[Ashlee]

Help i can't get my two doberman puppies to stop jumping on me. If i go outside to refill their water or play with them they always jump on me. They are getting so big i need to figure this out soon so they don't knock down my grandma or mom when they come to visit.

 

[brw1982]

What kind of individual training are you doing with them? In general, what kind of one-on-one time are you spending with each?

 

[Ashlee]

On a weekday i spend about 2 hours apiece with them just playing and going over tricks they have learned and walking them and on the weekend its usually lots more time with them. I didn't have this problem with them til recently i'm not sure what i started doing different but i'm not sure how to get them to stop either...

 

[brw1982]

What do you currently do when they jump?

Apart from playing and doing tricks with you daily, do they each get down time with you as well? Meaning, do they get individual time with you to just relax around the house so you have the opportunity to enforce general manners individually?

 

[Abby]

"If you go outside," are your puppies living outside?

 

[Ashlee]

Yes they both get that at night about 2 hours before me and my husband go to bed...we will switch pups about an hour in so they each spend time with both of us. So they just lay on the couches with us while we watch tv stuff like that

 

[Ashlee]

And they don't live outside but i put them in my backyard when i get home from work so they can run around and play with each other for about an hour then they come back inside to go over tricks an play with me an the husband...we have a dog door so if they go outside on their own we let them so they can play if they want to..

 

[Dobs4ever]

Ashlee - this is one reason breeder hesitate to place two puppies at the same time. Especially if the individual has not trained or had Dobermans before. One puppy is a full time job two is double the trouble.

Training individually is the key - I also read that since when you go outside you have the problem is that they are living outside so have to occupy themselves and now have become a problem. Dobermans do not train each other. It takes a decidcated person with lots of time individually with a puppy to train it up correctly.

Your biggest problem that I see right now is that you have 2 and both are getting more and more out of control. Are they crate trained - then you could put one up while you work with the other and vice versa - puppies need individual training time and bonding time. What kind of socialization do they get on an individual basis - In other words you take one to town and work with them around traffic etc then come home and get the other and take it to town.

 

[Ashlee]

Your biggest problem that I see right now is that you have 2 and both are getting more and more out of control. Are they crate trained - then you could put one up while you work with the other and vice versa - puppies need individual training time and bonding time. What kind of socialization do they get on an individual basis - In other words you take one to town and work with them around traffic etc then come home and get the other and take it to town.[/QUOTE]


I have both of them crate trained and between me and my husband we will switch time with both so they can spend time with both of us an learn with both of us and we take them to town with us on weekends...we even alternate who takes which one so they ride in both vehicles with both of us and if the husband works late i put one in the kennel while i work with the other one. Haha i only wanted one but the husband talked me into getting a second about a week after i bought the first one...i knew it was going to be a struggle i'm still getting a routine down with them it seems like

 

[OliviaB]

I agree with what the others have said. In regards specifically to the jumping up, Gunner does this sometimes too. Generally it's when he's excited or playing. Usually a sharp "NO!" is enough to get him to stop and calm down. On the rare occassion he jumps up again, I do not hesitate to step into his space to knock him down. I am NOT hitting or kicking. I just move my body forward and claim my space back with another firm "No" while he's jumping up. It knocks him back down and usually gets the point across. With two young kids, I can't tolerate jumping up at all. I've also heard of using a collar and leash. Let the dog wear the leash and when he starts to jump, step on the leash to pull him back down. I've never used this, but I've heard it works. Basically, Gunner gets ZERO interaction until he is calm and relaxed. That makes jumping up much less likely.

 

[robinb]

Well puppies do jump up. My 95 year old Mother lives with me, while she is in great shape we had to make sure Tara didn't jump up on her. When Rex was a puppy (he's 6 now) she was still playing 18 holes of golf daily--so then I let her fend for herself.

With Tara she sat in a chair and gave her treats only when she was in a sit or down on voice command. We did this several times per day and it worked very fast. I made sure that Tara had a good run and play before starting each training session with my Mother.

I'd start with getting each pup in a different Obedience class. And LOTS of interactive exercise--meaning you go out and play for 20 to 30 minutes several times per day. Two pups, is very difficult--I would NEVER try it. I like about a three year difference in age on my dogs--much easier to get the pup trained with a trained adult in the house rather than two wild pups.

