Jumping Up?

George is coming up to 6 months now and his jumping up to say hello doesn't seem to have improved.

He rarely does it to my g/f and i only when really excited.

However, any visitors though are quickly greeted with a big bounding jump, which i feel is starting to annoy a few.

From the start we have been doing the ignoring, turn back only gets a fuss with 4 feet on the floor. This does kind of work in the end he gets bored of 'greeting' people and potters around looking for further normal mischief.

I'm keen to get this rock solid though.

I read the article on here basically saying clicker training is the best bet.

I've always been slightly apprehensive about using a clicker in training as i dont want to be stuck with it forever, is it something that can be faded out though as the action of not jumping becomes the norm?

Also we dont have 'that' many visitors and as he rarely jumps up how can we practice it, i notice by the video you prep by clicking and rewarding on the floor; but how will he associate this with not jumping?

He gets excited when i get some toys out he's not seen in a while we could try then, or perhaps my other half could go and come back really excited ;D

Any thoughts or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

Re: Jumping Up?

Hi Jez

There is no way around practicing in order to train a dog to respond to any kind of cue or signal. Without practicing it cannot be done. When the cue or signal is something that doesn't happen very often (visitors coming to the door for example) you have to set up 'fake' training scenarios.

This is the case whether you train with rewards, punishment, or a mixture of both. Unless punishment is very extreme, you are unlikely to be able to change a behaviour without practice.

Setting up fake training scenarios can be a bore, but it has to be done if you want things to change. And it usually means roping friends in to help. In this case you will need to ask more visitors around, and get friends to 'pop in' as if you were not expecting them. Brief them to ignore the dog whilst you carry out your clicks and placing treats on the floor.

The point of putting the treats on the floor is it focuses the dog's attention on the ground and away from people's hands and faces. Dogs jump up to get nearer to people's hands and faces because they find them rewarding. If the best reward is on the floor, there is no need for them to do this.

And yes, you fade the rewards over time, once you have established a 'trained response' in the dog.

The trained response is to keep all four feet on the floor when he hears the door knock, sees the door open, and sees people walk through. Those are the cues for 'four on the floor'.

Get your 'fake' visitors to let you know exactly what time they are arriving and have a little clicker session in your hall, clicking and treating, placing the treats on the floor, just before they arrive. So that he is in the swing of things.

If just the mere fact that there is someone knocking on the door makes him lose concentration, then you will need to work on his behaviour with the visitors on the other side to begin with.

When you fade rewards, you will eventually just occasionally place a treat on the floor for the dog when a visitor arrives. Just remember never to eliminate rewards completely.

Hope that helps
Pippa

 

Re: Jumping Up?

Thanks Pippa.

I started clicker training briefly at lunchtime, just moving around the room clicking and treat by my feet then moving off.

I suppose i can practice this aspect without the need of volunteers so he is aware of whats going on.

Am i right that if during this point if he jumps up at me i am to ignore until feet are on the floor, click and reward? Will he not associate this with jump up = reward?

When jumping up at others am i meant to stand in between click reward or try and gain his attention with the treat then click reward, i'm not sure on that bit?

 

Re: Jumping Up?

[quote author=Sam link=topic=564.msg2518#msg2518 date=1340280113]
Hi Jez

The beauty of the clicker is that its such a precise marker that he should associate it with exactly what he was doing when the click occured (eg standing with all four feet on the floor), and not with a previous activity.

However, for this to work he needs to know what the clicker means. (Predicts treat!). From your post I am not sure if you have 'charged' your clicker?

Sam.
[/quote]

Yes we charge the clicker he understands click means treat because at the start he even gets excited at the prospect.

I think he is getting it, I try my hardest to make him jump up and he not doing it as often as he used too.