How can I calm her down around people!

[Peggy G]

Scarlet is 7 months old. She loves people....TOO MUCH! When guests come over she just will not calm down! She doesnt jump up on them like she used to but she just will not leave them alone! People dont understand this and after a while I can see the look in their eye like "what is wrong with your dog" so I end up putting her in the crate. I dont like doing this because then I cant teach her to stay calm but none of my guests want to be a part of that training.

Also, in obedience class, Scarlet acts like a maniac for the first 1/2 hour of the 1 hour session. (When we first started the obedience classes she did this for the entire hour so she has improved some.) She stands, pulls and wiggles and pulls and wiggles to the point where I am embarrassed. All the other dogs lie down and sit so nice when the trainers are speaking. I tell her to sit which she will then I stroke her and speak in a calming voice to her but after 1 minute she stands and wiggles and pulls. Last night (week 8) was a big night where we demonstrated individually everything we have learned. I was almost on the verge of tears waiting for it to be our turn. All this after I bragged how well she was doing (last week was a great week-I really thought we were getting somewhere) then it seemed like everything went out the window. Everything was a distraction to her.Week 10 they bring an outsider in to observe our dogs and how they do. I almost dont want to go. She obeys the commands pretty much when I am working with her in the class--it's inbetween the hands on training during the class that she go nuts.


Please give me some advice on how to calm her down around people. I know I have 2 things working against me (1) she is still a puppy and (2) she is a Boxer but there must be something I can do. Thank you

 

[TigersMommy.]

We have the same problem with Tiger, who just turned 6 months old. We haven't started training classes yet, but when company comes over, he goes nuts! It doesn't help when my step-father or Jerry's father goes just as nuts petting him and making a fuss over him. Last weekend, my grandmother came over to visit, and I was very nervous as to how he would act around her. I kept him leashed, walked her to a chair (not very good on her feet any more). Once she was settled, I sat on the floor next to her holding Tiger's leash short. Gram went to pet him and he started jumping and wiggling and scared her. She put her hand down on her lap and we both ignored him until he calmed down sitting nicely on the floor. Once he calmed down, Gram was able to pet him, although he started getting excited again, but we just kept on ignoring and then rewarding the good calm behavoir with pets and love. After about a half hour I was able to let him off the leash and everyone was fine. I wish you good luck and patience !

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

I had that problem until Maggie mastered the "Down" command. Now that she understands and obeys "down," when guests come over, I tell her "DOWN. STAY." and she will lie down on the floor and leave them alone. She just wants attention and it is hard for her. But this works better than anything else thus far. Of course, she doesn't stay always, but I find that guests are less irritated or annoyed if they can see that she will at least obey fairly well. And, if I tell the guest to just ignore her and not to look at her, and we continue our business, Maggie quickly becomes bored and goes on about her own business. She realizes that being in the guest's face isn't going to get her what she wants, so she has learned that there's no use in doing it anymore. If she sits nicely or stays down, then guests are usually impressed and go "awww, what a good dog" and THEN she gets attention. Works like a charm for me.

Good luck.

 

[tcarlisle]

Do you socialize your dog alot? We take ours to the dog park a few times per week, where he gets plenty of exposure to other people and other dogs. He is no longer such a maniac around other dogs or people -- especially dogs. He used to be a maniac around other dogs.

Maybe your dog just needs to get out and meet more people and dogs?

Tom C

 

[JTPappy]

Like Tom I suggest socialization..lots of it. Don't stop at just dog parks, each and every day take your Boxer for a walk around the neighborhood. If possible go for a lot of walks in a "town" setting. The kind with lots of people and even other dogs walking along sidewalks. Variety is essential. As we all know , our Boxers are nosey as all get out. Give your Boxer the chance to satisfy that curiosity.

You will find your Boxer likes this and quickly connects the pleasure of socialization with good behavior. Caesar wears a working harness of course, but I suggest a harness and even a harness/collar double lead for all training. Get a good strong, sturdy harness with 1" wide webbing. It can be a standard "D" ring type, a figure 8, a step in or a trail "tracking" harness. They all offer far better control than any collar can.

