All Things Dog Blog

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Ask the Dog Trainer, with Terry Lynn Cuyler:
Help My Friendly, Jumping Lab!

by Terry Lynn Cuyler, APDT, CPDT-KA

Dear Terry:

My friendly Labrador Retriever likes to greet everyone he sees with too much jumping. I have tried everything I have heard about or read about with no luck. The biggest problem is that people encourage him. I cannot get to them fast enough to ask them to turn their back and ignore him.

I came upon a no-jump training harness online and want to know if this is safe. This picture caught my eye as the dog looks much like mine. Can you share some tips on this or another technique that will work when I do not have control over other people's responses?

Thank you, Marsha

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Dear Lab owner,

Our wonderful Labs are so friendly they feel they have to jump up to properly greet everyone. And some friends encourage them--horrors. Here are several tips:

A sign on your door (like mine above) might remind guests to wait till your dog sits before petting.
Having your dog on leash on a flat buckle collar is much easier than getting him in the contraption you sent a link to, which constrains the dog from jumping up by the use of a leg to shoulder harness. Just hang a leash near the door and have it ready when guests ring the bell.
Step on it so there is a J between your dog, under your foot and with the handle of the leash in one hand. You are free to open the door with the other, but your dog can only pop up an inch or so. Not very satisfying, so it doesn't get him what he wants. And YOU have control so you don't have to rely on others to do the right thing; they often don't.
The above method works for greeting out on walks as well.
If you have some treats in your pocket that you can give your dog when he sits, then 'SIT' works better than jump up.
Make sure he gets NO attention for jumping, especially pushing him down, which can be conceived by the dog as play.
Face harnesses, like the Gentle Leader can work. My favorite is the Freedom body harness which has a leash attached on the chest is easy to manage and works well with the step-on-the-leash regimen. Check out this harness at Wiggles Wags Whiskers or learn more by watching the video below.
Dogs jump because they get access to our faces and attention. Take away that access and attention and jumping ceases to be rewarding. Reward a sit and that's even better.
You can also replace that behavior with an alternative such as running to get a toy to offer the guest, or giving a paw to shake. This way the dog can DO something, that is human-approved and be rewarded by the attention he craves.

Our ASK THE DOG TRAINER Column can be reached at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com

For more information on Terry Lynn Cuyler and her training, you may find her at Paws Prof. A personal appointment with a trainer will likely provide more specific information on your dog's issues and your questions.

The PawsProf's advice does not replace an actual consultation with a qualified trainer.

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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Join me at the DogTread Game Day Walk Event

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

Easy Boy...Take it Slow Today

Those of you that know me well will not be surprised to find me jumping into a "walk your dog" event. Jt Clough is sponsoring this Super Bowl Game Day event and blog hop at her site, and it's just my cup of tea.

If you get involved in Jt's event, she's even offering a free book on 5K Training and Running with Dogs. Check out her 4 step plan and get your blog hop post up on her site before February 5. After you get into this hop, might as well try another one--a photo post. All Things Dog Blog is hosting the Super Dog Sunday Blog Hop. All you need is a football-themed photo post to link up and get tons of traffic. Need help? Here's my Help Page for this event. Better get hopping!

What about me? Well...here's the thing. I'm recuperating from a little injury while on vacation. I'm still taking it a bit slow though, so as not to injure my already weakened leg. So here's my program.

Tanner, my big guy, is a 70-lb. Golden Retriever. He's a live wire, for sure, eager to meet and greet anyone and everyone we pass. I've found that using a backpack on him has been a useful technique during this time. While walking with a backpack on, a dog must concentrate more carefully on his job. If he gets too boisterous, or even walks with a sway, the backpack will also swing, causing a bit of annoyance for the pup. The backpack is exactly the approach I needed to 'give him a chill pill' while we walk during my rehab.

If you've never used a backpack with your high-energy dog, I'd love to share a few tips from my years of experience:

Start by adjusting the fit snugly to your dog, for the least amount of sway.
Select a small package of beans, rice or other lightweight, conforming bags of 'payload' for your Fido to carry. Start very light--just a pound or two--to allow your Fido to get used to this new appendage.
Place these in the pockets of the backpack, weighting each side evenly, to keep the backpack from sliding to one side.
When you strap it on the first time, be sure to first prepare yourself mentally. Tackle this job with a strong sense of leadership. No coddling allowed! Take off on your walk with a 'no-nonsense, everything is fine' attitude that will convey the message that all is well. If you act like nothing is different, Fido will tag along happily, adapting to the change without much ado.
Don't allow any 'stop and smell the roses' stuff on this walk. Choose one spot where you'll allow Fido to take care of the business at hand, and then move on consistently for the rest of the outing. You're on a mission to get some much needed mental and physical exercise, that will find Fido ready for a nap when you arrive home in a half hour or so.
Too much time? Okay, so you could make the first walk with the backpack a bit shorter; give him a chance to get used to it. Gradually add on 5 or 10 minutes to each walk and you'll soon have him in great physical shape, while you're enjoying a peaceful, bonding time with your pup.
I like to end each backpacking session with a nice, rewarding rubdown. Dogs love massage, and your Fido will enjoy a special one if you take a few tips from All Things Dog Blog's Dr. Pat. Check out her post on Dog Massage (It's the next post as you scroll down) for some tips on getting started. There's no better way to have your dog eager to take his backpacking walks, than if he knows he'll be getting his just reward when he arrives home. Happy tails!