Dogs have their own unique way of greeting: jumping up to get nose to nose, then nose to rear, and repeat. While this is perfectly polite in the canine world, it can be a bit awkward for us humans. What options do you have to teach dogs to greet in ways that humans find acceptable and polite?
If possible, start training your dog when they are still young. This helps them practice human-friendly greetings more frequently than they practice typical doggie greetings.
Define what 'polite behavior' might look like for you and your dog. This could be standing while you are standing, sitting, going to a mat, or spinning in a circle. Teach this behavior separately before incorporating it into greeting training. You should practice a bit and add a cue, whether that's a hand motion or a verbal cue, before linking it to greetings.
Prevent jumping during the training phase by using option a or b below, depending on what makes the most sense in your home. Prepare in advance by stashing jars of treats in convenient spots so you have them when needed.
Toss a handful of treats (or a toy for toy-loving dogs) whenever you enter a room, open a door for a visitor, and or let your dog enter a space. This helps create a habit of looking down, giving you a chance to prepare for the next training steps (Select option b if you have multiple dogs that might squabble over food or if the dog you are working with guards food from anyone.)
Close your hand around a treat and hold it low enough the dog can reach it to sniff without jumping - most dogs will be more interested in sniffing what's in your hand than jumping on you. When the dog stops sniffing and does anything polite, like sitting, backing up, turning around, lying down, or even standing quietly for several seconds, toss the treat away from your body to get some space.
After using option a or b, immediately cue the polite behavior you taught. Repeat this practice until you can fade out step 2 - you should start to see your dog anticipating the polite behavior you taught. Be sure to keep rewarding until the behavior is really solid and predictable.
Ensure your pup's success by avoiding animated talking, excessive motion, or touching during the initial stages of training. Gradually introduce these elements to increase difficulty.
Bonus work:
Train your dog to associate seeing strangers with receiving a treat from you. If you do this reliably and consistently, rather than pull towards strangers, they will start to look at you immediately after seeing strangers, hoping for a treat.
Teach a hand target skill and then practice with people approaching and offering their hands. You do the feeding, not the stranger, and if you practice this quite a bit, your dog will get into the habit of bumping the stranger's hand and then returning to you in anticipation of a snack.
Note: This work is for dogs who are comfortable and sociable around people. If your dog is wary of, irritated by, afraid of, or angry about people, contact me for help because we will use different methods. Or, if you just need help training the behavior you defined as polite, contact me for assistance.
コメント