NO JUMP!!! (Help PLEASE!!)

Samantha has a horrible habit that I am having a really difficult time breaking her of. If she's let outside (tethered, as our yard isn't fenced in), and someone goes out for any reason - to play with her, to get something, to grill, whatever - Samantha will run full blast at you and throw herself against your legs. Once she's near you, she jumps at you. It's horrible and it keeps everyone from going out and spending time with her outside because you will end up with bruises, scratches, and dirty pawprints on your clothes.

I've tried to distract her attention to something else by bringing one of her toys outside with me, but that does nothing. I've tried physically pushing her into a sit position and enforcing it with 'SIT!!' I've also tried holding her down and saying forcefully, 'NO JUMP!!!!' As soon as I let off her collar/tether again though, she's back up and jumping.

It's so frustrating and I am at my wit's end. This is the first dog I've ever had from a puppy on up and it seems that I'm failing miserably at training her (she still play bites too). The thing that scares me most is that in another 2 or 3 years, my fiance and I are going to start a family and we cannot have her lunge and jump at the children - or play bite them for that matter.

Any help would be very much appreciated. She is almost the perfect dog and I love her to death, but I cannot keep putting up with this behavior. Please, someone, please help me here... I am at a loss as to what to do next...

I went to a spca walkathon not too long ago and they had a demo from Dr. Stanley Coren (a very respected expert in the dog world around here). This was one of the issues he covered. I'll basically say what he said. When the dog jumps on you, you turn around with your back to her, stand still and ignore her. Jumping gets her the opposite of attention. Then you have her sit, down, or do any command she knows..and praise her like crazy. Let her see that jumping=no attention, sitting=lots of attention.

I think I've done that in the past and she just jumps up on my back. :rolleyes: I'll keep on trying it though... Thanks for the reply, much appreciated. :)

The most important thing : consistency

NEVER let her get ANY attention for jumping, whatsoever. Remember that to dogs, even negative attention is attention that they seek. If you completely turn off your emotions, fold your arms, turn your back, and look at the sky, you will be giving her zero attention.

You can also try a self correction method. When she goes outside, put her on a very short leash hooked where her tether usually is. Walk towards her. As soon as she starts to jump up, take a step backwards. Only continue forward if she is sitting or laying down. If you can make it to her and she is still sitting, quietly praise her with gentle petting and maybe a treat. Don't be too excited with your praise or she'll jump up again. Do this exercise several times a day with different people. Do not ever let her get ANYTHING for jumping. Before too long, she should get the picture.

Remember, she might go through an extinction burst where her jumping becomes really obsessive before it stops. Think of it like this: If you put your money in a coke machine and get a coke every single day for 6 months, then one day put your money in and nothing comes out, what do you do? You might punch the buttons, kick the machine, shake the change return .. but then you'd realize you're not getting anything and give up.

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When the dog jumps on you, you turn around with your back to her, stand still and ignore her.

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I tried that, but Dusty is so big that he then knocks me down.

I face him and don't give him any attention. Everytime he jumps, I put my knee up and calmly say no. As soon as he (finally!) sits, I get all excited and greet him. I pretty much have his habit broke now from dealing with it like that. He only slips back when he hasn't gotten enough attention.

Buck Doesnt do that anymore, I guess he just realized we didnt give him any attention, So he stopped, He does jump on me and lick my face when i walk inside the house.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned because I haven't read through the posts, but here is my favourite method.

When she jumps. Don't do anything. Just stand there. She does it because she thinks it's fun, so take the fun out of it. Don't react. If she jumps, let her jump. Don't look at her. Just don't give her any attention. Just stand there and she'll feel pretty silly. :)

Hi, I do not have answers for you, but I can tell you that you are not alone. My husband's baby, a seven month old Rott is really rough about the jumping for me. I walk out of the house on prosthetic legs and this no easy task really without a huge baby knocking me down. So far, neither of us has had any luck with getting her to calm down, she is so hyper, and super affectionate and all that, and doesn't know her own strength or size. My husband is really the only one who is able to work with her, so I am like you, waiting for a suggestion we can practice and make a change in her. I will pass that along about turning your back, but, I have actually been knocked down from the back by Lil' Ann (The Rott). Maybe we will both find answers here. :)

By the way, have you read what aly says about using a short leash where her tether usually is? The things she said here really sounds like that would work. I am going to have my husband take this advice starting right away. :)