How can I calm her down around people!

[Peggy G]

Originally posted by Brooklyn-Dan
[/B]

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
[/B][/QUOTE]

Not only am I a wimp but Im a guilt ridden wimp now!! LOL
I just may take you up on your offer for a visit But I will wait until spring. heehee

 

[boxerfan]

Oh boy, I can relate to this! Ali is the wiggliest, kidney beaning dog I've ever seen!!!!! We don't get a lot of company and when we do she is crazy. I've tried the sit or down stay which works at that moment but as soon as I release her she goes back to wiggling. It's like she has to get it out initially and then she'll calm down. However, my in-laws were just here for a few days and everytime she saw one of them she'd start up. My father-in-law thought she was sooooo wierd and I kept telling him it was normal boxer behavior. I've also tried restraining with a leash. Again, it works until I let her off then she does her thing.

The other problem we have is Ali still tinkles when first greeted by someone (not our family anymore, thank goodness). I usually tell people not to touch her right away but sometimes she pees anyway - amongst all that wiggling!

 

[jaybo_77]

I'm sure glad to know that T-bone isn't the only dog that goes crazy around people and other dogs. I finally can control her when people come over but when we get outside with other dogs, WATCH OUT! She's almost 2 so I figure she will eventually calm down. I'm still working on training outside and making her focus on me instead of all the little distractions. So I think that has alot to do with her going crazy. Once we get that worked out then I can take her anywhere. Chicago weather sucks and I don't feel like training at 5:00 in the morning when I get up (excuses, excuses!) so that might take a while. When T-bone was Scarlets age nothing worked. She is 100% percent better now that she has grown. Scarlet will get better, she just has to realize who's in charge and she has to listen to you. Whatever method you choose to use stick with it and don't let her get away with anything. To get T-bone to stop jumping and just bugging the crap out of people, I make her come over to me and sit. And when she calms down (which is never) she can go say "hi". I started her training when we were alone. It started by me simply making her sit/lay by me, and eventually she would sit there for 5min. or until I would say "ok". This also works with treats. I would toss them across the room and make her stay untill I let her go. If she would attempt to get up I would tell her once to come back and if she continued I would go get her and bring her back. It has taken taken awhile to do this when people come over but she is alot better. She still goes nuts though. It's hard to keep her under control if the people are over for awhile. specially cuz evrybody loves her and wants to play. But when they are done she's still wants more. Well thats how I handle it, I've heard many ways but it just takes time.

Good luck.

 

[tiasmama]

Tia does the exact same thing- she is everyones best friend. She is a little over a yea and has been through 2 obedience classes, one the trainer came to our home, and that worked out the best! What we do with Tia now is that we have an LL Bean bed that stays in the living room (I live in ME- here that gotta have an LL Bean bed. What we have had Tia do is when company is coming we have her stay in a down position on her bed. Now this took a LONG while for her to master. We practiced by leaving her on the bed and slowly going father away. Like in the other room. If your dog is anything like Tia it kills her to be in the same room, she always has to know what is going on. Then we started just walking out on the porchand having her stay in a down. This takes persistance because everytime she got up we had to go out her back down. Now she stays really good, although she seems to think that as long as something- like a paw- is on the bed she is ok. Sometimes she tries to reach people by stretching every inch of herself out- and leaving just something touching the bed. But we correct her when she does this. If we feels that she is slipping we start with a little reenforment training with it.
Socialization is a great idea- but Tia was extremely socialized and it wasn't helping. So if that doesn't work try this. It works- and is way easier than tring to hold onto their collars.

 

[Robyn]

Peggy, I knew we would get along as soon as we had our first phone conversation, but now, with your early morning comment, I think we are long lost sisters!!!!! Actually, I CAN get up early, I can even function pretty good after 2 cups of coffee but you have to not mind my p.j's until about 10:00! We are only about an hour away from each other so we'll have to get Scarlet and Cooper together when it's warmer, (I'm a guilt ridden wimp too!). :rolleyes:

 

[doggiestyle]

I really don't know if this is the kind of help you're looking for BUT we use selenium and vitamin E alot on our excitable horses, and although I have never used it on our own boxers I have recommended it to alot of Dalmatian owners who seem to be experiencing the same problem as you are. Talk to your vet about it, apparently an excitable horse or dog in your case they get so wound up that they literally cannot relax their muscles so tend to stay in a hypo state, but selenium and vitamin e combined somehow lets those muscles relax much more easily. We have had great success with the kids hypo ponies, who incidentally only get hypo because they're out in company but now they're different animals. A friend came round today with her Dally who without a word of a lie is one that would drive me to despair within minutes but I told her a couple of weeks ago to try this sel/vit e and today I wouldn't have believed it was the same bitch.
Try it, ask your vet, you've nothing to lose as they are things your dog should be getting anyway. Good luck.
Di