Twosday Training Tip

TIP #1: IT TAKES A VILLAGE
There's a common misconception that dogs jump on people to establish dominance. Balderdash! Dogs jump on people because there’s something about jumping that is reinforcing for the dog - usually the human attention that results from the jumping. If you want your dog to stop jumping on people, you have to be sure he doesn't get reinforced for it. Here's what you can do to prevent your dog from jumping on people:

Educate. Tell friends, family and even temporary acquaintances what you want them to do if your dog starts to jump up. Insist they not reinforce jumping up behavior - even those friends who claim they don't mind! Educational options include telling them to:

• Greet your dog before he jumps, perhaps even kneeling to greet a small dog.
• Turn and step away from your dog until he sits, or at least has four feet on the floor, then turn back to greet the dog.
• Ask your dog to sit and reinforce by petting him if/when he does.
• Back away from your dog (if you have your dog on leash) and wait for him to sit before greeting or petting him. If he jumps up while you are petting him, simply stop the petting and take a step backward. Resume petting only if he sits.
• Toss a toy conveniently provided by you to redirect the dog’s behavior before the jump happens.
• Walk away from your dog through a gate or door and close it behind them to keep the dog on the other side. 

- Whole Dog Journal

TIP #2: INSTALL AN "OFF SWITCH"
A ball or other toy-crazed dog is sometimes exhausting to watch, and you may think she will drive you crazy if you don't teach her an "off switch" cue.

Using her favorite toy - a tennis ball in this example - to teach her "All done!" means there is absolutely no point in continuing to ask me to throw the ball. This can then translate easily to other situations where you need to tell her that we are done with whatever activity we are engaging in - whether it is play, training, or casual interactions.

Here's how you can install an off switch in your own dog:

1. Start with a long play session - long enough that it's reasonable to expect that your dog will be able to end the game and relax. Sometimes tossing the ball in the yard for a while is enough; sometimes it takes climbing to the top of a steep hill and tossing the ball down the hill for her to fetch - over and over and over again. The goal is to have her more or less ready to quit on her own - at least when you start teaching "All done!"
2. Give your "All done!" cue, and put the toy somewhere your dog can no longer see it - in a cupboard or in a backpack - and ignore any of your dog's efforts to re-engage with the toy.
3. Notify any other humans in the vicinity to also ignore your dog's attempts to get them to play. NOTE: Training humans to ignore your dog's attempts to get them to play fetch might be the hardest part of this! You may have to be very assertive with them! Alternatively, you can just leash your dog and move away from the most insistent dog lovers.
4. Watch your dog, so you notice and can reinforce her for any appropriate behavior that is not attention-seeking. If your dog stops staring at you and, instead, retreats to her bed, go to her and praise and pet her calmly (assuming she likes petting).
5. Make sure to give your dog plenty of opportunities to engage in ball-chasing and other favorite activities daily. You don't want your dog to feel deprived after you tell her that you are done for the moment, but confident that she will have another opportunity later.
6. Generalize your "All done!" cue by using it in other training situations and recreational activities, so that your dog will realize that the cue means the end of whatever she is doing when she hears it. For example, you can use the cue when you've allowed your dog - who loves to lick - to kiss your face several times and then you've had enough.

Herding dog trainers commonly use "That'll do" as an "off switch" cue - and the expression was popularized by the movie "Babe." (Remember? It's when the talented swine was told: "That'll do, Pig!")

You can, of course, use whatever cue you want. But stick with it! Trust me, you will find it well worth the time and effort it takes to teach your persistent dog that enough is enough when you say it is. 
- Whole Dog Journal

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