Greeting Manners

[Colin]

Misty is just about a dream dog to own apart from one thing - her manners are terrible when anyone visits or we go visiting other people. She gets herself so worked up she screeches in excitement, her whole body shakes, her teeth chatter and she jumps all over people and sometimes her furious licking turns to mouthing. This will go on for about half an hour at least. She's 19months old now and I thought she might have calmed down a bit by now but if anything she's actually getting worse.

She's particularly bad when going to relatives houses (I'm sure dogs have a way of detecting their owner's  blood relatives), it takes her ages to calm down. Even when she has calmed, if anyone leaves the room for just 5 minutes on their return she goes nuts again, climbing on whichever piece of furniture can get her closest to them. It's great that she likes people so much but it can get embarrassing at times. Jimmy used to be quite bad for it too, but as long as he has a ball or toy in his mouth he tends to just wiggle round in circles now, rather than launch himself at people.

I've tried putting Misty out the room and also keeping her lead on and making her sit at my side but these things just seem to build up her excitement even more and once she's free she goes even more loopy than she was in the first place. Sit stays and down stays don't work either - her excitement levels mean she can't keep still for a nanosecond.

She used to race upto any kids in the park and jump all over them too but thankfully she's getting better with regards to that - she still spots them a mile off and runs up but tends to run around them, wagging her tail rather than molest them. I was hoping this might mean her manners indoors might imrove too, but she's showing no signs of it.

Soooo, has anyone got any suggestions for how I can deal with this ? We are spending Christmas/New Year with relatives that are used to all this but there are also going to be a few other people there who I'm told aren't really dog people - with Misty doing her crazy routine I doubt they'll be converted either.
 

[bluegirl]

Can't help, as Penny is exactly the same, she now drags me down to the school twice a day just so she can meet her fans. She jumps up with everyone,but she's got a fetish with ears instead!
Penny is 2ys now.

[Gilly]

Colin, it is so weid that you posted about this subject today as when I came home from work Butty had been banned to her bed by Adrian for similar behaviour  ::

Now we have been decorating and spent alot of money on new blinds, suite etc. Well today when the 2 blokes came to deliver the suite, she got worked up into such a frenzy when they walked around the side of the house to come to the patio doors that she got herself tangled in the vertical blinds and pulled them all down   leaving my brand new blinds in a crumpled heap on the floor  

I know I'm not helping your problem Colin    but I do sympathise with you   I have tried restraining Butty when people come in but she literally chokes herself if I hold her   lock her in the kitchen and she tries to dig a hole in the floor   Butty is 2 years 3 months now and doesn't show any sign of calming down when it comes to people visiting but in other areas, like you are with Misty she is just a wee angel  

Don't know the answer though  

[*Jay*]

she got worked up into such a frenzy when they walked around the side of the house to come to the patio doors that she got herself tangled in the vertical blinds and pulled them all down   leaving my brand new blinds in a crumpled heap on the floor  

 

Whoops  One of mine did that with my new bedroom blinds....it certainly wasn't funny at the time!

Colin, I'm not really sure about that one  Mine don't have much manners and do tend to jump up on people but not quite as bad as Misty by the sounds of it !  I'm guessing you have tried getting people to turn their back on her when she starts? Mind you, I didn't have much success with that one myself You could maybe try clicker training her if shes food orientated? But I'm guessing she probably won't be still for long enough to click for calm behaviour

Oh how I would love to be a fly on the wall when she starts on the non-doggy people    Take a camera  

[Colin]

Gilly - I bet Adrain was furious about the blinds, especially if he'd hung them himself. I remember taking ages putting up a curtain pole once, only for Jimmy to plonk his big bum on the bottom of the curtain and pull it down straight away. He got the fright of his life when it all came crashing down on his head.

Gill - Misty is food orientated and will sit and wait for quite a while for a treat. Unfortunately it just delays the inevitable and she then starts assaulting people with over enthusiastic affection again.

I suppose it's just a case of constantly telling her off and restraining her and hopefully the message will sink in eventually. I'm not sure my family help really, especially the kids - I tell them to completely ignore Misty until she's calmed down but a combination of Misty's  determined persistence and the fact the kids find it all hilarious means I'm fighting a losing battle.    

