My four month old lab Casper jumps like crazy when I walk him on my own. He isn’t so bad if my son is with me because when he starts jumping my son can walk on ahead and call him - it’s then as if Casper suddenly remembers that we are walking not frenziedly jumping! But on my own I can’t do anything about it. On another owners advice, I tried holding him down by his harness today but as soon as I let go he started jumping all over me again. Do I just give up walking him on my own until he is older? Any advice would be really helpful!
Do you use a clicker when training? If so, hopefully somebody can chime in with more experience about that. Is the jumping behavior new, or has Casper always behaved this way on walks? I recommend having Casper sit or lie down each time he jumps. Really i would identify a behavior that lets me know he is ABOUT to jump, and that is when i would give the command to sit or lie down. Reward his behavior is he listens, and allow him to remain in that position until you see him calm down. Once he is calm, continue your walk and watch for the signs of getting ready to jump again. Repeating this can help him see that there is no benefit to jumping on you or anybody else. You could also use the opportunity to work on a different command. When he jumps on you, what is your reaction? If you are telling him "No", or something similar you could replace it with "Off" or "Calm down" or another word you would like him to learn a corresponding behavior.
Hi @Caspercrazy Does the jumping occur at the start of the walk? Do you take our dog for a walk after he has been sleeping? I'm trying to assess his energy level, and whether the jumping up is a release of pent up energy. If so letting your dog have run around on a long line before attempting walking might be something to try. Anthony Abrao's suggestions are worth trying.
I am not sure why a dog would just up in a prolonged way on a walk (when there are way more interesting things to be investigating) unless they are anxious and seeking reassurance in some way from the owner. Do you think your puppy may be anxious about being outdoors? Or is this purely and simply attention-eliciting behaviour? I would probably take a few treats and hide them in the grass and encourage him to sniff them out and find them. Once he learns the good stuff to investigate is not on your person but is down on the ground, he's going to be checking that out instead....
Thanks for the really helpful advice. He’s always been like this. Analyzing it a bit, he usually starts jumping after he’s seen something interesting - a workman perhaps or a dog across the street. He stands still and alert while quietly watching them go past and doesn’t appear to overreact to them. He then starts jumping once they’ve gone - as if to say wow! Did you see that? I love this! But he just can’t seem to calm himself down afterwards. I’ve tried asking him to sit. He is pretty good at sit when at home (although the down command is still quite new to him and something he struggles with). But in this situation he just can’t keep in a sit. I can tell he’s trying to sit but he’s just too excited to manage it for more than a split second or two. Taking everyone’s advice together, I’ll try to put him in a sit when he first sees the interesting person or thing - and then to scatter treats on the floor to get him focused back on sniffing the interesting things on the walk. I’ll also try to play ball or something at home before a walk to get some energy out first. I really appreciate the help!
It sounds like he is either frustrated - and wants to go and see the person or dog or whatever - or he is slightly worried about them. I would not ask him to assume a fixed position like 'Sit', in either case. You first need to address the worry or frustration and you need to give him an outlet to express that which isn't jumping up. Personally, if it were me, I would get down on his level when this happens so there is no need to jump up at me - because I am low. I would reassure him with stroking and talking. I would at the same time, scatter some treats on the floor and play 'find it' on the spot - throwing a treat along the floor and letting him chase it, over and over. If it were frustration-based, I would perhaps also play some tug with him, if he wants to play at that time. I would not ask him to assume a still position because that is not going to teach him anything emotionally about calming himself down, it's not going to lead to anything long term (in terms of changing how he feels) and if it is coming from fear or anxiety at all, he is not going to feel safe if asked to be very still. (Imagine someone telling you to be very still and not move away when you are in the same room as a giant spider on the loose, if you are scared of spiders.)
It seems to me that your dog may be anxious/fearful.. When the dog or person walks away, your dog feels that it can give voice to that anxiety without retaliation. When she is watching the person or dog, can you describe your dog's tail, mouth, eyes, and ears? Is your dog yawning, or lip licking? Looking down at the ground? A video of your dog in such an interaction would be very helpful. If not, a careful description will be of benefit. The dog's body will be speaking. "We" need to watch and "listen".
