This week I get to ask you all for help!
Here's the problem.... This scrumptious, sweet, little fluff of fur that I introduced back in March,
Little Bella...
...has grown into BIG BELLA!
Bella, the sweetheart ~ the most loving-est, tail waggingest, big wet kissing-est dog you'll ever meet. That's the problem. We have four children under five feet tall that she attacks with BIG LOVE every time they walk out the door, but especially if they are without an adult. If hubby or I are outside, Bella behaves fairly calmly; we've got her trained that much. But, we can't figure out how to keep her from jumping up on the children when we're not there.
Is there a solution to this problem? We hate for the kids to be afraid to go outside because of this big, over-enthusiastic galute! And we just can't (and don't want to have to) go outside with the children every time they want to go out to play.
We're glad Bella loves the children ~ But she just loves them too much! We need to figure out how to teach her to control herself around the little ones. Any suggestions???
Here's our girl in action:
This time she is giving two -year-old William a nice, well-behaved peck on the cheek. If I hadn't been standing there, though, she'd have had her two front paws on William's shoulders for about ten seconds before she knocked him down and started licking him all over the face... Also, do you see that wild tail? That alone strikes fear into the heart of a two year old who is at eye level with it!
Now, after you help me with my little problem, run over to Shannon's and see who else needs you!
We have a lab X she is such a cutie patootie as is yours:) Her name is Sheba :) There is a surprise for you at View from the Pews:).
ReplyDeletePeace, JOY & Love to you:)
Marie xooxoxox
I have simmilar problems, so I'm going to subscribe to see other people's answers.
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm no help to you!
That's a tough one, because she's obviously just loving the kids. The only thing I know to suggest (and this will probably sound mean) is to teach the kids to step on her paws when she jumps on them. She'll quickly learn to stay on the ground, and hopefully be just a smidge less wild around them.
ReplyDeleteI hope that helps!
Thanks for your comment on my blog! I liked your suggestions. :)
ReplyDeleteMy parents have a dog that is the same way around my kids. They are taking him to obidence training and it is working. The dog hasn't jumped on my 2 year old the last 3 times we've been there! Yea!
No word of advice here. When our neighbors moved in next door they had a lab that one day escaped from their backyard. My oldest, who was then two, came into the house screaming something about a cow...that's right, a cow who was trying to eat him.
ReplyDeleteThe only animal we have in the house is a hermit crab...they may not jump, but they do pinch!
I'd also recommend obedience training - I have two dogs, and just took my 5-year-old terrier mix for the first time. It will help you understand how to relate to a train your dog.
ReplyDeleteAs to the jumping - do you let her jump ever? On you, or on anyone? Because the only thing I know to do to solve that problem is to give her absolutely no attention unless she is sitting down. Don't even look at her or talk to her.
It might also help if you can teach the kids to turn their back on her when she's not being calm. It will help her not to get any attention, and it might help them stay upright. :-)
Good luck!
We used to have a black lab that was just as enthusiastic. A friend who is also a vet suggested using a water pistol on her.
ReplyDeleteEverytime she jumped up or started to jump up we shot her in the face with the water pistol. It worked wonders. We paired the pistol with the command "beauty, down". After awhile she responded to beauty down and the after awhile of that she just didn't bother.
She is SO cute! She reminds me of our Duffy. Duffy used to do jump on us a lot. What I did was put a leash on her and stand on it while I was "sweet-talking" her. She rarely EVER jumps on us now. And we just push her down or yell hwe name when she does now. Hope you find something that helps!
ReplyDeleteI, too, had heard that turning your back to the dog works to get them to stop jumping. Once they sit or lay down, you shower them with praise. When they jump again, turn your back. All they want is love and attention, and when they don't get that, they'll learn to do (or not do) whatever you want to get that attention.
ReplyDeleteWe had a sweet, loving and slightly crazy boxer dog named Sunny when my Eldest daughter was little ( sadly she died before Boo was born :0(
ReplyDeleteSo I know exactly what you are talking about!
She is beautiful though and i love her name :0)