[Dailydrool] Jumping & Commands

[Sandi Wittenberg]

Bassets jump up to greet people - not to be bad or rude - but to get close
to the person's face for a proper greeting.  One way to avoid your basset
jumping on you when you enter the room or house is for you to get down on
their level to greet them.  My dogs are crated when we are gone.  When we
come home, they go outside first, then they come back inside to greet us.
This diffuses some of the excitement of us returning and allows us to set
things down and properly greet them when they come inside.  Throughout the
40 years I have had bassets, I have found it necessary to teach them that
jumping on people is not ok for safety reasons.  At any point during that 40
years, we have either had small children, small grandchildren or elderly
parents in the household or as frequent visitors.  I teach the bassets to
sit on command at a very young age (usually 4 months or so) and reinforce
this when the little kids are around by having the dog on a lead until they
are reliable about not jumping.  Also, when visitors come to the house, I
put the dog on a lead and sit command as the guests are entering.  With our
dogs, controlling the excitement of the dogs is the key.  This goes
hand-in-hand with controlling the excitement of the kids and visitors also.
Does this always work for us --- of course not - they are bassets and people
and kids are unreliable in their behaviors - but it is a start.  

There are simple commands that we teach our puppies (and adults) and that we
use frequently.  We teach "come"; "sit"; "down" (meaning lay down); "off"
(meaning off me, off the counter, off the table, off whatever), "drop it"
(meaning to drop whatever you have in your mouth).  I have also taught my
dogs a "freeze" command which means for the dog to stop and freeze in place.
This is more difficult to teach but very important if you live in a high
traffic area.  We also teach them the word "gentle" when taking a treat from
us and "wait" to teach them to wait to eat the treat or food.  This is
important if you are using bait in the ring --- otherwise you have a dog
lunging at you and sometimes the judge for a treat.  I have even to taught
mine the word and concept of jackpot - lots of treats but when we are done
and out of the ring.  This is helpful in obedience where you can't use bait.

It doesn't matter what words you use - as long as you are consistent and the
dog knows what the word means to him.  I have know people who use foreign
words or nonsense words.   As long as you and the dog understand, then it is
a good word.  The single command that my dogs listen to 95% of the time is
HEY! KNOCK IT OFF!!

 

Sandi Wittenberg - Red Bay Bassets

sandi at redbaybassets.com

 

 

 

 

 

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