Petiquette: Controlling Your Canine Around Guests and at the Vet

Need some tips on improving your dog's social skills? Here are some tips to get your dog on track in time for the holidays!

The following excerpt is from Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs
Written by Amy Ammen and Kitty Foth-Regner.
Copyright 2007 by Wiley Publishing, Inc.
All rights reserved.
 

Admit it: There are times when your dog’s exuberance is at least a little embarrassing, if not downright humiliating.

The good news is that it can be fairly easy to gain control over him in just about any situation. Let’s take a look at just a couple of the most common sources of uncouth behavior.

Greeting Guests:

Does your dog throw himself all over any guests who wander in your door? Here’s how to put a stop to it.

First, recognize that guests are often at least partly to blame. When they make a big fuss over your dog the moment they walk in, all that excitement can be more than even the most painstakingly trained dog can bear.

Do everyone concerned a favor by doing two things before your guests arrive. First, ask them in advance to totally ignore your dog for the first 15 minutes of their visit. Second, snap a collar on him before you open the door, so that you can correct him if necessary.

Once they’ve arrived, invite them to move around freely, since a dog is less likely to glom on to a moving target.

If they can’t resist (and who can blame them?), admit that you’ve been having trouble with your dog becoming overexcited with guests and treat the event as an opportunity to school him. Excuse yourself and get control by enforcing a series of obedience commands in quick succession. By the time you’re through, he will be one calm dog – or at least a lot more composed than he was a few minutes earlier.

In the meantime, you can begin alleviating this problem by treating your own homecomings as non-events. Act oblivious to your dog, ignoring him and his shenanigans completely for the first 15 minutes. If he leaps on you, don’t yell at him; it will only inflame his excitement. And don’t push him away; he’ll see that as a game.

Instead, focus on some other activity – chores or changing your clothes, for instance. If he gets into your way in an attempt to engage you in play don’t acknowledge his behavior in any way. Or, if he needs to be fed or walked, do so without emotion.

After the prescribed length of time, have a ball: Wrestle, play, cuddle, do whatever makes you both happy.

At the Vet:

For many dogs and their owners, a trip to the veterinarian is a traumatic experience. But it doesn’t have to be. Basic obedience training can transform these visits into tolerable and even pleasant experiences – especially since vets and technicians tend to lavish attention and praise on well-behaved dogs.

But don’t wait until you’re inside. The time to make sure your dog is under control is before you even open the clinic door. Again, spend a few minutes in the parking lot enforcing a series of obedience commands in quick succession. When you’ve got control, start towards the clinic, keeping him at your side rather than allowing him to drag you to the door. By the time you get there, he should be a lot more composed than he was a few minutes earlier.

The more controlled he is, the more enjoyable the experience will be for everyone concerned. These visits also present you with a great opportunity to practice obedience in the presence of often formidable distractions, including the ruckus created by untrained dogs.

Need help?

If you’re unable to control your dog in situations such as these, it’s time to get help – either from a solid training book or from a professional trainer. For advice, don’t hesitate to give me a call at (414) 289-7785.

Amy Ammen is director of Amiable Dog Training, Milwaukee, Wis., and is the author of six books – most recently, Hip Ideas for Hyper Dogs (2007, Wiley Publishing, Inc.). For details, visit www.dogclass.com.
 

Comments

[veterinarian]

Hi Amy, I was looking for dog manners and I found this great post. I have started to implement (train) my dog for what you suggested for greeting guest. Thanks for your help.

- Mathew J.