Jumping up and over-enthusiasm in general!

[Poll J]

I don't think there's an easy answer to this but I wondered if anyone had any top tips! Douglas is calming down, especially after his op, but still likes to jump all over his walker, the decorator, visitors etc. I think it's sheer over exuberance as he's not at all aggressive. He's fine when we come home and gives an appropriate greeting (probably thinks we're a bit boring) and certainly doesn't leap about like a mad thing, but will give a lick and a paw. When the door rings I ask him to go into his room and I shut the gate, but if someone new comes in he jumps about, tries to clear the gate etc. When he's calmed down I let him out, but he still tears into the visitor and leaps all over them. Dog-friendly visitors will turn their backs and ignore him, and we're learning that this, along with a calm approach and saying shhhh works much better. However a friend came today who squealed and panicked and waved her arms about, which made him far, far worse and he damaged her designer cardigan Fortunately she's a good friend, but not too great with dogs (possibly because her mother gave away her beloved labrador when she was 8 ). Is this something they grow out of or is there more we can do other than carry on with the training? He'll be 9 months on 4th June. Experiences gratefully received, as ever. Poll

[Olliedoodle]

Ollie too was an 'enthusiastic' greeter and this has got much better when we are out on a walk. He will still run full pelt up to people, but he doesn't jump up at them. This seemed to change around 10 months old and the change came out of the blue! (we didn't do anything different)

When we come into the house he gets ignored until he is sitting calmly and then he gets stroked.

If there are visitors to the house Ollie is put in the kitchen while we let them in. He will get very very excited, so we put him on the lead and take him into the living room. If he tries to jump up and is too excited he is taken back into the kitchen and then we try again. Visitors are asked to ignore him and no stroking him until he is sat calmly (though the tail is going ten to the dozen!). All I can say is that as he has got older he had calmed down a lot quicker each time.

Lucy

[liverbird]

Sadly my two have seen to it that we very rarely have visitors any more!! My mother used to come for tea every Friday but now she keeps away for fear of being knocked and bruised by over excited doodles. (it doesn't take much to bruise her at 83 but let's not tempt fate)
Whenever we are out walking them you can tell the dogs lovers from the haters as the haters look down their noses at you - the lovers come over for a stroke but I tell everyone the same THEY WILL JUMP UP AT YOU I'd much rather they waited till I got them under some sort of control before they started fussing them but hey ho. The annoying thing is when I come into the house i ignore them both until they sit so I know they can do it. Maybe its a case of training everyone else and dogs just doing their own thing

[sajwhite]

We found that visitors who completely ignore Ollie are best After a few minutes of being ignored he will go and lie on the floor near them and then he gets rewarded with some attention...my Mum has this off to a fine art ...he sits and waits for her to fuss him now Sarah and Ollie

[broadloan]

Sports bottle of water is the answer to all my issues!!! One flick of water on his nose, along with a firm leave seems to do the trick. Stops the jumping on people & stops the jumping on other dogs. I have got to the stage that I only have to have it in my hand and he backs off when he is told. The cold water seems to give him a jolt and suddenly his ears seem to work after that. As I said it is only a flick of cold water each time.

[Poll J]

Does it help for recall? (see new post).

[broadloan]

Tee Hee...I was just about to post there and say that whilst it's a wonder for the jumping and leave...it does hee haw for recall...mainly cause once he's taken off, there's just no catching him!!!! Soo....anyone with any ideas for a very determined doodle, who I can see clearly making a conscious choice to completely ignore me when he decides to go a wandering in the park?

[KateW]

I would like to say I have the answer to this but unfortunately Rufus at three years old still has to be closely supervised when we have visitors to the house.....All our previous dogs have been pleased to see guests but not ecstatic in the way that Rufus is; he is just as happy to welcome a repair man as dinner party guests. We had a BT man here recently and it was like a madhouse with Rufus on the lead and Toby (macaw) shrieking hello, who are you, what are you doing....I think he was quite relieved to escape unscathed. When the dishwasher was being repaired, Rufus sat next to the man (who thought he was great) and watched so intently that it was as though he was an apprentice

Rifus does not rush up to or jump at people outside. If people greet him sensibly he does not jump up at visitors but he will bring them toys and treasures and acts as host if allowed....So when people arrive he stays in the kitchen and is brought out to say hello while on his lead. He does know to sit and shake paws and I do ask people to ignore him if he is fussing but usually without success. He is always very good when we are eating and never bothers anyone at the table but the moment anybody moves he is ready for action......

Katherine

[Poll J]

A couple of you have suggested bringing him out to greet visitors on a lead. I will definitely try that, thank you.

[Ursula]

As a couple of others have mentioned, it really helps if you can warn people in advance to ignore your doodle when they first enter. To turn their back on him/her until your doodle sits nice and calmly, and only then greet them.

It is more a case of training your visitors in this case, than training your dog. I try with everyone who visits me, and only 30% actually listen. Beeza ignores that 30%, only sitting and sniffing the people who ignore him, but he goes manic if someone does a excited "Helloooooo Beeza" at him. So now I don't feel guilty if he bounces on the person who does that, cos it's their fault .