Help! My Dog Keeps Jumping Up on Me.

The “off� cue is the last in my series of “commands that every family dog should know.� “Off� means that your dog should get off (or preferably not get on) a person or an item. We are going to focus on keeping dogs from jumping up, since that is a common problem.

Dogs jump up on family members and guests as a form of greeting. The biggest thing people can do to discourage jumping up is to stop rewarding dogs for doing so. “What? I don’t reward my dog for jumping up,� you say. Are you sure?

It’s a natural response to pet a dog that has just smacked his front paws on your stomach. Sometimes people even scratch the dog’s ears for a moment. Every time a dog is touched or given attention for jumping up, the jumping up behavior is reinforced. Even negative attention, like shouting and pushing the dog away, can be regarded as reinforcement.

In order to stop your dog from jumping up on people, everyone who enters your home must be told to ignore the dog when he jumps up. The best thing to do is to turn sideways as the dog is jumping up. Then his paws slip off and he lands safely back on the ground.

By turning your back on a jumping dog, you are removing all attention and therefore all possibility for reinforcement. If this is all you do, it may reduce his tendency to jump up.

To increase the effectiveness of this technique, you should also praise and pet your dog when he lands on the ground. Do so in a low key way to (possibly) avoid exciting him enough to jump up again. If your dog knows how to sit on cue, ask him to sit and pet/praise. If he jumps up again, repeat the process. You can even carry small treats in your pocket and give him a treat when “all four are on the floor.� Be careful that as you bend down to pet your dog he doesn’t jump up and hit you in the face. It happens.

When guests come over, inform them in advance of your training plans. Ask them to turn sideways and avoid reinforcing a jumping dog. If your guests can’t or won’t comply, put your dog on leash and cue him to sit. Allow your guests to reward your dog while the dog is sitting, but not if he gets up. Use your leash to prevent your dog from jumping up on people who might reinforce him for this behavior.

There are many correction-based methods of teaching your dog not to jump up. Some of them have been linked with serious injuries to dogs, including broken toes and broken ribs. Do not allow anyone to hit, kick, knee, or otherwise hurt your dog during this training. If you must use a correction based technique, try a spray bottle or squirt gun filled with water. Spray the jumping dog, and when he gets off, reinforce him with praise, petting, and/or treats.

If you wish to add a cue to this behavior, as people turn sideways to avoid your dog, or as you fire the squirt gun, say, “off.� After using this cue for some time, you may wish to give it as your dog is greeting you or your guests. Hearing the word “off� may help remind him to avoid jumping up.

*******************************************************
On September 30, 2004 a painkiller called Vioxx was recalled by its manufacturer, Merck. This voluntary recall occurred because the medication has been found to increase serious health risks like heart attacks and strokes. If you or someone you know has experienced dangerous side effects from using Vioxx, get information on a vioxx lawsuithere
*********************************************************

If you are interested in precious metals trading, check out Monex, a company that has been in the business for more than 30 years. This California-based company has a sizeable, dedicated staff and offers investors a large gold market.