I have really struggled with Molly's (who will be six months nest week) jumping up, grabbing at clothes and chewing me. In the last week all three behaviours have improved tremendously. Yesterday I took her to a "puppy romp'. It takes place in an enclosed field and gives you the chance to practice recalling your dog with lots of distractions. We are not to call our dogs unless instructed to do so, just to walk around the field. Molly wasn't particularly interested in the other dogs, in fact was submissive with them. She jumped all over the humans there. The instruction was to turn our backs and walk away. I have to say that I struggled with not intervening, when my kids misbehaved I certainly didn't ignore them. Today, her jumping up is appalling, she is grabbing at my clothes and chomping on me all the time. I feel we have made a massive step backwards. Is this a consequence of yesterday's Puppy Romp? Should I take her there again? I'd be grateful for any input.
Re: Scream - we are going backwards. Tina, I really feel for you. I think it might have something to do with yesterday. Because you usually tell her no, and yesterday you didn't because of what you had been told, she probably thought 'ooooh, no ones telling me no so I can do this' or so something like that Go back to basics with your training of no jumping and I'm sure Molly will respond quite quickly Be interesting to see if others agree??
Re: Scream - we are going backwards. It sure is frustrating when things seem to go backwards. What you are seeing today could be what is called an 'extinction burst'. When a behaviour suddenly stops earning the results it used to the dog can triple its efforts to get a reaction. It's a classic situation that once you start really ignoring an unwanted behaviour it suddenly seems to surge even worse than before in a sudden, desperate effort on the dog's part to get a result. For example, you might have a dog that barks for attention. Occasionally the dog gets this attention (even if this is a shouted NO - it's still attention, which is rewarding) and that keeps the behaviour ticking over. Then the owner tries something new - ignoring the behaviour completely. The dog, frustrated that its barking no longer gets a response, barks louder and longer and right in your face. It doesn't last. The key is to hold your nerve through the extinction burst and keep up what you have started - withdrawing your attention of jumping by turning your back and walking away. Bizarrely enough, an extinction burst is actually a sign that what you're doing is working!!
Re: Scream - we are going backwards. It's probably not to do with the Puppy romp, and it sounds a great idea, I'd go again if I were you. I doubt one session makes such behaviour significantly worse or better. No jumping up needs a bit of a long term effort, I think. Charlie used to be an absolute horror at jumping up. I have not solved it, but now he does very gentle slow jump ups, hardly putting his paws on people as if to say "I'm not really jumping up, look, barely touching you" and he just does it once or twice and generally responds when I tell him sit instead. For me, this is a massive step forward from the frantic, jump, jump, jump - which would tear clothes - I used to have. I had to improve matters (Charlie was due for surgery on his back leg). So at first, no-one approach Charlie without instructions. No-one at all. I had Charlie on a lead at the back of the kitchen, my clicker and treats. Person came into view. If Charlie's feet stayed still, C&T. If not, person stepped back out of view. Then one step towards Charlie, C&T or step back. Worked up to person standing beside Charlie pretending to have a conversation with me. And Charlie's feet had stayed still. Etc etc and repeat - with dog walker, dad, SIL, brother, cleaner, friend, postman.... And repeat again, in a different room. And repeat again, with no lead but Charlie behind a barrier. And repeat again, in the vet's waiting room... The other thing that has helped, is just a flat preventing him from jumping up - but appreciate the lengths you have to go to do this are a bit extreme. Now (post surgery) have him with a collar and on a lead, or trailing a lead handle, at all times, and he is simply never allowed to jump up. Although I thought this wouldn't help (as it's not his choice not to jump up), it has helped - when people were in a full height kennel with him yesterday, he didn't try to jump up at all.
