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Going absolutely nuts around new people


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My dog is pretty good in all other areas but still goes so berserk around new people that it is impossible to do anything but physically restrain him.

 

I know the idea is to make him sit quietly, and only then let the new person pet him. But that sitting quietly just never happens.

 

It does not matter whether the person in question is interested in him or terrified of him. He loves everyone, madly, maniacally, and indiscriminately.

 

Suggestions please! My fellow park-goers are at their wits end!

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Load up a zip lock full of really good treats, cooked liver is really good, then as new people come near have him sit and feed him so long as he is sitting, doesn't matter if he's wiggly just as long as he is sitting feed him and praise him. If he can win at this then have the strangers feed him and gently pet him as they "walk by" (put the cookies where everyone can grab a handful) build from there to where the people have the reinforcement he has to earn by sitting and from that to where he sits and looks to you for the liver cookie "after" he greets someone.

 

Good luck it's simply rotten to have such a social beast :rolleyes:

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Another option would be to enlist a couple of people, in a nice calm quiet area....backyard or bedroom, depending on how much stimulation he can handle. Have him in a sit (while leashed) and have a person approach, if he gets up and acts crazy have the person leave the room, if he stays seated have the person approach him and pet him or give him a treat. If having the person pet him is too much for him to handle right away, you can reward him instead. Rinse and repeat. Once he's good at this, change the person. Then you can bring back the original person and change your location. It may take a while, but eventually he will understand that acting all goofy will remove what he likes from the equation.

Remember, if you use lots of treats for training this (which you likely will with either method) make sure you cut back on the amount of kibble he gets or you might end up with a chunky puppy!

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Go for the sit while petting approach. Soem dogs can become a bit aggressive with the people retreating out of sight.

 

But use lots of treats. At home start with petting him ONLY if he is sitting. The second he gets up, stop petting and get the sit again. Have all family members do this.

 

Had a friend with a dog that went crazy like that when people entered the house. We gave the dog a bed and he had to go tothe bed when people came over. He quickly got much better about greeting people. Unfortunately, they didn't keep up and he is on remedial-but this is a very strong willed dog.

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Pup or full grown? At four months old, Robin thinks everyone loves him, which most do :rolleyes: but he has to learn to not be a pest. Instead of wrassling with Robin, I've lately been asking people to please ignore Robin until he calms down. If friends come to visit, I put Robin on a leash, ask him to sit and wait until he's given up trying to get the person's attention and then let him off the leash. At that point, he just wanders off. If I'm out and about with him, he stays on the leash and he generally falls into a snooze while waiting if no one is paying attention. As we leave, and if the perosn wants to, he gets petted and most of the time he is a great deal calmer than if he were petted at the start of the meeting.

 

 

Liz

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