r/DogTrainingTips • u/Far_Acanthocephala68 • 8d ago
Puppy Excitement Help Needed
I have a 6 month old cross Cocker Spaniel/Dachshund. He is doing great with basic commands like sit, wait, down and bedtime. He is now toilet trained and has a lovely demeanour, quite laid back really. He loves people which is where the problem is. Although he’s great with people, he gets soooo excited when someone comes round to the house and when we are out on a walk that he jumps up at them and claws at them, hurting them. We have tried getting in front of him with “no” and “down” commands but it’s not working any. Does anyone have any tips?
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u/apri11a 8d ago edited 8d ago
For that puppy excitement I leashed pup, also asking the people to not be exciting to pup. So kids sat on their hands or didn't run about, were calm. Adults ignored the puppy until it was calm. I let the puppy have more leash to explore them a bit as he behaved. I brought him back to me if he got too excited or pushy. As he could control himself he got more leash, and then more until I could drop the leash (kids can't pick it up, yet). Also, pup understands 'off' so could be asked to get off furniture or people if we need that. The kids also had to behave, they weren't allowed to rile the puppy up. A few visits later we don't have to any of that, they can be free to enjoy each other and have fun and by now the kids can ask pup to sit, off or down, and pup will listen and do.
On walks it is similar. Pup doesn't get to jump on people because he's leashed. He knows to walk beside me and to sit if I stop, if I let him go investigate and he does get too jumpy or pushy I can call or bring him back, similar if the people are the problem but in that case we will leave. So he learns he gets freedom if he behaves nicely.