[guendalina]

Hi there,

Matilda is 6 months old and I have been working on teaching her not to jump up and it's going pretty well but I am reading different information about it and have some questions.

Some articles say that the dog jumps up to show dominance and others say that it's just that the dog wants to get close to your face to give you a kiss.

Either way, it's no good for her to jump on people with muddy paws and outside I tell her not to when I see her winding up to pounce on me and she sits down instead. But inside while I'm on the computer or watching tv she comes up and first puts one paw on my lap, then the other then gets her paws on my shoulders and seems to be giving me a hug. It seems very cute and sweet but is this my human interpretation? Should I be allowing this?

Thanks

 

[falnfenix]

i wouldn't call this a dominance issue. i would call it an exuberant puppy issue...plus, dobermans LOVE to be with/on their people. the indoors behavior sounds cute, if a bit annoying. i'd tell her to sit instead, and pet her while you're on the computer. outside, keep up the sit command before she starts to jump.

 

[Rosemary]

Personally, I don't like my dogs to be pawing at me or trying to climb into my lap uninvited. I'd have her do a behavior incompatible with climbing on me, like a sit or down, and reward that. The reward can be anything from a quiet "good dog" to getting up and playing with her. Also, giving her something else to do, like play with a puzzle toy or a kong toy stuffed with goodies and then frozen, while you're on the computer or watching tv.

 

[bigfootlives]

We nipped jumping in the bud very early on. It's rude and can very easily hurt someone if they jump on the wrong person in public! It's not that he was being dominate, he was just a pup and didn't know any better. Everytime he jumped we turned our backs. I also put up a knee if he wouldn't quit so he couldn't get to me. He stopped around 4 months.

For climbing onto you I'd discourage that as well. Cuddles are great but they should respect your space as you respect their space remind your pup to sit or lay next to you, not climb. If they don't follow your instructions make them get onto the floor.

 

[dobebug]

I had one dog whose breeder taught him to put his feet first on your leg then on your arm and if that didn't get your attention he'd then try to put his feet on your shoulder-she thought it was cute--I didn't.

I cured him by leaving the Dremel (nail grinder) plugged in and sitting on the desk by the computer keyboard--when he put his feet on me I'd hold his foot and grind one nail

It took almost 3 weeks to fade the behavior--it improved his behavior when getting his nails done too.