BARKING JUMPING BARKING
It's perfectly normal and reasonable for dogs to bark from time to time, just as children make noise when they play outside. Some dogs will bark when they are playing, to get your attention or when they want something. However, continual barking for long periods of time is a sign that your dog has a problem that needs to be addressed.
Territorial/Protective Behavior
Your dog may be barking to guard his territory if:
The barking occurs in the presence of "intruders," which may include the mail carrier, children walking to school and other dogs or neighbors in adjacent yards.
Recommendations:
Teach your dog a "quiet" command. When he begins to bark at a passer-by, allow two or three barks, then say "quiet" and interrupt his barking by shaking a can filled with pennies or squirting water at his mouth with a spray bottle or squirt gun. This will cause him to stop barking momentarily.
While he's quiet, say "good quiet" and pop a tasty treat into his mouth. Remember, the loud noise or squirt isn't meant to punish him, rather it's to startle him into being quiet so you can reward him.
If your dog is frightened by the noise or squirt bottle, find an alternative method of interrupting his barking (throw a toy or ball toward him).
If your dog barks while inside the house when you're home, call him to you, have him obey a command, such as "sit" or "down," and reward him with praise and a treat.
Social Isolation/Frustration/Attention-Seeking
Your dog may be barking because he's bored and lonely.
Recommendations:
Expand your dog's world and increase his "people time" in the following ways:
Walk your dog daily - it's good exercise, both mental and physical.
Teach your dog to fetch a ball or Frisbee and practice with him as often as possible.
Teach your dog a few commands and/or tricks and practice them every day for five to ten minutes.
Take an obedience class with your dog.
Provide interesting toys to keep your dog busy when you're not home (Kong-type toys filled with treats or busy-box toys). Rotating the toys makes them seem new and interesting.
If your dog is barking to get your attention, make sure he has sufficient time with you on a daily basis (petting, grooming, playing, exercising) so he doesn't have to resort to misbehaving to get your attention. JUMPING
Reason to Stop Jumping
The dog could knock someone/something down. Jumping can cause injury to others or to dog. Behavior can be perceived as "threatening" by others and can cause problems legally.
A rude and attention seeking behavior.
Managing Jumping
First and foremost, teach the dog the "Golden Rule" that no attention will be given unless the dog is sitting with all four paws on the floor, settled and quiet.
DO NOT teach the dog any tricks encouraging paws off the floor until the dog absolutely does not jump on people or things.
Make the dog sit/wait to be released when receiving any food/treats. Do not let the dog make decisions to get the food, establish that you are the leader and to trust you to make the decisions. Start and end all interactions.
Try completely ignoring the jumping, turning away (slowly + deliberately so not to make it seem like a game) and make no eye contact. Don’t even lean your head down towards the dog, push it away or say anything. When the dog goes away and sits, only then reward the behavior with "good sit" and the pet the dog, (or "down" if that is the case). Often behavior unrewarded extinguishes itself, reward sitting instead.
If turning away doesn’t work after several days, try stepping with a commanding presence into the dog’s space as it jumps toward you, almost forcing the dog back. Many dogs don’t like their space violated. When the dog steps back to stop to think about what you are doing, issue the sit command and then reward the sit behavior.
If these methods don’t work have an adult grab the dog’s paws when it jumps up and hold them without moving around making it unpleasurable to jump. When the dog is really pulling to get away and really frustrated at its inability to control the scenario, release the dog and say "off". |
