90% me - I'm the one at home all day - though he definitely does it less to OH on weekends. But I also see him jumping up and grabbing the dog walker's coat as he takes him out, and will jump at at our very rare visitor (OH's sister / nephew). High pitched squealing does make it worse. But I rarely do this unless he hurts me, - which he does sometimes do, and I have to push him away from me. Sometimes he just doesn't let go either.
Bear's Teenage Training Log
- Thread starter Natalie
- Start date
I'm getting this mouthing/jumping quite a bit with Cola too - and I squeak too when hurt !! I know its play because he does the same to my other dogs when he wants to play with them too. When does it happen:- 1) at the end of a short walk, when we come out of the woods and we are going back into the garden and approaching the gate (he often leaps on my other dogs at this point too) - I'm managing it by engaging with just him - doing some heel work as we come out of the woods - perhaps some treat tosses so he doesn't have time to think about - ooh some rough play before going home would be fun. 2) when he is on his raised bed in the house - I'm alternating training with other dogs and I walk close to his bed - he thinks ooh jump on mum time would be better than all this self control lark - I've reduced the length of time I do this for and try and watch to see when he's had enough. - but if it happens I usually escape to the puppy pen. 3) If I get on the ground I'm fair game, so I'm not doing that - unless I fall in the mud and its then chaos - sigh 4) well sometimes he just does it - and I'm not sure why .....
He doesn't do it when he's carrying his fuzzy ball around in his mouth - so I'm encouraging that as much as possible - if he drops his ball and looks at me I know he's probably going to start, so I either do a kibble scatter or a treat toss game and move myself over to a door I can retreat behind.
I'm kindof hoping that if he doesn't practise it too much and we do lots of other fun games - then he'll grow out of it. But am following your log for any ideas too.
Cola only does it with me - not other people fortunately - but I think that is because he is confident and happy with me - and so is happy to want to play with me - if that makes sense.
Anyway - I don't really have any answers but I do have the same problem
Thanks for sharing @Foxy Lady , glad it's not just me - I just feel we have gone straight from crocopup into teenage mouthing / nipping without a break and it's extremely wearing, and for me, worrying as I see no end to it yet. I have literally been turning my back, folding my arms for ten months now, every, single, day.
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Definitely not just you Natalie!
Cassie was like this, so I understand what you are saying here. But take heart, because it does come to an end . I was at my wits end with her at times, but deep inside I knew I just had to "ride the storm" and manage things (with a lot help from friends here and The One Before
).Did you ever try the technique to stop mouthing that I posted before?
I did - but he ignores my hand or grabs it anyway - because I'm often sitting down when it happens (at my desk working) I have no height advantage so he's straight up at face level almost instantly. I'm using closed doors more and more often now - I lock the door when I go to the loo which I never used to do - just to prevent some of it happening
Lisa
Moderator
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
So frustrating for you, Natalie!
Do you do the "treat for calm" technique? If he's just resting on his bed or has taken himself off there you just casually drop a kibble for him and move on, no fuss. You don't even have to look at him. Simba was terrible for jumping up and hyper-excitement when we first got him when he was 9 months old. The treat for calm did help. Sometimes I think we are so focused on engaging our dogs and training, walking, playing, etc that the dogs don't learn how to amuse themselves. Much like kids. If we are constantly running a daycare for our own kids, providing activities, games, snacks, etc they learn to look to Mum for entertainment and get "bored" easily because they've never learned how to amuse themselves.
Just a thought, take or leave it!
Do you do the "treat for calm" technique? If he's just resting on his bed or has taken himself off there you just casually drop a kibble for him and move on, no fuss. You don't even have to look at him. Simba was terrible for jumping up and hyper-excitement when we first got him when he was 9 months old. The treat for calm did help. Sometimes I think we are so focused on engaging our dogs and training, walking, playing, etc that the dogs don't learn how to amuse themselves. Much like kids. If we are constantly running a daycare for our own kids, providing activities, games, snacks, etc they learn to look to Mum for entertainment and get "bored" easily because they've never learned how to amuse themselves.
Just a thought, take or leave it!
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
@Lisa , it's a good point and overall I probably haven't paid into this enough in the last ten months. I've ramped it up a lot in the last two weeks and we are doing a few minutes every day of settling and being calm on raised beds. Mini victory yesterday when I had both dogs on separate beds in the lounge, and they stayed there calmly while I went into the kitchen to make a coffee. Only a minute or so, but I've never achieved this before where neither of them follow me. We've also had two nights of eating our dinner on our laps and Bear has just being lying down calmly watching us - drooling of course - without attempting any food grabs and jumping up, so maybe it's helping very slowly. When he does settle, he does it quite well - Monty' s actually worse at him at settling as always seems slightly alert.
