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The doghouse

Jumping and barking

4 replies

Stoney666 · 24/04/2012 06:12

12.5 week old puppy, now quite enjoying walks due to the advice on here but since puppy class at weekend his behaviours seems to have gone down hill. Constant barking and jumping and begging for food. Before we used treats he never begged. Finding it really hard :(( tried ignoring both, turning back etc etc

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daisydotandgertie · 24/04/2012 06:28

What are you feeding him and how much? Could he be hungry? They grow so fast at this age - about a kg a week I expect.

It is a really common reaction to treats though - pure excitement - but you need to be really firm with this. A firm no and then use the opportunity to teach him to sit before you treat.

He's just trying his luck and being a bit over exuberant with it BUT he has to be taught it's not behaviour you want to see. Never give him the treat if he's leaping and grabbing - say no, firm and with meaning and I'd put the treat away. Don't ever tap his nose or smack him for it - I'm sure you wouldn't anyway.

Does he know the sit command? Tell him to sit and as soon as his bottom is on the floor, treat.

It won't take him long to work out that leaping = nothing but sitting = treats. Consistency is the key. He's obviously very bright.

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Stoney666 · 24/04/2012 09:07

His training is going well, sits lays stands knows off and leave but just won't stop
Barking and jumping up at us and everything
Else. All of the above he will do without the treats. Have weighed him and he is getting the food he should be plus half a slice of toast during the morning Blush

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Stoney666 · 24/04/2012 09:08

P s would never hit him I just walk away but it's so frustrating

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daisydotandgertie · 24/04/2012 10:25

You don't have to use treats you know!

You've got a number of choices. Stop using them and he'll eventually give up searching for them. Reduce the emphasis on your hands and treats by hiding them and teaching him to find them or putting one on the floor for him to take or teach him that it's not acceptable to jump up for food.

In the long run, the teaching is going to be the most valuable and doing it while he's small is heading off a problem down the line. He must, must, must learn that it is not acceptable to do it. He'll see humans with food in their hands throughout his life - particularly children - and he has to know not to rob it!

While training treats have taught him about food coming from hands, even if you hadn't used them he will eventually learn that humans hands often have food or food smells in them.

Training treats are a difficult one for me. It so depends on the dog. I have had dogs who it feels will almost take your arm off for a treat, and dogs who take them from your hand so gently you don't know they've gone.

With the grabber, who incidentally was a far more high maintenance dog and hadn't been raised in a home environment, I insisted on a sit and wait; walked away if there was any grabbing; walked away if there was a hint of a bottom coming off the floor and held the treat in the flat of my hand - like you'd feed a horse.

I also noticed that as she is shorter than my other dogs, I had been treating too high for her, forcing her to reach upwards. Drop the treat really, really low so he has to go downwards for it, not up to you.

It will pass! He is only very new and has a lot to learn.

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