Lucky and his pals
Lucky is doing very well and continues to fit nicely in our family. He has completed his puppy training classes and was reacquainted with his sister, Marilou, at puppy school. They were so excited to see each other and at every class they always played hard together.
He is growing like a weed! He is 45 lbs now (6 months old) and has a perfect body condition score. He has been fully vaccinated and all that remains for veterinary work is his neuter operation.
Sometimes Lucky has a tendency to play too rough with the boys. He will jump on them and grab them with his mouth; not hard but it is something that I want to stop. A couple of times he tore thru their shirts with those needle-like baby teeth. By the time I try to correct him he has run off and probably doesn’t know what I’m upset about. Any advice you might have would be appreciated.
Jason and family
My Advice
The bad behaviour of a dog jumping up on people such as when a puppy is excited, or any other time, has to be absolutely unacceptable. That means Lucky can never, under any circumstance be allowed to jump up on anyone. The best way to explain this to Lucky is to “read his mind” and anticipate his behaviour.
Try to put Lucky in a situation where he is tempted to jump up on you and be ready to give him a physical correction. Don’t get mad, don’t say “no” just do something that will give him quick, unpleasant feedback. Some people thump the dog in his chest with their knee, others step on his back foot (hard) or you can give him a sharp slap on the nose. I suggest you combine one of these with the command of “get down” or “off.” The point is he has to feel a sharp pain and he has to realize that his behaviour brought this on himself. Timing is essential. The correction must come exactly as he is doing the bad thing. That is why you have to “read his mind” and be ready to anticipate the behaviour. Make sure you have control of the situation by having Lucky on a leash or a long line so he cannot run off. When he gets it right PRAISE him!
Until Lucky has this concept very clear with an adult (don’t expect your kids to do this) he should not be put in a situation where he can jump up and get away with it. Ideally you should be there to monitor what is going on. This is crucial training to insure that Lucky is respectful of everyone all the time. If Lucky has a few effective corrections he will understand. However, every time he repeats the bad behaviour he “learns” to do it. Remember, he wants to please you he just needs to understand what you expect of him.
This is the beginning of adolescence for Lucky and he is going to find more ways to test your authority. Above all Lucky needs to have respect for you and every member of the family. He will be a much happier dog if he feels secure by knowing his place in the “pack”.
Kathryn
