[dez1978]

Lila is adjusting well to our home. We just got her yesterday. She is a year old and has not been fixed. How do I get her to play nice? I am new at training a dog. I have never done it before. So what may seem like common knowlege to other people is news to me.
I need to know how to get her to listen to me when she is playing. I read the NILIF and I have SO much more control over her now. I can get her to sit while I put on her collar and leash and open the front door, where as yesterday I was chasing her around the house and being drug out the front door.
I am still having trmendous difficulty getting her not to jump up and to stop attacking our feet/shoes/pants leg. Someone at work today suggested using a water bottle and squirting her when she does something I do not want her to. Yeah... well... she just licks it off and looks at me like I am a fool.
Can someone please give me some basic pointers on how to get her to listen to me when she is playing rough or jumping up?
Also, any referals for dog trainers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area?
I have attached pic of her playing... as you will see she is very energetic and not much for posing...

[Madeleinemom]

Again, welcome and congrats!

Do keep going with the NILIF approach; it does work. Give it time - Rome was not built in one day

Suggestion for the jumping: when she jumps on you, turn slightly (so that her paws disengage and she drops down); I have found this to be effective.

'Playing' rough: I have found it to be useful to cease any interaction with the dog, when s/he wants to engage like this; i.e., I get up and walk away, ignoring the (now usually perplexed looking) pup.

Trainer recommendations; sometimes, your vet can be a good source. Since she has to be spayed, you may want to ask him/her, when you go in for the check-up and procedure.

[Michele]

I believe Suki suggest in another thread to use a can with coins in it. Shake it when the dog does the bad behavior

[dez1978]

I will try the cion can. Maybe that will help.
As for walking away, a 70lb dog attached to your foot makes walking pretty hard. Especially for my 10 yr old.
But we will keep it up and see how she progresses. Thanks for the advice.

[fearlessknight]

Originally Posted by Michele I believe Suki suggest in another thread to use a can with coins in it. Shake it when the dog does the bad behavior

Ya, almost anything that will make a loud and disturbing noise will/should work! LIke Suki said, or a clicker or anything of the sort! They dont like to hear it....
Pretty dog!

[PNWPBR]

So the attacking your shoes, pants leg, ect? That is all in play correct? When she does it what do you do? Most peoples normal response would probably be to swiftly move the leg or foot away and say no.... is that what you do? Have you tried NO response to what she is doing? If she is indeed doing it out of play, any response you give her, positive or negative is still a response. Think of a bratty child throwing a fit.... they are getting attention from you when they throw the fit, even if it is you yelling and giving them a spanking. Attention is attention, period.

When I have had dogs attempt to bite/play with my shoes or pants I freeze. Do not move and IGNORE the dog. Moving the object that it is playing with is showing that the object is "playing back" and that is the last thing you want to do.

Also, you can try redirecting the behavior to an appropriate toy such as a ball, rope toy, ect (insert your dogs favorite toy here). Just again like a child, when you say "No, dont do that!" you also want to end the sentence with "..... but you can do this!" So example, dog is chewing on shoe, give dog toy instead and reward when the behavior is redirected to the appropriate object.


Hope this helps.

[dez1978]

Thank you! Yes, that helps. It is my 10 year old son and I and he of course jumps around and flops to the ground and tells her to stop, shaking his foot and been quite dramatic... she loves it! I tried pushing her pack with the leg/foot she was biting, but as you said, she took it as me playing and kept going. When I read the NILIF, I tried ignoring her, the only problem is that I am in flip flops 99% of the time and her teeth and nails HURT. I will try redirrecting her with her tied up pair of socks... that is her fav.
All of this is out of play. She is always wagging her tail and loves to drown you in kisses. I just need to get a handle on how rough it gets.

[PNWPBR]

Originally Posted by dez1978 Thank you! Yes, that helps. It is my 10 year old son and I and he of course jumps around and flops to the ground and tells her to stop, shaking his foot and been quite dramatic... she loves it! I tried pushing her pack with the leg/foot she was biting, but as you said, she took it as me playing and kept going. When I read the NILIF, I tried ignoring her, the only problem is that I am in flip flops 99% of the time and her teeth and nails HURT. I will try redirrecting her with her tied up pair of socks... that is her fav. All of this is out of play. She is always wagging her tail and loves to drown you in kisses. I just need to get a handle on how rough it gets.

LOL I figured this was the response, espically with children in the home. I have a 6 year old here and when we are training a new foster and they jump on her she always yells and flops around. I simply say "Rainey, remember your training!" and she immediatly turns her back on the dog and the jumping stops.

Training yourself and training your children is the best way to train your dog. Most dog trainers will tell you that most of dog training is actually training the owner!


And trust me, im usually in flip flops or barefoot so I feel your pain. My feet are always cut up and scarred and eventually you get used to it!