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...