 

[Ashlee]

I knew when i got Diezel that it was going to be very hard. I'm very determined to make this work they are both very good dogs and i will do whatever it takes to get both of them trained up. I don't have kids just my dogs so i have all the time in the world to work with them when i get off work. Thanks to everyone so far with your ideas of what works for you i'm going to start them today on my lunch break and see what works with them. I would love more input on other things to try as well...

 

[MeadowCat]

I'd suggest getting both dogs into separate obedience classes. That will help you get some one on one time with each of them, and a good trainer is going to teach you how to teach your dog. When they are out together they are going to feed on each others excitement and energy and they'll be more likely to be naughty.

 

[Abby]

I agree, it'll be very important to attend separate obedience classes with these two. Any other training you're already doing with them needs to be done one on one- that'll mean going through a training session, getting the other puppy, and doing it again. I'd include the walks you're taking in this as well, until they're older and have learned to loose leash walk on their own I wouldn't try walking them together.

 

[DogTrainingDIY]

I usually use the same techniques as Olivia B but I also incorporate a pop can filled with approx. 15 pennies. When my dobe tries to jump up I shake the can and say "ah ah off" in a firm voice and he usually gets the point. I find by doing this a few times he now hesitates before jumping all over our guests when they walk in the front door.

Its worth a try.

 

[Soleil]

I got lazy and didn't read all the responses, so forgive me if this has already been said.
What worked for me and our one dobe (two might be different) is that whenever she would jump up, everything would stop. Usually it would be when she wanted something I had. It was kind of like the more you jump, the longer it is going to take for you to get what you want. I didn't move, talk, flinch, use eye contact, nothing... she got the idea pretty quick.

 

[Adara]

I usually use the same techniques as Olivia B but I also incorporate a pop can filled with approx. 15 pennies. When my dobe tries to jump up I shake the can and say "ah ah off" in a firm voice and he usually gets the point. I find by doing this a few times he now hesitates before jumping all over our guests when they walk in the front door.

Its worth a try.

If anyone who uses this method ever decides to take the WAE, they might be disappointed in the use of that method. I also find many people who use the shake can or water bottle spray, have a hard time weaning off the correction device and always have to use it. Just some food for thought.

 

[Mac]

The big mistake people make in this situation is saying "NO". (Remember a dog jumps up on you because he thinks you are great, wants attention, etc. When you say "NO" he can't understand the problem, and tries all the harder, i.e. jumps up higher.)

What you do is to make a fuss over him/her, pet him, tell him what a wonderful person he is, but at the SAME TIME step on his toes, knee him in the chest, whatever. He will notice this only as an inconvenience, and almost immediately will stop doing what annoys him, because at the same time he is loving the attention you are continuing to give him.

This will cure the jumper in nothing flat.

(It also cures any dog with the habit of pawing you to get your attention when you are sitting down. Just hold the blade of a regular dinner knife, for instance, in your hand without making it obvious, and when the dog comes to paw you, snap the handle across the top of his paw AT THE SAME TIME you are giving him congratulations, making a fuss over him, petting him, etc. As above, he will immediately recognize it is annoying to him, and quit, while glorying in the attention he is receiving.)

In both cases above, what you are doing is, in effect, saying "I love you, BUT, just as you would to a child who came to greet you, but stood on your foot.....

Mac

 

[eisel]

how about tell them no and being firm and consistent that the behavior will not be tolerated.

 

[Jhagman]

I try to ignore jumping by not giving a word, but my knee automatically goes up and she bumps her chest into it when she's trying to jump on me. A couple of times, it's knocked her back a little - got her attention. Didn't hurt her, but it wasn't pleasant. And I refused to look at or talk to her.

If she jumps on the back of my knee then my knee bends and my foot bumps into her (not kicking, just blocking). This has really helped because a dobe jumping on someone can actually be dangerous (Dexter weights 80 lbs!).

When I was paying so much attention to Dexter when he was sick, Kaleesi got very jealous (he's 23 months, she's 4 months) - and she was hopping around, but trying to avoid jumping on me. Finally, she remembered what Sandy our trainer has been training, and she sat and just stared at my eyes. She was willing me to look at her, pay attention.

And she got it -- I laughed, said, "Good sit, good watch"....gave her a treat. But just a few weeks ago, it would have been non stop jump on person for attention.

I posted some pictures of Sandy teaching the 'watch me' thing in a new thread, and I'm amazed at how much it calms the dog.

Good luck!! This is gonna be quite the challenge with 2!!! Godspeed!!!