If you let a dog do something, you are effectively training it to do it

Very true. But the dog always gets the blame!

Actually, it's not always true...letting them jump up whilst not giving them any attention at all actually trains them to not want to jump up. Obviously, this needs to be followed by praise when the dog does something right.

Grandad - Illuminate more please

Rottiefan - not true, my first dog jumped up regardless of whatever training method was used, ignoring and turning my back only made her jump up the back and at 32kg, it was painful.

Rottiefan - not true, my first dog jumped up regardless of whatever training method was used, ignoring and turning my back only made her jump up the back and at 32kg, it was painful.[/QUOTE]

this is a common problem with large dogs....they just dont seem to get the message as quick as their smaller counterparts.

the body swerve technique comes in useful for this....
the human stands with their arms folded, ignoring the dog but steps aside just as the dog is in mid flight thus causing it to miss. it takes excellent timing on the part of the trainer/handler but is quite effective as the dog is shocked that it doesnt make contact....thus in the long term it gives up trying to jump up knowing that contact wont be made.

thats the theory anyway....

__________________
All posts are my personal opinions based on the knowledge and experience I have and should not be associated with any organisations I may be a member of



ZACK (1993-2007)
forever in sunshine

Pet Forums Community - View Single Post - dog body-language - and why it matters so much...

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I disagree, large dogs are generally much better behaved than small ones, they have to be. Far more excited small dogs jump and have it tolerated, whereas larger breeds have it seen as an immediate problem. Jumping up, does not start with a "large dog" it begins with a small puppy encouraged up by people, so many give off "jump on me" body language and signals & then reward the action with attention, where they fail to notice calm greeting behaviour.

If the dog's too large for you to completely ignore and not pay off by a reaction, then by definition, you're not ignoring it.

The turn to side to deflect the jump is a good technique, I've also seen one or two owners anticipate and avoid the attempt, by a "closed" body language using crossed arms to guard themselves against it, though guiding the dog to where positive attention will be given tends to work. What amazes me is how few people put into practice such techniques, or foresee a likely jump up attempt, despite excited dog body language.

Anything you allow a dog to do is passive training. Anything you teach a dog to do is active training.

I am going to disagree again to some extent, for instance the way to modify attention seeking barking is to allow it but ignore it, and reward with positive attention more desirable behaviour. You don't "reinforce" such barking by allowing it, you punish it by not paying off. Even preventing it form being able to bark, such as giving a tennis ball on cue, reinforces future demand barking. Many peoples instinct leads them to yelling "No!" at the dog, even approx 200 times when it clearly was not working after the 5th "No!", just at one meal time.

So simply saying "allowing" something is passive training, is over-simplistic.

Jumping up, is however passively trained by very many people, even those who "do not allow it!" and push the dogs off. By taking charge of situation, with an "Off!" command, or using a leash well, removes these peoples opportunity to corrupt one's young dog.

But you are not allowing the barking by ignoring it. You are actively doing something to train the dog not to bark, by not rewarding the unwanted behaviour. That is active training.

Pushing the dog off when it jumps up is also active training. Bad active training, yes, but still an example of active training.