# BearfootFarm I need your experience!!



## Fowler (Jul 8, 2008)

My maremmas, will not stop jumping on me when they see me.
I have kneed them in the chest, tried to make them sit with treats and scolded to no prevail.

I honestly am scared that if I go to far they will think I am a preditor...LOL

I dont know what to do. They are excited to see me. If I give them tons of pettin when I open the gate they settle for a second. Boomer will lay down but then jump really high and snap at my face.

Ziggy leaps around like crazy and will wrap his claws around my legs while I am trying to walk and brings blood to my shins.

Once I have petted , yelled, kneed, they settle down and stop.
But jeeezzzz, what else can I do? I wish someone would show me, because I am scared of breaking their spirit and them being scared of me.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Boomer will lay down but then jump really high and *snap at my face*.



That's NOT acceptable at all.

If nothing you've tried so far is working, you may need a shock collar.

It's hard to *physically *discipline a Maremma, because they will never forget YOU did it to them.

With a collar, they won't realize you are doing it.

Keep their nails trimmed, or they can do serious damage

Hopefully a lot of it is "puppy playfulness" and they will outgrow it soon

Good luck!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

A pup or young dog snapping like that is not a sign of aggresion it is a sign of happiness and wanting attention. They nip each other to accelerate adrenalin and build up to full play mode. It's certainly not acceptable and a pack leader would most likely discipline the pup into place. You can't really mimic that kind of correction due to the size issue so I think Bearfoot has it right. It'll be interesting to read the rest of the replies though.


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## Ellie Mae (Jan 18, 2011)

Fowler,
good timing for your post, you beat me to it, lol

Our giant Komodor puppy likes to jump on me from behind, and he is big enough to knock me forward and I have my foot in a walking boot at the moment, and am nervous about it and figure the puppy knows that.

I have read to not pull the alpha stuff on them, but what is one to do?
he doesn't do it to DH who is 6^6 and has a very deep voice...

I ended up putting him flat on the ground 4 times in a row until he gave up.
I held him there until he relaxed and then immediately released and he went right back at it 3 more times. The last time he acted submissive and peed, not sure if that is a good thing or not..

we have a shock collar here and it's going on him asap,
so thank you for that tip...
and your post, Fowler


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> I ended up putting him flat on the ground 4 times in a row until he gave up.


That works with some dogs.

With others they just fight harder, and get scared.

If they are too large, you or them will get hurt

Every dog is totally different, which keeps things exciting LOL


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

I just had a thought about a cheap alternative if you don't already have a shock collar, or want to try something else first.

Maybe a spray bottle with just plain water, so you could shoot a stream in their face and eyes when they jump up, might just be enough of an annoyance to them to make them stop.

Or they might think it's a game and jump more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It may be worth a try though


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## Goatress (Feb 4, 2011)

I do the opposite with my Pyr (alpha) ***** Pinta, the Jump On You Queen, I grab her front paws and make her walk backwards, she gets down pretty quick when she realizes she has to stay up there..... Gets old fast. But they are happy to see you. Although its not acceptable, its one of those things I don't get too worked up over, there are far worse things they could be doing for sure....grin.... Try Bearfootfarms' idea let us know if it works.


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## jordan (Nov 29, 2006)

I like the idea of the water bottle. The shock collar, if used incorrectly could cause more harm than good. Your timing would have to be excellent so the pup doesn't equate YOU with the shock.

Not sure of your farm/pasture set-up, but another option might be to keep a lead of some sort on the dog, that you could step on when he tries to jump so that the dog auto corrects. This could only be done if you have nothing the dog could get tangled up in while dragging the lead, or if you have the opportunity to put a lead on him and 'set him up' at various times during the day. My Pyr was one of those that could not be physically disciplined and this worked very well with her.
Good luck!
Lois


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## Slev (Nov 29, 2003)

Goatress said:


> I do the opposite with my Pyr (alpha) ***** Pinta, the Jump On You Queen, I grab her front paws and make her walk backwards, she gets down pretty quick when she realizes she has to stay up there..... Gets old fast. But they are happy to see you. Although its not acceptable, its one of those things I don't get too worked up over, there are far worse things they could be doing for sure....grin.... Try Bearfootfarms' idea let us know if it works.


