I have had Shelby for about 4 months now and she is the same way (she is 1.5 yrs). What I have been trying to do with Shelby is inviting some dog friendly people over that are willing to help me with the training. They let me know when they are coming and I put Shelby on a leash. I leave the front door unlocked (since I live alone, I dont' have anyone to help) and put Shel on a sit/stay or down/stay a couple feet from the door when I see them coming to the door. They ring the bell and I say "come in". If Shelby stays as she is suppose to , I instruct the person to say hello and pet her, however, if she gets up, I immediatly instruct the person to stop petting her and I put her back on a sit/ stay. I have done this a couple times and it seems to be working fairly well. In the mean time, when I have someone coming over that I don't trust to assist with training, or don't want walking in my front door (delivary ect...), I try to put Shelby away in her room with her crate until that person leaves or I have the abiltiy to put her on a leash to introduce her and settle her down. It seems to be working for her. She will always be excitable, that is just her, I am just tring to redirect that energy. I dont know if this would work for other dogs, but it is working for her. I don't even usually have to use treats for rewards, the attention, when she is being good, seems to be reward enough for her. Good luck.
WHy does she act this way when we have company?
- Thread starter sonmiles
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It has helped us to put our dogs through obedience training and let other dog owners in the class walk up to them (because they are strangers, the dogs typically want to jump). Well, you teach them not to jump by having the stranger turn away from the dog every time the dog would jump. It really works wonders.
Someone also mentioned to ignore the dog when you come home for five to ten minutes. That worked wonders with Leonard's separation anxiety. Our dogs still like to jump and lick, but if we have the guest ignore them, they eventually calm down. Well, sometimes Layla pees, but that's another story!!!
Best of Luck to you!!! :D
I should have named Leonard Tigger instead because he was such a bouncy think when he was younger!!!
Take Care,
Cheryl
Someone also mentioned to ignore the dog when you come home for five to ten minutes. That worked wonders with Leonard's separation anxiety. Our dogs still like to jump and lick, but if we have the guest ignore them, they eventually calm down. Well, sometimes Layla pees, but that's another story!!!
Best of Luck to you!!! :D
I should have named Leonard Tigger instead because he was such a bouncy think when he was younger!!!
Take Care,
Cheryl
kt_brandy
Super Boxer
we had company over this last weekend - with 3 kids 9 down to 2yrs, brandy goes nuts when they arrive loves the kids does all the typical bouncing, jumping & licking - the 2yr old says as soon as he gets in the door - brandy no lick but of course she cant help herself. they had come over to cool off in the spa so we went outside brandy still carried on so we went back inside and left her out - it resulted in a wet dog - she loves to sit up on the spa and look inside the house - which with us inside she did however we hadn't had time to put the hard cover over the spa and in she went with a big splash 
anyway once she dried off and calmed down we brought her in and she sat with us - watching the visitors every move - i'm afraid if people come to my house they will just have to contend with her - the loving affection if just her but we do try to control her around the kids - she will eventually settle .
baby sat the same kids over a weekend she was fine after a while - she went on the protect the baby mission everywhere he went she did as well if he stopped he got a sloppy kiss hehehe it was so cute
if we have people who aren't dog lovers then she just goes outside for a while and is then aloud back in when she is calm - it seems to work - but of course we don't have the north american winters and all that snow so even in winter the weather isn't to bad for her to be out.
mind you i wont leave her outside for the whole visit as it is here home too and she so loves to be with people
karen & brandy
anyway once she dried off and calmed down we brought her in and she sat with us - watching the visitors every move - i'm afraid if people come to my house they will just have to contend with her - the loving affection if just her but we do try to control her around the kids - she will eventually settle . baby sat the same kids over a weekend she was fine after a while - she went on the protect the baby mission everywhere he went she did as well if he stopped he got a sloppy kiss hehehe it was so cute
if we have people who aren't dog lovers then she just goes outside for a while and is then aloud back in when she is calm - it seems to work - but of course we don't have the north american winters and all that snow so even in winter the weather isn't to bad for her to be out.
mind you i wont leave her outside for the whole visit as it is here home too and she so loves to be with people
karen & brandy
prmonahan
Boxer Pal
This all seems like great advice. We are still working with Darby who is now 9 months. Around our house at least, it seems harder to teach the guests to ignore him until he sits 
than it is for Darby to understand what behavior is expected of him:p .
I'm anxious to try and get Darby to act calmly when we come home or when the doorbell rings, and the suggestion to ignore him for 5 minutes until everyone gets in the house and things settle down is great. I'm going to try the suggestion of teaching him to sit and stay when the doorbell rings, followed by staying sitting to receive a welcome from a guest.
However, how do I ignore him when I have to go upstairs in the master bedroom to his crate and let him out? Do I just unlock the crate, leave the door open, and walk away (i.e., basically ignore him)?
We have an alarm system that chimes when a door is opened, so I'm thinking if I train him to sit when the doorbell rings, the next logical progression is teaching him to sit when he hears the chime announcing a door opening. Any feedback on this is appreciated.
than it is for Darby to understand what behavior is expected of him:p . I'm anxious to try and get Darby to act calmly when we come home or when the doorbell rings, and the suggestion to ignore him for 5 minutes until everyone gets in the house and things settle down is great. I'm going to try the suggestion of teaching him to sit and stay when the doorbell rings, followed by staying sitting to receive a welcome from a guest.
However, how do I ignore him when I have to go upstairs in the master bedroom to his crate and let him out? Do I just unlock the crate, leave the door open, and walk away (i.e., basically ignore him)?
We have an alarm system that chimes when a door is opened, so I'm thinking if I train him to sit when the doorbell rings, the next logical progression is teaching him to sit when he hears the chime announcing a door opening. Any feedback on this is appreciated.
Scrapper's Mom
Boxer Insane
When we have guests coming to visit or for a party, we put Scrapper on the leash until everyone arrives. Even though he's been to obedience class for several years, he still gets excited to see new people though he is getting better about jumping ON the person (he will jump up NEXT to them instead and wiggle and bean excitedly). And we use the "OFF" command as well. After about 10 or 15 minutes, he is settled back down and we can take the leash off and he behaves himself very nicely. It's the initial greeting where he just is so excited that we have to get through and then it's good. He's even made a number of Boxer converts of our guests. They leave saying what a great dog he is.
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