Getting 7-month-old GSD tomorrow - need advice! - Page 3

a raised knee to a jumping dog is an OLD, tried and true method.  whether "Phil" likes it or not.  the way Phil posts, only the most well trained dog trainers should own a dog.

not everyone has the benefit of Phil's VAST knowledge.  and even the best, top trainers have started somewhere.

Dogs often jump up on people. They stand on their rear legs with their front paws on the person. This is normal behavior for a young dog. Puppies of wild canids do it all the time. They jump up on each other or their parents. Puppies of our domestic dogs do the same. Jumping up serves both as play and to teach them how to act as a predator or how to challenge other pack members in the dominance hierarchy. In some homes, puppies are encouraged to jump up on their owners. Obviously, this is a mistake. While it may be seen as cute or as a sign of affection while the puppy is small, it can be terrifying when done by a 100-pound Rottweiler.
Numerous owners complain about their dogs doing this. They shout "No" or "No, get down" or any of a wide range of phrases that make perfect sense to them but that are not understood by the dog. They scream and punish the animals but little seems to help. Some of the peoples actions may excite the dog even more, and when this occurs, nothing is learned.

In all honesty, this behavior can be eliminated completely in a week or less, and as usual, we do not think you need to say anything. You need to communicate to the pet that this is not acceptable behavior and should not be done, but do not waste words or try to make up new phrases to correct it.

Body block (what I call the raised knee)

As the animal starts to jump up on you, turn sideways and either extend your leg and step into th edog's space or lean over and with your hip give a body block so that the dog never even gets her paws on you. You see, once she has her front paws on you, she already has what she wanted (she won and you lost).

When the dog has all four feet on the floor, tell the dog to "sit" and then immediately squat down and give her attention. She will soon learn that by sitting quietly with all four feet on the floor she will get what she wants.

Too late

What if the dog surprised you and got her feet on you before you had a chance to block her. Do NOT push her away with your hands. Many dogs think that is play. Instead, swivel and walk away, not giving the dog any attention. Say nothing. Do not waste "No" on this kind of behavior. Again, when the dog has all feet on the floor, have the dog sit and then reward the dog.

Teach the right response

To prevent jumping up, it's best to teach an alternative behavior - what do you want the dog to do when greeting people? Some owners teach their dog's to sit whenever they hear the doorbell. Others teach the dog to go and get a toy instead of jumping up on visitors. Be sure to provide positive reinforcement whenever the dog does the right thing.

Try to anticipate the jumping: look for their hindquarters beginning to crouch down, and correct them when you see them *about* to jump. With medium-sized dogs, you can discourage jumping with a well-timed knee in the chest (never kick). This does not work as well on small dogs and very large dogs. With small dogs, step back so they miss you; you can also splay your hand in front of you so their face bumps into it (don't hit them, let them bump into you). Correct, then praise when on ground. With larger dogs, the kind that don't really *jump*, but *place* their paws on your shoulders, grab some skin below their ears (be firm but not rough) and pull them down, saying "No!" Again, praise it when it is back on ground.

You should note that some dogs do not respond to the above physical corrections. They may view it as a form of rough play, or be so happy to get attention that they don't mind it being negative. In these cases, a much more effective approach is to ignore such a dog, stepping back slightly or turning your back when it jumps. Give lavish praise and attention when all paws are on the ground again.

I have to agree with Phil.  Kneeing a dog in the chest to stop jumping is a very bad idea and potentially harmful.  There is a large cluster of nerves in the center of the chest and kneeing or kicking a dog there could have severe consequences.  All experienced trainers know this and will not do this. 

There are many other positive ways to train this behavior out of the dog.  Common sense goes a long way.  I would never knee a dog or worse yet a puppy in the chest to stop it from jumping on people. 

Jim

An old "tried and true" obedience technique is also the long line turn and crank Koehler method,,,,,and I don't use that either.  Tell me about the thousands of dogs that you have trained or helped train and then I'll acknowledge your ability to give advice over the internet.

ask 100 different people the same question inregards to how to fix a problem and you will get 100 different opinions or suggetions.

they used to sell a no jump harness, try to find one.

I just know when a youngster gets out of line in a wolf pact, they don't sit him down and politely talk about it with him. and tell him he needs to sit for an elder or alpha dog.

Yep, and they don't use one of the strongest muscle groups in the body (the leg) from a 100 lb. person to correct it either.  Do something undesired in the pack,,,,,,get bit.  To what degree and how long, depends on your response.  Ask Rich Franklin about how powerful  a knee can be when used effectively by someone like Anderson Silva.  My goal in training is not to injure the dog into respecting me. 

anywhere in my post did I say kick the shit out of the dog? no I didn't, a simple raised knee. the dogs own body weight and impact is the only thing that would hit the knee, which in most "pet dogs" isn't that much of a force.

Very creative.  I'm guessing that when your dog jumps on you from the side or from the rear that your knees bend in multiple directions?  Being as the knee is a hinge joint and not a ball joint that must be very painful.  I have the name of a good orthopedic surgeon if you need one.