When guests come over put the harness on yoour Boxer before they come into the house. Boxers associate "getting dressed" with events. The harness will, over time, come to signal good "social" behavior to your Boxer. While they are learning that, the harness gives you a firm hold on your Boxer, an effective control tool.

Give it a try and see what happens. Remember though, a Boxer isn't mature until (maybe) three years old. That's mature in both the physical and emotional sense.
Allow for mistakes.

Jim

 

[Peggy G]

Tom & Jim

I think you might have hit the nail on the head about socializing more. In the back of my mind I have thought if I could get her around more people and more dogs maybe the novalty would wear off some. I can only hope that people with their dogs will be understanding of her behavior and stand for it until I can get it under control.

We go to the park once per week. Its cold and seems it has done nothing but rain all winter. There is hardly anyone ever there when we go. I always approach other pet owners when I see them. They either have little fragile dogs or big dogs that have no interest in playing with Scarlet-only in chasing their ball. We did meet one dog that was a perfect playmate (same size & age) for Scarlet and they played so nice while the owner and I talked. We met up with them again last week end and I was so excited to see them but his dog had just been neutered and couldnt play.

I like the idea of taking Scarlet into a town. I take her to pet smart and she is hard to control there sometimes, simular to obedience class.

We do have people over to our house a lot. Seems she should be used to this by now. I will work on Dan & tigersmoms idea with "down-stay" and wait until she has calmed down before she gets pet. If she cant work it out then "ignor" which is kind of hard to do but my guests will have to deal with it.

Thank you all for the advise. I do feel better, like I have a solution to work with.

 

[tcarlisle]

If you have one, a dog park might be a good place to start. Someone who just has their dog out for a walk may not be too appreciative of your Boxer coming up and going spastic all over it, but people who have their dogs at a dog park should expect it.

Our Boxer was horrible before we got him used to other dogs. He would run up and immediately go in with both front feet to the face. It didn't take long at the dog park for him to learn that is a rude way to greet a dog. Now he pretty much walks up and licks them instead.

Tom C

 

[Peggy G]

Wish we had a fenced in dog park around here but dont. :( We do take Scarlet into a huge fenced in tennis court at the park so I can let her off leash. Another pet walker came in and joined us once so she could let hers off leash too.

You are right about people not wanting to be greeted by a spastic dog. When I do head in another dog owners direction, I always do it gingerly and ask from a distance if its ok to approach.

At the park we go to a group of 25+ dog owners meet every saturday morning to allow their dogs to play with one another. I intend on joining them one saturday but get this...they meet at 8:30 IN THE MORNING. I didnt know their was an 8:30 on a Saturday morning. Think I'll wait till spring so I dont have to lie in bed thinking how cold its gonna be at the park that bright and early. I know, I know...selfish of me.

We had my brother and sister in law over yesterday afternoon and I kept Scarlet out of the crate as long as I could but she would not leave them alone and I started getting looks from them. Then a friend and her son came over last night...same thing. I asked them to please help me out with the training but it got to be too much after a while. But we worked on it and will continue to do so.

sorry so long!

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Originally posted by Peggy G
At the park we go to a group of 25+ dog owners meet every saturday morning to allow their dogs to play with one another. I intend on joining them one saturday but get this...they meet at 8:30 IN THE MORNING. I didnt know their was an 8:30 on a Saturday morning. Think I'll wait till spring so I dont have to lie in bed thinking how cold its gonna be at the park that bright and early.

LOL!!!

Come to NY and get up with me and my two dogs and go to the park every morning at 7:30AM!! Winter/Spring/Summer/Fall. We've been out there in 12 degree weather so my dogs can get exercise. Come on. Don't be wimpy!! Its easy: layers and long underwear!!

Dan

 

[Eddie's mom]

I too have this problem and Eddie is 5! He's better now of course than when he was younger, he knows down so its not so much the jumping up anymore. When we have company at our house he still gets excited for about the first 10 minutes after the company arrives. He mostly paces and sniffs and sniffs the company. This is not good because he drools while he sniffs!YUCK.