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Wild Dog Behavior Tips to Terminate Jumping by JackThe Resource for Everything About Dogs |
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Wild Dog Behavior Tips to Terminate Jumping by Jackby Rena Murray
Yikes! This series of articles addresses some of our domestic dogs' truly bizarre, sticky, or smelly wild dog behaviors, as well as some enthusiastic ones that simply do not work around tangled feet, fresh-pressed clothes, or timid neighbors. Do not fret, though. Just because your Pooch's actions are instinctive behavior for dogs, that does NOT mean you have to accept it if you do not like it! So here we explore another unwanted dog instinctive behavior and what you can do about it ? the prevalent problem of JUMPING! Understand that jumping is instinctive behavior for dogs, because your dog wants to lick your face in greeting ? but he cannot reach you! Wolf pups in the wild, along with lower ranked pack members left out of the regular hunts to puppy sit, leap eagerly to greet the Alpha as he returns from the hunt. The puppies then finish licking the muzzles and faces of the other adults. Each pup selects an adult in the pack and sticks his nose in the corner of its mouth. The adult wolf heaves and deposits a meal of well-chewed, partially digested meat on the ground for the pup. Background clear, let us get back to the present. You have gone to the grocery store and are absolutely determined not to make a second trip out to the car. You struggle to open the door. "No, Sandy!" But your desperate cry is too late, and the food is everywhere. Sandy is frozen with the look of "Uh, oh" written all over him. He slowly walks up, wagging his tail lightly and hoping you are not mad. You sigh, rubbing him. "Sandy, couldn't you just greet me calmly in the first place?" He could. Here are a couple of examples of how to teach him: - Knee the dog when he jumps ? Tried it? - Fold your hands and turn your back until he is calm. Tried that, too? Here is what I have found works best. I point at my dog with one finger as a signal to sit. He sits immediately and waits until I come to him. This trained behavior is easily learned if practiced with consistency. He waits for his reward of my affectionate greeting, knowing that he is earning it by displaying good behavior and that it will not come to him any other way. For more excitable dogs like my Labrador Retriever, try what I did. I touched her neck firmly and made her lie down for several minutes. I never gave in to her ? She had to be as calm as I wanted before she was allowed to be petted. She learned quickly then. Now let's say that Sandy goes absolutely bonkers when visitors come in. You have tried crating him; that does not work! Holding him back does not work. Seems hopeless, huh? Tempting to tie Sandy up when there's company, right? Guess what, everybody? My little Lab puppy came to me with every issue in the world, it seemed. She went CRAZY when someone came in! Here is a technique that finally worked. As the visitors came in, I did not so much as look at them, instead maintaining my full focus on my puppy. When she rushed for the visitors, I gave her a firm pack bite, pushed her into a sit, and blocked her through body posture, eye contact, and a firm touch of immediate correction on the neck if she came forward in that manner. It took over 30 minutes the first time. She finally submitted, and after a few more tries, never jumped on anyone again. A friend of mine who particularly hates jumping dogs exclaimed: "Wow! What a different dog!" Bottom Line - You do NOT have to settle for a domestic dog that acts like Wild Willy or Jumping Jack. With a little training, these animal instinctive behaviors can be vanquished and you can return home safely without being bowled over! Still having problems? Just ask for help from an expert who understands wild dog behaviors, and turn such Wild Willy or Jumping Jack into Darling Dan!
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