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Behavioural problem - any advice please
Hi all (this is a bit of a long post sorry)
I don't usually post in the dog forums, I'm normally in the cat forum but have been reading through the dog forums today and thought I would ask for some advice please?
We have a Rottie who is now 10 1/2 months old. He is a wonderful dog and we could not be more pleased with him. To give you a basic history (in case it helps with any advice), when we first got him as a baby, we set the ground rules i.e. no chasing the cats/kittens, we made sure we can approach him when he's eating, remove his food, touch him etc. (had to do this if the cats go near him while he eats), we taught him to sit, stay, down (sort of, down isn't perfect lol), I walk him twice daily, once in the fields behind our home off lead, he comes back as soon as I give him the command, and he's walked onlead around our area in the streets etc. He's incredibly loving, and when it's just us at home with him, he can't be faulted with regards to obeying commands. We also did a dog training course with him. He has never had a toilet accident in the home, he is not a barker, only barks when people are in the field behind the home. He really is a wonderful boy with a superb temperament and we love him to bits.
The problem we have is with visitors. Because Jag is still so young, he's obviously quite boisterous and excitable as all puppies are but being a Rottie who now weighs more than 50 kilos and is a big dog, his excitement towards visitors is overwhelming. Being cat breeders we do obviously have a lot of kitten families and friends visit. One of our friends is disabled and each time visitors come to the house, he jumps up at them and despite us telling him "Bed" and Sit or Down, he totally ignores us and paws at all our visitors. He even tried to sit on one poor guy's lap bless him. We are lucky in that our mates know him and love him, but it's frustrating when we're trying to have a coffee and chat and Jag is jumping up at them or pawing at them constantly. In a way, this is our fault, well hubbies more than mine, as hubby taught him to "shake hands" and also taught him to jump up. I know this is a definite "no no" and we now need to undo where we went wrong obviously but we don't know how. Also, if kitten families visit and we are in a different part of the home, Jag will constantly jump up at the door etc. over and over, to try to get attention. Obviously some kitten families are not dog people (mad I know!) and as such, I don't allow Jag access to these people, particularly if they have a fear of dogs.
We were going to try crate training as suggested by the training course. The problem with this is that the crate is massive and once we put it in the room, there is no room for us to sit down.
What I would ideally like is for visitors to come into the home into the main part of the room, and for Jag to gently say hello to them, and then retire to his bed, or sit quietly with one of them while they stroke him etc.
I truly would appreciate any advice that any of you on here may have? Am off out now to take him for a walk but will check replies when I get back, and thank you again in advance.
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