I feel I'm constantly streaming treats to Bear at the moment; for doing something, not doing something, preventing an escalation of behaviour or calming him down with scatter.
I feel I'm constantly streaming treats to Bear at the moment; for doing something, not doing something, preventing an escalation of behaviour or calming him down with scatter.
We finally started at dog school! Bear and I have had three classes so far and we are both loving it. We are working towards Bronze KC, so it's fairly basic - LLW, early recall, stays, moving onto gate work next week. He's probably the best in his group, but as it's so simple that doesn't say much! Week one he was used as a stooge for one dog to practice getting just a little bit closer to.
These are the reasons I like this class:
- It's all outdoors- a proper training school with a clubhouse, and an acre of grass. The classes currently only have 4-5 dogs in them, so there's loads of room to spread out. It will be a little less enticing in mid January on a cold dark evening, I suppose
- Dogs aren't encouraged to play or interact much, which is great for us as Bear knows that when he's there it's all about ignoring the other dogs. Of course he's gone nose to nose with a couple of them, but we just move away
- It's very positive, based on improving the focus and interaction between dog and owner, treats all the way (week one I was told I wasn't treating quick enough!) One example - there's a lady with a really challenging dog, looks a bit like a pointer, maybe crossed. He just bounces and leaps all over her and at anyone, all the time. I think at the classes I went to last year, they would have said use a nose halter. (like they told me) At this class, the instructor took the lady aside and showed her how to use a double ended halti lead to attach to the collar and harness, to give her a bit more control. I'm not saying a nose halter is wrong, and might well benefit this dog, but the first thing they did was look for a different solution,
- The class moves at pace, starts on time, but it's only 30-35 minutes. Just the right amount of time I think
- There's loads of different classes - rally, agility, gun dog, scent work, a display team. I hope this will help us to find Bear's 'thing' (maybe agility cos he's just so bloody quick) as it's clear whenever he is working, he's brilliant.
The only downsides are that Bear is on overdrive for the first five minutes, lurching all over the new smells. which is fair enough given a hundred dogs a week probably go there. And the fact that a really busy raised road runs alongside one stretch, meaning you have to speak loudly / shout to be heard.
The big difference is - I actually enjoy it. I dreaded the other classes we started last autumn, which shows they just weren't right for us.
These are the reasons I like this class:
- It's all outdoors- a proper training school with a clubhouse, and an acre of grass. The classes currently only have 4-5 dogs in them, so there's loads of room to spread out. It will be a little less enticing in mid January on a cold dark evening, I suppose
- Dogs aren't encouraged to play or interact much, which is great for us as Bear knows that when he's there it's all about ignoring the other dogs. Of course he's gone nose to nose with a couple of them, but we just move away
- It's very positive, based on improving the focus and interaction between dog and owner, treats all the way (week one I was told I wasn't treating quick enough!) One example - there's a lady with a really challenging dog, looks a bit like a pointer, maybe crossed. He just bounces and leaps all over her and at anyone, all the time. I think at the classes I went to last year, they would have said use a nose halter. (like they told me) At this class, the instructor took the lady aside and showed her how to use a double ended halti lead to attach to the collar and harness, to give her a bit more control. I'm not saying a nose halter is wrong, and might well benefit this dog, but the first thing they did was look for a different solution,
- The class moves at pace, starts on time, but it's only 30-35 minutes. Just the right amount of time I think
- There's loads of different classes - rally, agility, gun dog, scent work, a display team. I hope this will help us to find Bear's 'thing' (maybe agility cos he's just so bloody quick) as it's clear whenever he is working, he's brilliant.
The only downsides are that Bear is on overdrive for the first five minutes, lurching all over the new smells. which is fair enough given a hundred dogs a week probably go there. And the fact that a really busy raised road runs alongside one stretch, meaning you have to speak loudly / shout to be heard.
The big difference is - I actually enjoy it. I dreaded the other classes we started last autumn, which shows they just weren't right for us.
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- Location
- The Hague, The Netherlands
Well if you enjoy it Bear will also pick up on your positive vibes. Well done the pair of you!
Sounds a great place to train and like Bears doing so well. 
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
The right venue is so important , very pleased to read of Bears progress, bless him x
- Location
- Canberra, Australia
That’s fantastic!!!
Sounds like he’s a really quick thinker who loves learning.
Sounds like he’s a really quick thinker who loves learning.
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
So glad you've found Bear's 'Thing' and that you're happy with it too. I remember the first time Joy and I did Flyball, we both loved it so much, even though she didn't quite get it the first time (she did the next time though) and it turned into such a positive and bonding experience for us both. Really hope that this all continues to go well for you!
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
This is great Natalie, wonderful that you have this class to go to, there's really nothing so good as the shared experience with out dogs xx
- Location
- East Sussex
I'm so pleased you've found such a good class to attend.