My puppy talks back! - - help!

[JeepnGirl]

Hello All! I'm new to the board and I'm looking for suggestions on training my puppy.

I have a 15 week old Female Boxer. When I'm sitting on the couch she'll try and jump on me or the couch so, I'll tell her "off" and place her front paws back on the ground. That's when she starts to back talk and jump at me harder. I continue to say off and she continues to bark and turn it into a game. This will go on for ever unless I sidetrack her to something else.

I know she's a puppy, but I don't think it's too early to teach her not to jump up. Or is it?

I love the fact that boxers are antimated, but I want to make sure I'm teaching her something instead of teaching her a bad habit.

Any suggestions would be great. I spoke with a dog trainer and he said it's best to start training after she's received all of her shots and she's 4-5 months old. Is this also correct?

Sorry about all the questions. She's just so perfect to me in ever other way that I just want her to be polite also.

Tracy

 

[Zannie]

my madie at 14 months back talks all the time,try to ignore her or give her something else to do and about the trianing i start right away i have a 10 week old pup scout and he can sit already with young pups keep it short and fun............


ann

 

[mobrian]

I spoke with a dog trainer and he said it's best to start training after she's received all of her shots and she's 4-5 months old. Is this also correct?

Yes, that would be good for group training but it is never to early to start at home.

It does sound like your little one has found herself a fun game. You might try after you tell her off and then ignoring her and she continues to be persistent to put her in her crate for 5 min. It is important that they learn that they get attention on your terms not theirs. Of course she needs lots of attention though!!

 

[JeepnGirl]

It's definately a game to her. It's hard to ignore her because she jumps hard and has sharp nails.

I did put her in her crate the other night when she wouldn't stop but I was scared she would then associate the crate as a punishment place instead of her bed.

I have taught her to sit, down and walk on a leash.

 

[mobrian]

I did put her in her crate the other night when she wouldn't stop but I was scared she would then associate the crate as a punishment place instead of her bed.

I use to worry about the same thing and instead of putting Jesse in the crate I would hook her to a lead that I had secured to my stair railing. Then after speaking with some people in my training club they convinced me that it would be ok. I do not yell at Jesse, now at 15 months if she is barking at me for attention, etc and won't stop, I simply ask her if she wants to go in the crate and she usually stops what she is doing. If not I just get up and point to the crate and ask her to go in. I think she realizes that she needs a time-out sometimes.

 

[boondock-bxr]

I use a bathroom as a time out area. I am sure that rowe does/did too. Just make sure they can't get into anything. I won't use the crate because brewtus is so good about going into it in the morning when i go to work. I say go to bed and he runs right in.. so i give him a treat most every time. he is about 10 months now and he hates the word timeout!

good luck!

 

[Krikkit]

Give her something else to do instead of jumping - just telling her off with no alternative offered won't get you very far (as you have discovered ).

If she already knows sit and down, then when she jumps, ask her to sit or down and then give her attention. Think of things you would like her to do instead of jumping and set about training them - the only limit is your imagination. Maybe she could fetch her toys, or race to her bed and lay down, or roll over, or be in short drop stays. Anything other than jumping or back chatting.

Be patient, she's had quite a long history of being reinforced for the "jump and talk back" game (it does sound like fun for a pup ) - if it was not working for her she would not have kept it up so long so it will take a little while for her to realise it's not working anymore and the alternatives you teach are even better.

Sharon

 

[JeepnGirl]

Thank you for the reassurance and ideas. I'll continue to work on it tonight.

 

[basak]

Originally posted by Krikkit
Give her something else to do instead of jumping - just telling her off with no alternative offered won't get you very far (as you have discovered ).

Right on ''I want you to do this instead of this'' Works for me everytime

basak

 

[JeepnGirl]

Well, last night when she started to jump. I asked her to sit. That didn't work. When I gave the hand signal to sit, she sat for about 15 seconds then continued to jump and bark. So, I started the time-out session in the crate. After the second time-out she started to figure it out. She was calmer, so we started to play the hand game of which hand has the treat.

Then twenty minutes later the barking and jumping on us started again so, she went on a third time-out. This completed our evening.

Tonight should be interesting. The Christmas Tree is going up. I'm sure there will be a few time outs involved.