or Getting Control of a PUSHY Dog.
Building rapport and becoming an obvious leader figure by being consistent in all interactions with your dog is the best way to start getting a handle on that pushy pet.
Teach your dog to defer to you by sitting and waiting quietly for anything he wants.
This includes sitting and waiting for:
1. Food (mealtime) and treats
2. Petting and love
3. Grooming
4. Going out of or coming in (including entrances, exits, crates, doors, cars, etc.)
5. Putting on and taking off the leash
6. Being invited onto a piece of your furniture (if desired)
7. Playing games with your and/or playing with toys
8. Any kind of attention
9. Anything and everything your dog wants!
Eliminate problem behaviors such as jumping up on you or mounting.
- Discourage and correct all jumping up.
- Watch for signs that precede any jumping or mounting behavior.
- As soon as possible redirect your dog to different behavior. For example, as soon as you see an intent to jump up or mount, redirect your dog to play ball or ask your dog for a sit and stay. Have your dog continue to sit and stay until he relaxes.
Deter all “attention seeking” behavior.
- Set aside 3 to 4 times during the day to specifically interact with your dog. During this time, exercise your dog’s mind and body. For example, practice obedience or agility training followed by an exhausting physical game such as fetching a ball or frisbee, cycling, swimming or jogging your dog. You want your dog to be both mentally and physically worn out when you are finished.
- Unless it is “his time” to interact with you, ignore your dog. If your dog approaches and waits for your attention in a calm manner, reward him with praise and brief (10 seconds or less) petting.
- If your dog pushes you for attention, move away and ignore him. If he makes it impossible for you to ignore him, put him in a crate or in another room.
- Avoid inadvertently giving your dog attention when he subtly demands it from you! For example, resist the temptation to reach out and stroke your dog if he leans on you. Instead, move away from him. If you are distracted during reading or watching TV, make sure you don’t reach out and stroke him if he is soliciting attention from you.