[Honeyec]

Ok, Hector has an issue with jumping on people, which I have been working very hard on putting an end to.  I've tried the whole turning my back on him thing (he just jumps on my back instead), and also the tactic of grabbing his paws and keeping him up longer than he'd like to be, but neither have met with any great success.

However, the issue got way out of control yesterday - he got out of the house when Emmet came home from work, jumped up on and knocked over a neighbour's 3 year old son.  He also scraped the boy's face when he jumped up.  This was always my main concern with his jumping (that he would hurt a child while doing it) and I almost died when I saw it happening yesterday - it was my worst nightmare.  Naturally the child screamed bloody murder and I actually hurt my neck and shoulder trying to grab Hector and get him back into the house.

I am absolutely BLESSED that the neighbour was extremely reasonable about the whole thing and knew that Hector was being (way) over-boisterous and not aggressive, but I'm still at my wits end because it is still not acceptable behaviour for him to do this.  I know for a fact that had it been the neighbours from one house further down then there would have been bloody murder - she has already complained about the dogs being outside (supervised) and has intimated that she doesn't believe that they're not some kind of bull terriers.  All I can think about is that if Hector had knocked over her son, we may well be trying to reason with the dog warden not to take him right now.

 

[Zhanna]

My Rocky puppy had a bad jumping problem, and he was huge! 8O
We were starting to get a handle on it before he died.  He was really good with the sit command.  Whenever he started trying to jump, we would tell him to sit, then pet/praise when he did.  We also didn't give in to what he wanted until he was sitting or not jumping.  He learned that quickly, because he loved a pat on the head! :lol:   So it was "no jump" and "Rocky, sit", then petting and praising.  He loved to be petted!

 

[AnnArtisan]

The way I taught our last dog not to jump on people was supremely simple and effective.  Everytime he jumped up on anyone in our family, we brought our knee up.  This was a method I picked up in an ancient book on dog care and training and 98% of what that book told me I now feel was outrageously negative and unnecessarily inhumane.  But the knee-up still seems to me to be a relatively benign and utterly effective way of teaching them that "jumping on people doesn't produce enjoyable effects."  So far, crossing our arms and turning our back on Atticus has succeeded in curbing his jumping impulses, but if that's not working for you I really think it wouldn't hurt to try the "knee-up."

 

[nano]

I don't recommend the use the knee-bump to stop jumping.  It becomes a game with a dog and really is telling them that you jump I jump and so on.  Put a leash on him and let him drag it around.  All the time.  When he goes to jumping step on the leash leaving him about two foot of leash so you ARE NOT CHOKING him and tell him "good off".  Keep on doing this with him and he will start to get the message.

My dogs DO NOT have access to people who come to visit right away.  I will have my dogs in their kennel or behind a gate in a room. This gives them a safe area with which to settle down over the new people entering the house. I invite in people and we sit and visit for 15 to 30 minutes and when the dogs have calmed I bring them out.  Then I bring out my dogs, one at a time and on leash, to say hi to our guests.  When people are sitting the jumping will not be as high or nearly as tempting.  First I will take a pass with dog on leash past the people and circle around.  I will do this a few times so that dog is listening to me and getting used to closeness of the people.  Eventually, if they can stay grounded, we stop and they are allowed to see the people.  If not, back in the kennel they go until another time.  Keep the leash hold shorter, about 3 feet, and tell them "good off" when they DO NOT jump up on the people.

Question: You are a man. Do you like to have Hector jump up on your lap for pats?  All the men at my house do, and that sabotoges my training on NOT JUMPING so I have to work harder and longer at it. If you encourage him to jump up with front paws for pats, try to stop that and it should also help your goal towards jumping.  It is hard for a dog to differentiate the difference of being permitted sometimes to jump and not at others.

Boxers ARE notorious for there jumping though so this one takes a lot of work.

Nano

 

[caillou]

All i can offer is a bit of sympathy and understanding . I used to panic when next doors little girl or hubby's work collegue's son came round because from Voltaire's point of view:
1.I love kids.
2.They squeal and run about a lot.
3.They're easy to chase and knock over.
4.They scream even louder after that...
5....so i trample over them for a while.
He's not vicious at all, just playful, but those claws do so much damage however unintentional - don't they?
I've never managed to calm his behaviour enough to feel comfortable. I think that the noisier the child the higher the risk, the quiet ones that ignore him don't interest him.
The neighbours moved away this summer so that's one less little kid. Bet you wish your unpleasant neighbour would move :wink:

 

[deapee]

I would say I got Ares jumping pretty much under control.  What worked I think for him was to actually say "up" when he would jump, tell him good boy, then say "down" and make him go down.  Then when you could tell he wanted to jump, just say "down" for a while and he should stop.

That being said, we all know how boxers are (well some people have more skills than me and can train their dogs to do anything at any time).  I don't think I'd let my boxer run up to any small kids no matter how well-trained he was though, because of his playfulness.  Not that you let him run up to her, but you know what I mean...

My sister said to use the knee thing, but that seems harsh, like you could break a rib or something, so I never tried it.

--

Oh and yeah, I do think it's cute when he jumps up on me...and when I'm sitting on the floor and he runs and jumps on me and tries to knock me over...or when he tries to put my arm in his mouth and growls, but I had to stop all of that because he is around women also a lot and it would scare them just to watch him get "wound up" with me.

 

[Kate]

Kane hasn't had a problem with jumping on people (except me).  Shunning him does work, but I've notice that he waits for any kind of que from me to give him the go ahead and jump or play when I come in after being gone.  I try to pat him on the head, scratch or pet him in an effort to keep him on all fours.  It just takes patience and consistency.  

On the kids issue, I agree that keeping them on a leash and you bring them in to the room to introduce them to the child is a good idea.  That way they learn that they don't control the situation.  A boxer can do lots of damage to a child by knocking them down and no one wants trouble for injuring a child.  Good luck.

 

[RottsnBox]

Until your dog learns not to jump when greeting I'd suggest keeping a leash on them.  You can control their exuberance better this way when you approach people to meet and greet on the street.  When answering you front door, simply step on the leash allowing him only to have enough leash to comfortably sit or even less, just enough to lay down.  Don't allow anyone to greet the dog until he is seated; if he stands the greeting stops only resumes when he sits.  They'll soon realize if I sit I get petted and if not I get nothing.