Clicker Training: How do I clicker train my BIG DOG to not jump on people to

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TheresaV

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greet them? He is an 8 month old German Shepherd & Rottweiler mix. He is a very smart dog with an AMAZING temperament and responds almost instantly to clicker training... The biggest problem Im having is the way he greets people... He jumps on everyone to greet them! Its a bad habit I've been having a hard time breaking...

Anyone have a positive way to incorporate the clicker training for this jumping habit?
 
Sure- but you need to change your thinking from what you don't want him to do, to what you do want him to do. I find "4 on the floor" a relatively easy thing to get, a bit harder to maintain as people aren't often consistent. I did this with a friend's vizla, had her not jumping on me in 1 quick session, and she remembered it every time I saw her, though she continued to jump on everyone else as her owner never worked it with her. And this was with me only seeing her every 3-6 months or so.

Body blocking is a good technique to be aware of. Basically, most dogs are relatively sensitive to "pressure" in the form of taking space- border collies and herding dogs in general are very sensitive to this, hunting and working dogs less so, not sure where your mix will fit in. The general human tendency when a dog is approaching is to back off a bit- sometimes just a slight lean, sometimes actually taking a step back. This invites the dog to come in and take that space- not what we want. If instead, we lean in, or even step in, the dog hesitates, or even moves back- great opportunity for c/t.

So basically for 4 on the floor, you will c/t for moments of 4 on the floor, then increase criteria, adding some time, even adding a sit if you want. You don't want to have to ask for a specific behavior, you want this to be a default behavior, so don't ask for it after the first few times, just wait the dog out.

Remember that the dog is wanting to greet you- that's why he jumps up. So give him attention and greetings when he's behaving well, and try to avoid having the dog do it wrong first, then get it right (that's the beauty of body blocking) as that often sets the dog to learn a chain of behaviors, doing it wrong first, then right.

I'm pretty sure kikopup on youtube has a video demo of this, though I haven't seen it.

I'd also like to suggest checking out www.clickersolutions.com and join the listgroup.
 
the best, 100% thing to do, it teach him to WAIT, not stay, their is a difference=D teach your dog to wait before answering the door and don't open it if he gets up while you tell him to wait, if he does, close it again and tell him to wait, he'll definitely get it, he sounds very smart=D get some friends to knock or ring the doorbell to practice this with your german Shepperd
 
my dog jumps too, shes a grown yellow lab though. I usually just tell people to turn the opposite direction and say no to her, if she still doesnt listen i tap her on the butt like if im hitting her but not really hitting.
 
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