by KYW's Nan Talleno
We all love to play with our dogs, after all they are our best friends. But too much rough housing can lead to mixed signals for your furry friend. Take jumping for example. Jumping should never be encouraged even in playtime because that very same behavior can be unacceptable at the front door especially to your guests. You never want to set your dog up for failure by promoting a behavior as acceptable one time and then as unacceptable at another time. It’s not only completely unfair to your dog, but it will only serve to create confusion, stress and more unwanted behavior in the future.
Here are a few tips. Upon arriving home, make it a habit to approach your dog in a calm, non-excitable manner, with your hands low and down by your side with slow movements. Limit any gestures. Have him/her go into a sit at the front door and provide plenty of praise when he does. If he does jump up, quickly turn your back for a few seconds until he stops. If more help is needed, use the aid of a leash (always with supervision only and never leave your dog on the leash unattended) for a short time at the front door as guests enter. Again, have him go into a sit; provide a special mat so he knows exactly where to go. In time, the leash will not be needed. Always praise and reward good behavior and only work a few minutes each day as with any exercise.
Always set your dog up to succeed. Be patient. Remember proper training and conditioning takes repetition, consistency, patience and lots of praise and affection.
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