Puppy hyper around people, won't listen
My five month old corgi is way too friendly around people. When I take him out for walks and he sees someone, he will stop dead in his tracks and run towards that person if they walk toward him.
He's also very hyper around people he knows and will constantly try to jump on (teaching him not to jump has been difficult since everyone thinks it's cute).
He completely ignores me when there are other people around and will pull on his leash to the point where he is standing because of the resistance. He will refuse to sit, go down, or stay, and instead just resists and tries to lunge towards the other person.
Luckily, no real issues with nipping on skin or biting, although he will try to grab scarves, ties and necklaces.
Any tips on how to address this and help with his manners?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Beth on
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You need to enlist the help of someone else who is willing to work with you. Whenever he runs or jumps, the other person should take a step back. If he sits nicely, they take a step forward. The dog should be leashed in such a way that he CAN'T move forward no matter how hard he tries.
My parents' Chessie was like this when she was a puppy. They would put her on a stake-out when we arrived, she went so wild. She could not reach us. I would only walk up to her if she sat, and she soon learned to sit. As she got older and progressed in her training, she was able to be controlled better by her handlers (my father is very experienced; he's field-trialed pointers and had gun dogs his whole life). But early on she was SO excited she literally did not hear what anyone said.
The beauty of the stake-out was that she learned that the behavior of her visitors was totally determined by her own self-control. It wasn't a battle of wills between her owners and herself; it was a matter of containing her own excitement to bring out the behavior she wanted from the people visiting.You can accomplish the same thing with a leash, preferably a long one: set it up so your training visitor is out of reach of the leash. Let the dog hit the end of the leash. If she pulls or jumps, the visitor steps back. If she sits, the visitor steps forward. Your job is to just hold the leash perfectly still.
In the meantime, work on getting her to listen to commands in gradually more distracting situations. Make sure she has enough exercise. If people let him jump, try to get them on your side by saying "Would you mind helping me out? I'm training him to sit so that if he's muddy or dirty he won't ruin people's clothes. If you'd only pet him if he sits, it would be a HUGE help."
BTW, my own two now jump on people after being trained not to because several people we know will give them treats when they jump up. Personally, I have given up on trying to train the people. However, I will make them sit if they meet strangers.
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Permalink Reply by Murphy on
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Well had a guest over today, and the little guy went completely ballistic (and not in a cute way, more like rabid and out of control). He was crazy around the guest in my apartment, behaving like I've never seen. When I put him in the play pen he attempted to jump over it (it's three times taller than him) and went hysterical for the next two hours, during which would wouldn't stop pacing, whining and crying.
Not sure if it's related to the hyper/rude behavior with people, but it was really troubling to see. He had a complete meltdown.
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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on
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Two things you can try:
Use a leash for greetings but before meeting a new person practice leash corrections by giving him a quick jerk (not too strong and say no. If he stops pulling for even a second give him a treat. Eventually he will learn to respond quickly to a tug on the leash.
Teach the "watch" command. Several short training sessions a day will ingrain this behavior. Hold a treat up by your eye and say "Watch" (I use Look so any consistent word is good) and the second he looks at you, treat. This needs to be repeated until it becomes second nature. This is a great command to teach because it is a foundation command that helps get your dog's attention for most instructions.
Hopefully you will be able to get these basics down and he will become much better with people that you have over.
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I agree with Bev's tips.
It also sounds like your puppy is just so over-excited he can't listen. Does he get plenty of chances to meet new people and dogs outside the house every day? If he really loves people and doesn't meet lots of people all the time, he may just be overwhelmed with enthusiasm when people come in.
Before you can train him, he needs to find people not so exciting. Do you have friends or family who can help you out? I think what I would do is plan ahead of time exactly when someone will come over. About a minute before that time, put the pup in his pen with a Kong smeared with a little bit of peanut butter. Have someone come in, say hi to you, and turn around and leave again, paying NO attention to the puppy. Do this once a day several days a week. After awhile, increase the length of the visit by a minute or two at a time. Once he realizes that visitors have nothing to do with him, then you can slowly start working on having him greet people by having them stay a little longer and IF he's calm, then pet him.
But the visitor must also stay calm, and ignore him if he's over-excited.
