Hi, I have a 5 1/2 month Border terrier and she is wonderful, the only problem we are having is with her jumping up at people with excitement. She completely loves people and if we see anybody when we are out or people come to our house she goes a bit mental a jumps up at them, usually calming down after a couple of minutes and getting on with something else. She is being so good at training in general picking things up very quickly but not with this, we have asked people if they could turn their back and ignore her, and she does stop jumping for a second then as soon as they turn back shes jumping again. Is this just a case of peserverence or has anybody got any tips that might help. Appreciate any help. Thanks !!!

The best thing is to train another behaviour which can't happen at the same time as jumping up - for example - a sit.  Don't let anyone approach her to say hello unless she is in a sit.  If she moves out of a sit when they come forward to pat her, tell them to withdraw and turn around.  Then tell her to sit again.  When she sits, again they come to pat her.  And so on - she can only greet people in a sit.

I completely agree with onetwothree.  Work on obedience with your dog.  Sit is probably the easiest command to teach.  Insist your dog remain in a sit until you release her.  If she tries to get up, correct her with a leash and collar correction.

I agree with the other posters.  My border goes crackers at other dogs not people and the only way I can control him is with the sit command which he knows well.  If another dog approaches I make him sit and I sometimes have to push his backside to the ground but I make him do it.  He isn't allowed to move until the other dog goes past.  Takes an awful lot of work but your dog is young and should be more easily trained.  So glad you've got a BT they are so full of character - mine does need a very firm hand so early training I would recommend :)

CG

I'd use the teaching the alternative behaviour, but not use any correction except if really considered necessary, the voice. Pups are only doing what is instinctive - they want to reach our faces.

Another rather good trick which may help until your pup has learnt some more self control is to use extremely tasty titbits and drop several on the floor before any jumping occurs... very soon they expect a bit of food and will start to wait and look for it - this can overcome the other problems. Then gradually you can work on the Sit and giving proper rewards so you can totaly phase out the dropping food part and just give food rewards for the Sit training, and eventually totally phase them out altogether and just use plenty of praise ;)

Thanks for the great advice I will give the sit thing a go first.
I am glad we decided on a BT too, she is our first dog, and so didnt really know what to expect, but she is wonderful and very much part of the family now. She is great with the kids, and is such a little character. We cant imagine life without her.

She sounds lovely, sam. BTs are my second favourite terriers! However, as someone else with a small terrier, I've noticed that you really do have to impress on people that it isn't funny or permissable for the dog to behave like a over-charged jumping thing. Only behaviour that wouldn't be tolerated for a moment in large breeds tends to get dismissed as "cute". Which it most certainly isn't!

I know what you mean, My friend has a great dane and obviously it wouldn't and couldn't be tolerated for him to jump up at people, but the smaller breeds seem to get away with it. But its not funny when you are out for a walk and they jump up at someone with muddy paws, its just embarrasing. I am going to really try to get the  jumping under control. What's your 1st favourite terrier ?!!!

i have a lakeland and mum has a border!
the border is a lot more jumpy than mine, but mine does occasional jump on people with muddy paws- and yes- its so embarrasing!
the border is soooo funny- he does this jumpy,twisting mid air stunt! its quite hilarious- he's 2, mum rescued him so it'll take her a while to train him.
i love these terriers!

My first favourite is the Jack Russell Terrorist. But then I'm biased because I'm mighty partial to mine! :D

Lakelands are also lovely and I've got a friend who has two of them and the oldest can do a magnificent impression of a Harrier Jump Jet. I still remember the day he came round when I still had my cocker spaniel and Bob was astonished to see him take off and neatly do a poo in one of my terracotta plant pots!

arent they funny! my aunty has a jrt bitch and when we go to the forest, she digs up mouse holes and starts squealingwith excitement, the next thing you see is her chasing a mouse, darting in & out of bushes!

to tackle the jumping up- i use treats and the sit command ;)

I like Jrts too they are real little characters. How do you find your terriers are off lead. We have been practising our BTs recall in a local field which is always quiet, and she is so far really good and never strays too far from us. We always put her on the lead when we someone else coming with or without a dog. I just know that if she saw somebody she would be so excited she would be straight over to them. Do you manage to let yours off lead when there are other people and dogs around and still keep them close, or am I hoping for too much ?

Nips is pretty good off lead and certainly doesn't stray. He gets a run on top of the Downs every day where there are always other dogs and people and we've only had a couple of lapses in behaviour which had to be squashed early on - mainly around the issue of "Scuse me! I'll go back onto the lead when I decide!" a few weeks back. I did spend quite a lot of time when he was tiny doing recalls in the garden and when he first went off lead in the fields he was much keener on making sure he stuck close to me. We also play hide and seek and recall games on the Downs so the message doesn't come unstuck. We hope!!! ;)

Probably the most useful commands (and for some reason the one he learnt most quickly) is "steady" which stops him running up to dogs and people. He's only 6 months old though and has reached "Kevinhood" so I'm not minded to be at all complacent about his achievements! Or my abilities as any sort of dog trainer it has to be said!

Flo is pretty good- she used to run upto people when we first had her, but after some training and tempting she stays pretty close by, even when dogs are near.
mums BT is a devil though, and he can hardly be let off. we let him off when he is walikng with Flo, as he copies her! so when we call flo- bobby comes too.
When flo gets the scent of something good she becomes deaf, and very ignorant- treats dont work, nothing. What i do is run in opposite direction and call her once. she is learning that she must watch what im doing, she is slowly, vvveeerrrryyy slowly!

I think I will just have to have a bit more confidence and give her a chance to be a good girl and come back to me when distractions are around. This is our first dog and although she is very good I am still a little unsure about it all. I like the idea as you mentioned of having a word to calm them down "steady" I will definately give that go.