How to handle dogs jumping up at DS

[nappyaddict]

DS isn't particularly scared of dogs but he doesn't like them jumping up at him. Will him crying or walking away from the dog have any sort of effect on the dog or make the dog get even more excited and jump up more?

I remember on here I read that any running, waving arms, shouting, shrieking, screaming etc will excite the dog even more so I am trying to teach DS not to do this.

[Doodle2U]

Yes, running, screaming and arm-waving are sure-fire ways to grab the dog's interest.

Teach him to:-

a) stand stull.

b) wrap his arms around himself.

c) look away from the dog.

How old is he? I believe you should start this with children from day one but let's get real, no child is going to really get it until they are much before 3 of 4 years old. It's easy for me to type it out but asking a tiny child to do it, when a dog is jumping at him, is pretty difficult.

[nappyaddict]

It's the standing still thing DS can't seem to do yet, but he's not yet 3. Would walking calmly away work or would that still grab the dog's interest?

[Blondeshavemorefun]

i was told to tell my dc to either make a huge noise and pretend to cry so dog thought they had hurt them

or

to ignore and turn their back on them

i normlly try to tell children and friends of dc to do this

i say to them if they run away,then puppy thinks that they are playing and will chase them

what woofa do you have nappyaddict?

[nappyaddict]

We don't have a dog but my nan has a jack russell and my cousin has a cocker spaniel.

[nappyaddict]

We don't have a dog but my nan has a jack russell and my cousin has a cocker spaniel.

[brimfull]

I have always turned my back on a dog who jumps up..i trained our dogs to sit to get attention.

Should work for a child depending on the childs size.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

least they are small dogs-though small dog can be more jmpy

my dc 11mth has no problem being on floor/near our 10stone 11mth great swiss mountian dog puppy (hes obvs big)

but got very upset when she saw the rat small terrier which was smaller than her - bless her (even tho terrier didnt jump up)

[hatwoman]

agree with advice so far. the other thing to do - once the dog has stopped jumping - is to bend down to say hello to it, so that it doesn;t need/want to jump up.

[brimfull]

yes my ds is wary of small dogs but doesn't bat an eye at monstrous ones

[brimfull]

Is it sensibel to get a child to bend down to a dogs face?

[brimfull]

teach the child to get the dog to sit
then give it attention

[hatwoman]

I guess it depends on the size/age of the kid and of the dog. but I have always found that getting down to the dog's level (as I said - once it has calmed down and stopped jumping, or, like you say, once it has sat) stops it trying to get up to yours.

[bella39]

Please don't teach children to cry round dogs - in the past, some dog attacks have been triggered by the sound of babies/children crying, which can sound like prey to dogs.

Ditto for bending down - especially with potentially nippy dogs like these.

The dogs should be kept under control by the owner/adult. End of. You cannot expect a 3 year old to control the dogs. That's how children get bitten

[KingCanuteIAm]

I echo bella somewhat. You need to get your Nan/aunt to teach the dogs to sit in front of someone to get attention. They should also sit when they are playing games - eg playing with a raggy bone, you pull, he pulls, he lets go and SITS instantly to get the raggy back otherwise they can jump at you to get the toy back - reinforcing the idea that they can jump at people.

Even an older dog will learn quite quickly if you make it a new rule and stick to it absolutly. Whenever the dog approaches anyone it is told to sit before it gets petted. If it runs up and jumps it gets a cross "No, Sit", if it approaches calmly it gets a "Good boy, sit" lots of trets and praise make progress quicker.

When a child is in the house the owner is responsible every second of the time for making sure there is no jumping, no running up etc and they have to keep on top of it.

With an older set dog it may take a couple of weeks for them to get the idea but a couple of weeks work is nothing really. Your ds will be much happier and the dogs will be much more socially acceptable dogs

[spugs]

Teach them to stand still, stay quiet, keep there hands still and out the way and ignore the dog. Agree with Bella though that the owner should have the dog under control! Ive got a very excitable puppy that jumps up at and mouths people when he meets them so I have to ask people we meet to ignore him if he jumps up etc (hes always on lead). Some of them need to be asked several times .

[nappyaddict]

To be fair my nan does usually keep him on a lead or holds him til he has calmed down and my cousin has hers in the garden or in the kitchen. We've also had the problem with dogs in the park who are running off the lead though.

bella I don't teach him to cry he does it because he is upset at the dog jumping up at him. I don't think I can stop him from crying so that's why I wondered if teaching him to walk away would be a good idea cos then he would be crying away from the dog iyswim.

[bella39]

Nappyaddict - I know you don't, I was referring to advice other posters had given.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

that would be me

i was only repeating what the vet told me

though i prefer the SIT method and turning round and ignoring

[bella39]

tbh I didn't even notice who said it but it is really bad advice, esp with terriers.

[bella39]

[Blondeshavemorefun]

gobbles up and holds out hand for more please

bloody vets eh

[bella39]

lol - you know I never criticise vets but...

tbh with a horse dog like yours, Blondie, that advice would probably work. His brain operates in a totally different way to a terrier. Same with bending down - you might get away with it with a lab (big wet face though) but with JRT's it could go horribly wrong, and not necessarily through aggression as such.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

warm rhubarb eh?

any banana ones going?

blonde is very fond of bananas

(no rude comments please)

my horse is rather large

and have to say



our puppy doesnt have many brains

dont tell him i said so!!

[bella39]