busterboy Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 We have a 12 month purebred Staffy who jumps on our sliding screen door when we sit down for our evening meal every night. Does anyone have any ideas other than tying him up ( which we do currently ) otherwise he is a well behaved boy most of the time. Thanks :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Give him a big bone or a well packed KONG toy BEFORE you sit down, and well BEFORE he starts to get excited ... then, when/if he jumps up...do NOT speak to him or even look in his direction, as this is a reward in itself. If he is allowed indoors- you can easily have him inside, alongside you ON leash.. lying down quietly with a treat... that way he learns to be settled around mealtimes...A brilliant training opportunity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgina west Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 maybe put a temp curtain or something up so he cant see what you's are doing ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tilly Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 We had a similar problem with our GSD when we had a BBQ. Initially we locked him in the garage but this didn't really stop the problem. We ended up putting him on a short leash and put him in a drop beside me at the table. I had my foot firmly on the leash so he could not get up from the drop. When he was calm he was praised and then he was pulling etc he was ignored. Eventually he realised if he was good at the end of the BBQ he was given the left over sausages and meat (no bones) - in his bowl and away from the table. It took time and patience but he got it eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vickie Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I think the temp curtain is a great idea. So long as he is quiet you can leave it open. It won't take him long to learn that his bad behaviour earns the curtain being closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I would go with persephone's suggestion and have a yummy kong ready with his dinner when you have yours. I would tie him to the table or your chair (whichever is stronger) or crate him in the same room as you. The kong will reteach the behaviour you do want which is settle down during meal times. :rolleyes: Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobbly Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Squirt him with a water pistol when he does it. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Squirt him with a water pistol when he does it. Good idea :rolleyes: . We used a pop top water bottle for undesirable behaviour like that and after a very short time all I would have to do is say "ah ah" and pick a bottle up and she would stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 Yes, stuffing a kong sounds way too much like hard work when you can just throw water in your dog's face and damage the nice bond you have with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busterboy Posted August 13, 2008 Author Share Posted August 13, 2008 All good ideas thanks all. We will try them all and find which works best... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavNrott Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Invest in a crate and bring him inside the house and crate him when you have your dinner. Dunno why anyone would want to throw water at a dog because he wants to be with his people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Its hardly a bucket of water... And personally I would consider the dog's jumping to be undesirable, challenging behaviour rather than a sweet bonding act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobbly Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 (edited) A squirt of water - how much of an aversive depends on the dog - some love it - for them it's not going to really work. For my dog, and probably many of staffy type ilk it's not as harsh as being banished from human presence (put outside or into a timeout room). I never considered using aversives until a behaviourist reccommended the water pistol to me, and I've found it's great, it's not harsh, not scary for the dog, but just unpleasant enough to make him or her decide that indulging in inappropriate behaviour isn't worthwhile. My assumptions are that your dog is similar to mine - An adolescent who knows what "no" means Assuming he's a happy, confident and outgoing dog just misbehaving because he's hoping it'll yield attention. So here's a paraphrase of how I understood from a behaviourist why a mild aversive like a water pistol can can fix this exact behaviour - jumping on a screen door for attention: He knows jumping at the door will result in either of 2 things - he gets the attention he wants, or nothing happens. Pretty good odds really - even if he doesn't get what he wants, he knows he loses nothing by trying so of course he's going to continue to try it - unless you give him a reason not to - a consequence - the water pistol squirt is hardly a harsh consequence, but it is effective. Edited August 15, 2008 by Wobbly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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