Dogs and Jumping Up

Book of the Day:

Today's book is Click For Joy!



This book is amazing. If you have ANY questions about Clicker Training, this book is for you! I own this book myself and enjoyed reading through it. Click for Joy will answer all of your questions plus more about Clicker Training. Pair this up with the book I posted yesterday and you'll be set! Click for Joy has a lot of great ideas, Highly recommended by me!


Advice of the day:

Does your dog Jump up on you? Maybe they jump up on people when they come to your house. If this behavior bothers you, it most certainly bothers your visitors! Not many people, if anybody, enjoys a dog jumping up on them unless they've asked for them to do so. Especially if they are getting them dirty. Here are a few different training methods you can try to help your dog no longer jump on people. Use which ever works for you and your dog.

1. The clicker way-

If you're familiar with clicker training and use it with your dog, then get some treats handy and your clicker. Don't forget the dog! You can do this at times when your dog is full of energy and most likely going to jump up on you or even when your dog is being calm and not jumping on you. You want to click and reward your dog for having all four feet on the ground or even sitting. If your dog jumps up on you, ignore them or turn your back on them. When they return to the ground, click and reward them with a yummy treat! Always reward them when all four feet are on the ground or if you'd rather they sit, then reward them when they sit. You don't have to say anything, just wait for them to offer the behavior you are looking for, click and treat! Don't be greedy with those treats! You can even divide up your dog's regular meals and use their regular food during training sessions. Be sure to practice this with other people and when others come to your door. Be ready to reward good behavior!

2. The Balanced Way -

Perhaps clicker training isn't for you. You use rewards and/or treats in training but you also correct your dog perhaps with a pop of the collar. If this is you, then you'd try this method. You want to start out the same as you would with the clicker and treats. You want to reward your dog for being good weather it be with a toy, treat, or regular food every time all four feet are on the ground. You want to be sure your dog knows what you want before they are being corrected for what you don't want. Be sure you've rewarded your dog several times in different training sessions before adding in a correction. Once you're sure your dog knows what is wanted of them, then if they jump up, you can add in your correction (a pop of the collar with a leash) & tell them OFF! Once they have all four feet back on the ground give them their reward. Practice this a lot and with visitors. Before long you'll have a dog who keeps all fours on the ground.

3. Praise & Discipline -

If you're against using treats during training and have the mind set of a dog should listen and want to please me, not just because I have food, then this method would be for you. When dog jumps up, you can do a correction with leash & collar, or a bump in the chest with the knee. You start off easy with your corrections, then build up from there, each time they do it you do it a little harder. When they are being good and keep all four feet on the ground be sure to praise them with lots of petting and maybe a favorite toy. Play a game with them, make it rewarding to not jump up and uncomfortable to jump up.


All three methods are effective, it just depends on what type you want to use with your dog. Go ahead, try it out today and have a dog that no longer jumps up!



Recipe of the Week:

I hope have each day be themed with a once a week kind of a thing. Tuesday is Recipe day! Recipes will either be for treats or for homemade dog food.

Today's Recipe is: Cinnabone

Needed:

• 2 tablespoons honey
  
• 2 tablespoons molasses
  
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
  
• 1/2 cup brewers yeast (can be found in health food stores)
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl mix together honey, molasses, oil, milk and cinnamon. Gradually add flour, yeast, and wheat germ. Roll dough to 1/4" thickness and cut into bone shapes or another shape you might like. Bake at 350 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until bottoms are brown. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

This Recipe comes from the book: The Doggy Bone Cook Book