YEP...! This was the trick I was going to mention, excwpt going sideways or backward, either because it is not a natural step for a dog. Being sure to hold up its paws so it can't get down at all... they soon figure it out..!

Good Luck..


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## MARYDVM (Jun 7, 2004)

From a dog trainer's view, everything you've done so far has been encouraging their wild greeting behavior. Tons of petting = positive reinforcement. Ineffective scolding and kneeing their chests = barking and wrestling from a dog's point of view. Throw in some treats and you've got a party. They think you're enjoying this wild greeting ritual.

If they're meeting you at a gate, try bringing a large treat for each of them - like a large biscuit. Throw the treats a good distance from the gate, and as soon as they go for them, slip inside, close the gate, and start walking away in a brisk determined manner. Don't stop and greet them when they rush up to you, keep walking. You need to break the greeting pattern. It would really help if you could do this training individually with each pup. Their rambunctiousness feeds off each other, and they aren't listening to you when they're dancing around together.


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## jordan (Nov 29, 2006)

Interesting... I was just talking to a friend of mine yesterday and he was telling me how he had trained his Spanish Mastiffs to go and get a toy when they (the owners) walked in the door. They did that for some of the very reasons you mentioned, the dogs viewed it as party time when 'mom & dad' came home and would act like goofy pups for a few minutes, making it difficult for the owners to get in the house. Going to get the toys distracted the dogs long enough for the 'novelty' of the homecoming to wear off.
Lois




MARYDVM said:


> From a dog trainer's view, everything you've done so far has been encouraging their wild greeting behavior. Tons of petting = positive reinforcement. Ineffective scolding and kneeing their chests = barking and wrestling from a dog's point of view. Throw in some treats and you've got a party. They think you're enjoying this wild greeting ritual.
> 
> If they're meeting you at a gate, try bringing a large treat for each of them - like a large biscuit. Throw the treats a good distance from the gate, and as soon as they go for them, slip inside, close the gate, and start walking away in a brisk determined manner. Don't stop and greet them when they rush up to you, keep walking. You need to break the greeting pattern. It would really help if you could do this training individually with each pup. Their rambunctiousness feeds off each other, and they aren't listening to you when they're dancing around together.


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## wolffeathers (Dec 20, 2010)

MARYDVM said:


> From a dog trainer's view, everything you've done so far has been encouraging their wild greeting behavior. Tons of petting = positive reinforcement. Ineffective scolding and kneeing their chests = barking and wrestling from a dog's point of view. Throw in some treats and you've got a party. They think you're enjoying this wild greeting ritual.
> 
> If they're meeting you at a gate, try bringing a large treat for each of them - like a large biscuit. Throw the treats a good distance from the gate, and as soon as they go for them, slip inside, close the gate, and start walking away in a brisk determined manner. Don't stop and greet them when they rush up to you, keep walking. You need to break the greeting pattern. It would really help if you could do this training individually with each pup. Their rambunctiousness feeds off each other, and they aren't listening to you when they're dancing around together.



:thumb: This is what I do with mine, minus the treat. Because we have to open the driveway gate, the GP/Komondor is able to approach you when you first get home. If he acts rowdy or even just puppyish, he is promptly ignored. 

We started when he first came home at 15 weeks. He was NEVER allowed to put paws on us, even when he was only 15 weeks and couldn't "reach" without it. He also has to sit and wait to be petted, if he doesn't he's not given attention. He's not allowed to be pushy or nosey for attention.

My advice to everyone with pups(of any breed) is to treat them as puppies as you would if they were adults. So Goose was treated as though he was 100lbs even at 15 weeks. Never have an issue with him jumping.

Since yours are already displaying this behavior, I would put a collar on them that they respect. If they don't respond/be controlled with a plain collar, try a choke chain(only on during training), if that doesn't work try a prong collar. Work with the dogs ONE at a time(specific training sessions). Force a sit with the collar and ONLY pet/praise when they are sitting there calmly without you having to force them to stay in the sit. The training sessions may require you to actually leave and come back shortly, but you are really going to have to work on it. Split them up and work one on one to start and don't leave training collars on unattended. (I would leave them on long enough to "leave" and come back during a training session, but not on all the time)


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