Jumping up on passerbies

Behavioral Issues
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  • PujiP

    We're looking for advice on how to curb our 6-month-old pup's enthusiasm when meeting passerbies on the street. His impulse is to pull us towards them and jump up, looking for some TLC.

    We've been working on teaching him not to pull on the leash (which is working slowly but surely), and more recently, we've been trying to get him to sit-stay when passerbies approach - it's a 50/50 situation - it'll work more often if we can get him off to one side of the sidewalk, but with the snow banks, this is usually impossible these days.

    Any suggestions?

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  • S

    Have you taken him to an obedience class yet?
    That will help.
    Have treats in your pocket, and when you see him wanting to approch a person, get the treat out, have him sit and then have the person greet him.
    But a general, kind training class will really help with a lot of issues you might be having.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • PujiP

    Hi Sharron, thanks for your reply!

    We haven't taken Charlie to an obedience class yet, because he is doing so well with his basic obedience here at home with us - he can sit, down, stay, come, go to his bed, go to his crate, give his paw, etc. on command. The problem is that our Charlie is just so darn friendly that he wants to meet everyone he sees. We want him to learn how to walk past people without greeting them - as if it's no big deal. How do you do that?

    Then there's the separate issue of greeting people appropriately (without jumping up) - we're working on that using your suggestion.

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  • lvossL

    A very large part of taking an obedience class with your dog is actually about helping your dog to generalize the behaviors that they get really good at in the relatively low distraction environment of home to a much more interesting and distracting environment. Class will help to give you an opportunity in a controlled environment to practice the good behaviors you want Charlie to develop when he is out in public. He can learn that there are times when we get to meet and greet and there are times when we work.

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  • PujiP

    @lvoss:

    Class will help to give you an opportunity in a controlled environment to practice the good behaviors you want Charlie to develop when he is out in public. He can learn that there are times when we get to meet and greet and there are times when we work.

    Very good point - we hadn't considered that. We will look into classes :)

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