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Abby is a jumping maniac-help!
Ive written a few posts about Abby, my 75lb American Bulldog rescue- mainly b/c we've had her for less than 3 months and she the first dog hubby and I ever owned so I need advice! She was around 1 when we got her and she had minimal training, history was fairly unknown (stray, shelter, nearly put down..rescued, one foster home then the next, then us). We took her immediately to puppy obedience and she did great and she's a sweetie pie!
HOWEVER, she is insane with jumping on guests in our home (she isn't anxious b/c her tail is wagging 100 miles an hour) She has gotten much better on walks when she meets strangers but when my in-laws, for example, come over...she is on an invisible pogo stick. We have tried so many things including what we learned from class - when my husband comes home if she jumps he turns his back and doesn't acknowledge her until she sits then he gives her tons of praise-I do the same. We have held her front paws a did a little dance until she was uncomfortable and did the "off" command. AND she is well exercised..the last time they came over and she was jumping I had taken her for a five mile *brisk walk through a local county park, with hills and everything earlier that day. She gets at LEAST an hour of walking and play outside daily.
Is this puppy craziness that will calm down? I feel like whenever people come over she has to be leashed or crated b/c if she is free she jumps. What else can I do? Ill be honest, we don't have a ton of visitors come over so it is only once in a while that new people are coming through the house. Oddly, when Ive taken her to my parents house I keep her leashed but she is fairly good and doesn't really jump there. I am open to anything here!
Re: Abby is a jumping maniac-help!
i think you are taking the right approaching with the back turning and ignoring until she is calm. Are you also using a stern voice when this is done to say off? it is going to take lots of practice and consistency for her to catch on. Have you gone to more training classes possibly?
We are in the process of training our 90lbs 8 month old italian mastiff, he does well and doesnt jump too often but we take the same approach as you. We also signed him up for the next level of training at Pet Smart which teaches more on the jumping and also training your dog to sit when someone is at the door, we start tomorrow so we'll see how it goes.
Just another thought- i wouldnt crate her when people come over because of her hyperness, this to me seems like you are using her crate as punishment. Having your guests ignore her until she comes down i think would be quicker and more efficient, just my own two cents on that.
i totally forgot about the gentle leader. My brother and sister in law have an american bulldog and the gentle leader works WONDERS on him.
Good idea.
Shaking a can of coins will help, too -- redirect her with a toy when she starts the jumping.
That must be quite a sight -- a big bulldog jumping up and down.:)
First, start following NILIF (Nothing In Life is Free - you can google it). Everyone in the house, needs to follow this strictly. Trust me, it helps.
Second, you had the right idea with the turn and ignore. You have to 100% ignore. No pushing him off or saying no. Attention is attention and he should get NO attention for bad behavior. In the early stages, I've been known to have to walk out the door and back in over and over again because she still couldn't "bring it down." This can take a time for him to connect the dots, but he will.
Once he is no longer jumping on you (can still be jumping and crazy, but not ON you. Then give sit command. When sit, you can then give physical attention. If he gets back up and starts jumping on you again. Immediately stop and ignore, rinse and repeat. IT DOES WORK, but takes a little time.
Now Lily will jump like a pogo stick when we come home or guest come over, but will not touch us. She gets no attention though until she sits.
The hardest part is making your guest follow this. I always preface that he's in training so please do X. Many times my guests will say "Oh I don't mind." I explain that I do mind because we are trying to train her not to do that she won't know that sometimes its okay and sometimes its not.
Good luck.