D sorry got confused you with another thread! :D

I thought you must have!!

Given up with tea and coffee!! Red wine is banned!! typing is hard to - she trys to lean over and type with her paws!!! Jealous of the laptop on my lap instead of her!!

my 4 rotties always nudge us with their noses,, endless drinks, meals etc have been knocked out of our hands and its something we have never been able to stop them doing,, most of friends in pc land now know that if i have a typo in a mail or chat im being nudged by one of them lol i think its their way of saying ''hey im here you know'' :D just one of the many joys of having dogs i think :)

My 2 1/2 year old does this and nibbles cuffs to get attention if that doesn't work.

And theres me thinking our girl had an individual quirky habit :D :D

All i can say is we got used to it and anticipate when she is going to do it and move asap.
The nails are the most horrendous thing ever known to man a quick dig and a deep drag along the knee usually suffices to tell you they love you hmmmmmmmmm :D :D
Yet our other dog doesn't do that he just stares!!! totally annoying especially during corrie.

Wouldnt have it any other way we say its just their way of communicating as you know they want something.

Yep my girl does the nose nudge too and the paw slap to get attention.  I have learned to get this out of the way before sitting down for a cuppa.  When I first sit down she throws my hand over her head three or four times and then goes off to do her own thing.  When I stand up she bats me with one paw, quite gently, just to let me know she is still there.

Just count your self lucky that you have a dog with a normal sense of humor, one of mine used to quietly undue shoe laces if he was ignored when we were sitting down - result we would fall back unto the settee after an abortive attempt to stand up.  Dog one, owner nill.

Mine does that too. I have found with him that he does it to get you to stroke him. If you do stroke him and then stop he nudges upwards to get you to carry on. The little devil :)

Hi Keeley,
All mine do that, it can be anoying with a cup of hot coffee in your
hand. I just shout" watch its hot " then they just sit there until I put it down.
And start again. But!! will not go untill they have had there love.
Regards
Denese 

Mine gave up doing this when they got hot tea all over them, although now they wait untill you put it down and its cool enough, then steal it :)
I think they know when i'm going out too and all dressed up as they walk over and wipe drool all over me :)