Dealing with jumping and snatching on a walk

[Nibbles48]

Chester is doing well, walking generally going well and has now been off lead a reasonable amount (in controlled (i.e. not many distractions around) environments).

However, there is a behaviour that is getting frustrating, and i'd appreciate some thoughts on eradicating.

Basically, when on a long lead or off lead, or sometimes even on his normal lead, he quickly goes into what i think is an overexcited state where he tries to jump up and grab at anything he can - be it an arm/hands, top, coat, treat, etc. If he's off lead this becomes a running jump with some flying through the air. If he catches fabric/flesh, he'll rip it. Normally, but not always, this is in open areas, but he's shown no signs of increasing arousal before hand (sometimes he's been as calm as anything before it starts). It's normally accompanied with ears pinned back, growling and barking.

I've heard a couple of suggestions - 1) to throw a few small treats on the floor to refocus his attention and 2) to use an interrupter of some form and then reward the calm behaviour. 1) works a little, but he went straight back to jumping as soon as he'd finished them. 2) didnt work at all - the last attempt (about 30 minutes ago) resulted in, eventually, a rip down the side of my gillet and a chunk out of a new jumper.

When trying 2, I said firmly 'down' - a very reliable command normally - but was having to step back and get my arm out of the way of his flying mouth. I can see that this was probably exciting him more (me moving about), but had i been still i'd have been maimed - similarly if i'd turned my back on him.

My last resort was to grab him and hold him close to the ground until he relaxed - which he did, about 15 seconds later - and i then gave him a reward. Before he relaxed he was trying to bite at my hands (more viciously than he has previously, but i think still, in his head, 'play'). Once calm, he walked home pretty much like a dream.

I don't want grabbing and holding to be the approach to adopt to solve this. So is there anything obvious I'm missing.

 

[JudyN]

Jasper used to do this - I feel your pain. My arms were black and blue with bruises for a long time, and it made me dread walks.

Like Chester, Jasper would mostly do it in open areas, so we avoided them - we'd walk up narrow paths, or through woods, or round the edges of fields. When he kicked off, I would turn towards a tree or fence and stand up close, with my arms tucked in front of me, and ignore him as he leapt at me. Then the moment he stopped and got all 4 paws on the ground, I would turn back to him, praise and reward him, and carry on. Often he would immediately start up again, so I'd repeat... and repeat... and repeat. Occasionally I would stand on his lead to stop him. Any form of 'telling off' was ineffective.

If you can teach a really solid sit/down, that can help a lot, though J was too worked up to pay any attention when I tried it.

Shorter walks (maybe with an extra walk to compensate) can help, as all the excitement of a walk, and maybe a bit of tiredness, can gradually build up, like a toddler at the end of an exciting day out. It also increases the chances of a 'successful' walk with no jumping up.

Sometimes when he was off lead he'd come belting towards me with 'that' look in his eye, but he'd change his mind if I raised my finger and give a firm glare. He'd then get praise and treat, and quite often then would run up to me, change his mind at the last moment, and then ask if he got a treat - which I was quite happy to give him!

It's important to remember that when they're young they can't help themselves overreacting at times - they haven't yet learnt self-control. For that reason, impulse training can help - have a look for the 'It's Yer Choice' video on YouTube.

It was quite a long time before J was reliable, and for most of his life he could still have a mad jumpy moment when we went to the beach - it was just too exciting. Then OH and I would face each other, very close, arms tucked in, and waited for J to calm down again. You can't blame him for being excited by all that sand and sea air!