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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First of all, there's no such thing as "too friendly" so count your blessings on that one. What you need is formal obedience classes (not puppy classes, basic adult classes) with a good positive trainer. In the meantime, when you see someone approaching the pup, ask them to wait a minute, then slip the leash under the arch of your shoe, leaving enough length of leash for the pup to comfortably stand, but not enough to jump up., and have the people keep the petting and greeting low key. You can then add "sit" to be petted, once he's calmer in general. Make sure the pup has enough daily exercise for his energy level. No amount of training makes up for lack of exercise in a young dog.
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Permalink Reply by Caitlin Randolph on
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I have a long reply, sorry, I have been dealing with this myself this month.
When you know friends are coming over go do some serious exercise. A walk is ideal for putting him in a follower state of mind but if he isn't good at his walks then just play like absolute crazy and tire him out for a solid amount of time and then slowly reel him back in with training. The game becomes, sit stay and then race to me like crazy and then just sit and stay and good boy etc. Move the brain from playing like crazy to listening. The goal is to have him in a tired listening brain when the people show up.
Also - we have a rule in the house that we dont do big greetings (or goodbyes). We walk in the door, put stuff down, etc. The big greeting at the door from you will encourage that big greeting when people walk in. Act normal, say hi nicely, get settled, and then get on the ground for that big greet after less than a minute. arrow dances around me the whole time waiting for me to say hi. it's not bumming him out I don't do HELLOOOOOO the second I walk in the door.
I have luck with high quality treats - something stinky and yummy. Soft treats, piece of real meat, something smelly. When he isnt focusing on me I wave the treat in front of his nose (with it hidden in my hand so he cant snatch it) his nose will catch the smell, follow, and then i bring my hand to my face, point to my eyes, and say "eyes on me" then make him do something obedient, like sit, make him hold it for a moment rewarding with words first. Then reward him for the obedient behavior with the tiniest little piece of his soft stinky treats and then give him the "ok" to greet or some word that triggers his release from being obedient to you. I do this on walks after we meet people (without the 'ok' release, i just start walking after he is listening). He gets so excited and unfocused after each greeting interaction. I have to refocus him. Wave a smell in front of his nose that interest him more than whatever else is going on. Ask for his focus. Then reward him when he really is focused again. This could work in the house.
But even on walks this has now started to work that when he begins to pull or I can tell the walk becomes less about walking with me and more about watching EVERYTHING I can say "arrow, eyes on me" and he looks at me often expecting a treat. Sometimes I have a nibblet, sometimes I dont. I never do a whole treat always tiny tiny pieces to keep down on the amount of treats he gets while training. Carrots are great for in the house but arent stinky enough like the fatty yummy treats are that hold is attention.
As far as the playpen - never ever take him out of it when he is whining, crying, going nuts. It'll get easier each time. He will go nuts for 30 minutes first, then 15, then 10.... Arrow will make a ruckus if he is in his kennel and wants to let us know if he wants out but the second I walk in the room and let him know I heard him he sits and gets silent and wiggly now. I have never taken him out of the pen when he was crying except for potty which means if he is crying, i take him outside, if he doesnt go after a bit, he goes back in the pen. Repeat. But I also never have put him in the pen because he is in trouble so it doesn't have negative associations to sit in there.
The leash issue where he is almost standing because of the pull - A leash should never be pulled. Think of a leash as only a "pop" function. It's hard to do at first if he has gotten used to the tug but just "pop" the leash timed with a firm "no" and make him sit using the treat method mentioned so it's a pleasant experience. On walks, just "pop" the leash and say no the same time or "heel" and change directions completely. Don't tug.
Other than that I love the advise given here already and will try using it too!
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I bring my puppy to work, so he's constantly around people at least 5-6 days a week. He's hyper even around people he sees almost every day (he'll always try to jump on them.)
I've let him off leash a few times, and he usually goes crazy, picking off paper off the floor and running around and raising hell. But even on leash he will pull and try to jump on other people, grabs things, etc. He's never really calm.
Even in his crate, he will sometimes bark and whine if someone else is in my office (I guess it depends on the person and his mood).
At home though he couldn't be more well behaved as long as no "strangers" are visiting. It's only when he interacts with other people and dogs. Funny enough he could care less when I walk in from being out. :)
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Sounds like a normal energetic pup of that age. Sign up for a good class where he'll learn to behave with other people and dogs around him. You'll both enjoy the experience, if the class is good.
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