Some advice in regard to barking/jumping/mouthing

Hi all,
Ralph is doing very well and is, in general, your average springer pup! But he seems to be jumping at people a lot lately and sorta mouthing (not biting!), but mouthing them and im not quite sure how to stop this...
Also whenever he is in his crate he barks terriblly, we try ignoring him and he gets louder and louder and even if we go to comfort him it doesnt stop-any ideas?
Oh and just to add-the crate is only used for nap time/sleeping/his safe place-not as punishment

Oddly enough Loui does this mouthing and jumping up too!!

I shall be watching this thread to see what suggestions are offered

Hello Luke.
This is age appropriate behaviour for him ( the jumping up etc). You can try to teach him to sit when he sees people. If he's in a sit, he can't jump. It'll take time but it's worth it. Whenever you are going to give him attention or a tickle, get him in a sit, reward him verbally, or with a treat if necessary, then stroke him clmly. As soon as he stands up or tries to mouth, stop stroking him. Make him sit/stop mouthing ( keep it calm) and then stroke ( the stroke becomes the reward) again. Try this a few times a day.
If he's jumping at guests, ask them to do the same, ignore him if he's jumping and ask him to sit, then stroke. Ask them to try and stroke him as soon as he sits and stop if he gets daft. If he's uot and about and people approach to tickle cute pup, ask them nicely to only pet him if he's in a sit, explain why if necessary. With consistency and patience, it won't take long for him to get the idea.

Hope this helps,
Ailsa

Great advice. I would agree with this too. I would even go one further and if he will not calm down at all take him out of the room (only for short periods) just to let him calm down. Once he is calm bring him back. Hopefully he will soon realise that if he wants attention he has to behave or he loses out.
Best of luck. Let us know how he is doing.

Agree with Ailsa but also try turning your back when he jumps up and not acknowledging him and if he mouths let out a shrill cry of "ow"!.

Hi Luke after going through this with Florrie I thought you would be teaching us by now !
Carrying on from the good advice the other posters have given...
..you have the opportunity to put the biting to good use by teaching Ralph 'bite inhibition' so that when he grows up and develops powerful jaws, should he bite for any reason (like if he is in in pain/at the vets being treated /gets accidentally hurt) he will have been taught never to sink his teeth into human skin. It takes time and patience to teach this Luke , but I know you have both and it is well worth the effort.


click here

We've been trying this with Max (4 mnth old Boxer)... when we get home from work he started to jump and bounce.

We now ignore him (take coat off/shoes etc) until he has calmed down, then do a "sit" and crouch down and make a fuss of him.
It has worked really well with strangers etc. People want to stroke him when we're on a walk, but he is over excited, so we ask the person to hold a treat, and we say "sit".

Max tends mainly now to sit (although his tail still wags) and he graciously accepts a treat and a stroke from the person. This has proven great when with little children as he tends to be at their face level when he jumps up!

We're still working at the mouthing! We tend to say "Ah-ah" and put a toy in his mouth - its slowly getting better!
He still has a fixation for buttons though - on trousers, cardigans, jumpers etc - he just can't get enough!

Shelley
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