any advice on hellos?

[Nicky Vangalis]

Hi all,

Dan and I have spent so much time with Ollie, training him, getting him to sit on command with visual signals only, lay down, come back, give paw.  He's spot on with this.  We have even managed to train out the seperation anxiety he was beginning to experience and although it's not gone it's much better as we have learnt how not to stress him out if we leave the house without him.  However we do have one little problem...he is just hyper when new people come in.  He does not jump up as if he does he gets a very firm No.  He is just loony; running around it circles, wiggling his bum and his whole body, helicopter tail...the works.  We have tried introducing him calmly but the moment he clocks someone new in the house it's like, sod you mum and dad, they are much more interesting.  If we shut him in the kitchen he just gets upset and we figured it's best to let him come to say hello.  It's fine, once he's said hello for five minutes, he will calm down and lay by the said new people's feet and then stop showing off and wander off.  But it's those first five minutes.  He's begun to get like it with other dogs as well if the other dog on the lead coming towards us is hyper, he matches their behaviour.  He never did this as a pup so I want to nip it before it becomes a problem when I walk him on my own as he is so strong!

The problem is my dad has got a very bad back and any slight irregular movement (like jolting from an over excited dog) can lead him into spasm; so much so that dad doesn't want to come over anymore.  He loves Ollie as much as we do but he just can't risk immobilising himself.  So we end up shutting Ollie in the kitchen, Ollie is sad, I'm sad and dad is sad.

 

I spoke to a friend at work and she said her Jack Russell is exactly the same.  We even tried running Ollie for a good hour immediately before we knew people were coming over.  He was absolutely worn out after his walk but the moment he heard new voices....vroom.  He was awake and alive all over again.

 

I don't want this to become a problem so if anyone has any good suggestions then please advise!  I know it's in setters nature to be happy greeting dogs but this is the first dog I've had to this level.  Eva wasn't like that and nor were my staffies - or maybe it's just his personality and we have to live with it?

 

 

[Teresa]

I "trained" some friends to come and meet my dogs - they come in and absolutely ignore my dogs until they calm down. Once they are calm, I'd ask my friends to aproach them very calmly and reward them.

It took about 5 friends until I got calm dogs with new people. Now they get up, greet people, ask for a small pet and go back to doing what they were doing before

[Sue and Cash]

My dog is the exact same way when someone comes over.  I also have a 94 yr old mother in law with a walker than comes in and my heart is racing for fear he will knock her down.  I hang on to his collar and keep firmly insisting he STAY DOWN.

Like yours he settles down in a few minutes and leaves her alone.  Its the first three minutes that can get nuts.  I am hoping to hear of some good advice for this.  I am thinking it is the young dog thing and by the time I figure it all out he will have matured more and understand that he must settle before greeting someone.  I do notice that he seems to understand he can't jump on her.  We also keep that walker in front of her at all times and block him from her when she sits down with it.

Does your dad use a walker?  It does give them a barrier from the dog and something to hang onto just in case. 

[Louise Perry]

Hi, I would def try the totally ignore the dog approach if you can and tell people at the door to to do as you say. Since Reuben was a young pup he had to learn that he got absolutely no attention (including eye contact) for the first few mins (including from me) and didnt get any pats or hellos until his bum was parked firmly on the floor. teaching my in laws the rules was the hardest as they would come in and immediately fuss him and the excitement levels was out of control. Even when they tried to do as told they would still say 'I cant talk to yet Reuben, sit etc, etc'. So I had to really tell them to please just dont even look at him. They still cant help themselves sometimes but otherwise overall everyone else is great and Reuben doesnt even go mental anymore and it worked a treat! People just find it hard as they think it is cruel but they soon get the hang of it and Reuben knows what to do automatically now. Good luck