Advice on training a puppy

[stella]

Help please. I have a 3 month old puppy and a 2 year old grandaughter.The puppy loves the child but gets very excited when she see her and wants to jump up at her all the time. I dont want to be saying down all the time to the puppy but she needs to understand that she must not jump up. Any ideas?

[BrideXIII]

only that however much you don't want to be saying down all the time, thats exactly what you have to do until she 'gets it'.
a two year old is a little young to give the dog a serious command, so I am afraid it has to be you.

consistency and repetition is the key, and as the pack leader it has to be you that makes the effort.

[stella]

Quite happy to say it all day long but is it the best and only way?

[BrideXIII]

Quite happy to say it all day long but is it the best and only way?

its the best way, if you add in treats, lil cubes of cheese.

start with getting her to sit, then reward her when she does, every time.
then she knows she will get a treat when she sits.

then instead of 'down' you can say 'sit' and give her a treat, that way she learns sitting down and staying calm around the baby is a way to get a treat.
as she gets that bit, you can teach her to greet by sitting and rewarding her. she will learn faster than the 2 yr old
an excitable child, and a puppy is always going to be a challenge, but if you treat it like one, and train both of them at the same time, its actually a lot of fun.

never underestimate the power of cheese over a dog

[kirsty b]

We have taught the dogs to sit before they get fussed. Kids have completely ignored the rule and encouraged them to jump at first, but now the dogs are fully grown and not cute pups, they don't like it anymore.
They will sit for any adult that tells them to now, we have found that largely ignoring them until they calm down to be helpful.
And, yep repetition is the only way to teach the dog to obey the command. And giving treats.

[BrideXIII]

We have taught the dogs to sit before they get fussed. Kids have completely ignored the rule and encouraged them to jump at first, but now the dogs are fully grown and not cute pups, they don't like it anymore.
They will sit for any adult that tells them to now, we have found that largely ignoring them until they calm down to be helpful.
And, yep repetition is the only way to teach the dog to obey the command. And giving treats.

I have to admit Kirtyb its the first thing i teach all my dogs, far more kids have a fear of dogs from being jumped up at than being bitten.

it's a bit hard to teach a two year old' no talk, no touch, no eye contact' but if you make a game of it they can do it, and so can the puppies.

I only wish treats worked with teenagers

[kirsty b]

I'm more frightened of my two knocking a kid over than I am of them biting. They are big heavy dogs, and hurt me if we are playing and they catch me wrong with a paw or barge me.
I often get asked when walking them if they can be stroked, but I always tell peeps to wait until I have got them sitting.

[Snadger]

Oh watches the dog whisperer regularily and practices on mutt............... but our GS (10 months) is still insane!

[BrideXIII]

I'm more frightened of my two knocking a kid over than I am of them biting. They are big heavy dogs, and hurt me if we are playing and they catch me wrong with a paw or barge me.
I often get asked when walking them if they can be stroked, but I always tell peeps to wait until I have got them sitting.

I agree entirely, the vast majority of dogs wouldn't dream of biting, but a young child doesn't know that, and when an excited dog jumps, even a lttle one, it can be quite frightening to a child, best to work on the dog so it never does, then it is much more approachable and children learn how loving dogs can be.

[stella]

Forgot to mention that the puppy is a minature Daxi so no bigger than a rabbit. But I would still like her not to jump up at people.

[BrideXIII]

aww bless, i bet she is cute, any chance of a pic?

and before there was cesar millan there was

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Listener...375445&sr=1-76

I highly recommend this book, and anything by cesar.

[stella]

I would love to send one but have no idea how. Only just cracked threads!

[BrideXIII]

pics is easier than threads

when you are in reply/advanced mode there is a little paper clip symbol in the top row.

click that, and you get a popup, use browse to find the pic on your pute, then click to upload, that will put the pic in your post....good luck, would love to see her.

[Glutton4...]

I'd just like to back up what the others have said.

Repetition, and consistency. Use the shortest command, and always use the same one, preferably one word; 'heel' 'sit' etc. This can also be reinforced with a light push on the rump, if the command is 'sit.'

Personally, I don't agree with the treat method, as I think that they can get to depend on it. But that's probably because I have always had Gundogs, who have a tendency (like myself!) to be too food orientated. But there's no denying it works, and is far less annoying than 'clicker' training!

Good luck with your puppy. X

[BrideXIII]

I'd just like to back up what the others have said.

Repetition, and consistency. Use the shortest command, and always use the same one, preferably one word; 'heel' 'sit' etc. This can also be reinforced with a light push on the rump, if the command is 'sit.'

Personally, I don't agree with the treat method, as I think that they can get to depend on it. But that's probably because I have always had Gundogs, who have a tendency (like myself!) to be too food orientated. But there's no denying it works, and is far less annoying than 'clicker' training!

Good luck with your puppy. X

clicker training is treat based anyway in the begiining, may as well just cut out the middle man

I agree with not using treats for gundogs, praise works just as well, treats is just a convienient shortcut for the average dog owner.

and cheeese is the food of the Dogs according to my collie.