Polite Greeting

Pick of the Litter Dog Training
Seattle/Tacoma Area, WA
Jennifer Schneider, CPDT
Phone: (206) 779-3552
Unleash your Dog's Potential

POLITE GREETING

GREETING YOU AND YOUR FAMILY POLITELY

Be Proactive
Simply put, if your dog wants your attention, he should be required to work for it. If your dog approaches you for attention, request that he “sit” in the short period of time before he has a chance to jump on you. Reward your dog with a treat or simply give him the attention he desires.

Ignore Your Dog
When your dog does jump up on you, abruptly turn around and ignore your dog. Simply turning your head and averting eye contact can also work well. Leave the room if you have to. Ignoring your dog means withholding all types of attention, including eye contact and even negative attention (speaking in a harsh tone or pushing your dog off of you). Remember, any type of attention reinforces the jumping behavior. Be proactive in the future and ask for a sit before your dog has a chance to jump up on you.

Arrival Manners
If your dog jumps up on you the instant you walk through the door or let him out of the crate, plan to arrive home and ignore your dog for a few minutes. This will give your dog time to calm down, and also reinforce the idea that he does not get your attention until he settles down and stops jumping. After a few minutes, approach your dog, ask for a "sit", and reward him with your attention. You may also reward your dog with a food treat for sitting - this can decrease the amount of time it takes for your dog to learn to sit for your attention when he is excited.

Reward Four on the Floor
Sometimes asking for your dog to sit is not possible -- you can also reward your dog for simply having all four paws on the ground.

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GREETING STRANGERS AND GUESTS POLITELY

Door Manners
Teach your dog to sit and stay as you open and close your main entry door. You can reward your dog with a food treat for remaining in position, or with attention from the person at the door.

Reward Alternate Behaviors
Grab a handful of treats before you open the door for your guests to come inside. Immediately after allowing guests inside, start rewarding your dog for appropriate greeting behaviors:
     1) say your dog’s name and reward your dog with a treat for looking at you
     2) reward your dog with a treat whenever he has all four paws on the floor
     3) ask your dog for a sit and reward with a treat
     4) reward your dog with a treat for offering a sit instead of jumping

Occupy Your Dog
Find an awesome treat that you will only give your dog when company is over. My favorite options are pig ears or a Kong stuffed with peanut butter, but any type of edible chew item will do.

Control your Dog's Behavior
It can also be helpful to place your dog on leash or tether him to a heavy object when guests are in your home.

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