[Gilly]

Adrian was a tad more than furious Colin    ::

Anyway she was let out of "solitary" whne I came home from work, I told Adrian that she doesn't know the difference between the old blinds and the new blinds, what a thicko he is, but that's blokes for you  

I have had a small amount of success with people who "adhere" to the turning their back on her when they come in, but then I have my FIL to contend with who has never owned a dog in his life and thinks that pushing his fist in her face and making growling noises is how you play with a dog    I have decided that I won't tolerate it anymore and last time he did it I said "If you do that to my dog one more time I'll give you a taste of your own medicine and ram my fist in your face!"      

[devondumpling]

I have decided that I won't tolerate it anymore and last time he did it I said "If you do that to my dog one more time I'll give you a taste of your own medicine and ram my fist in your face!"

 


         

[Katina]

You could try reading Jan Fennels books, she has quite a few good tips   .
My dogs aren't aloud to greet anyone without permission.  And they are not allowed to jump on anyone under any circumstances ( a simple "NO" helps in my house). If I have quests in my house, and if at that situation my dogs get overexcited (they rarely do nowadays) I simply take them away, to another room, and let them out when they have calmed down. If the "problem behaviour" starts again, I just take them away again. Despite being stubborn   , cockers are also quite clever dogs, so they will learn sooner or later.

Oh and Gilly, if someone hit one of my dogs, I would go ballistics. I would attack without thinking any further   ..

[Sue H]

Dear Colin,

My two greet everyone with equal enthusiasm and are hopeless ... I have to shut them out of the kitchen if the Gas Man/Washer Man etc is there otherwise they practically rape the poor blokes (in their own little Cocker way) but they DO quieten down after a few minutes ...

I have this advice for you - it may be hard to accept but I think it may work - take them down to your Local and let them loose in the Bar ....

They will be so full of pork scratchings/crisps/brown ale - and so fed up of Uncle Tom Cobbly 'n All making a fuss of them, plus other people entering the Bar do NOT get barked at, and mostly if they get a dog wanting a fuss, they can't be arsed until they have got their drink ... that it may make them think that maybe visitors aren't always that good value ...!!!  Check it out with your Landlord forst though ...   Just a thought ..!!

[Pickle's Mum]

I am really glad this topic has been raised - Pickle is the worst assualter-of-guests I have ever seen. He just gets so hyper, and literally throws himself at people. He is still mouthing a lot too, at 14 months I really thought he'd have grown out of it by now.
On Saturday he actually jumped on to Steven's aunt, who was sitting on the sofa - he was going mental, chewing her hair and licking her face. So embarrassing.
My problem is that most of my guests encourage him, and say 'oh dont tell him off, I want to play with him' as I am frantically trying to tell him off / calm him down / drag him out of the room. Also, Pickle is NOT a delicate little flower like wee Butty - he is a big, heavy bruiser, who could just about knock over a grown man! So not ideal when he lands in your lap!
I will be watching this post for more good advice  ::
Emma and Pickle xx

[suki1964]

Alfie goes ballistic when people come into the house, its like no one is allowed to settle down untill he has greeted them in his own cocker way - a big lick on the face seems to be his choice

What I have noticed is that those who bend down to him and allow a minute of fuss soon get left alone and Alfie wanders off in search of more mischief or settles down to keep an eye on them from the comfort of his bed. Its the ones who dont get the greeting over and done with who are in for the constant jumping up. Step dad is the worse off here as he walks with a stick and is also worried that Alfie will nip him(hes on warfarin and bleeds easily) and keeps pushing him away. So having him and Alfie in the same room is a nightmare I tend to do my best to distract Alfie with toys or chews but invariably I have to take him into another room untill he calms down enough to listen to "sit" and "down"

[Mary]

Lottie is dreadful for this too, crying, wimpering and occasionally will do a small wee in excitement but luckily that's a rarity now   She will actually jump on them if they sit down ::

I do find it difficult to deal with and like others have said, most people say it's OK when she is doing this and don't seem to understand that it it not and that they are not helping the situation if they pay her attention

Shutting Lottie in another room results in her endlessy pawing the door frantically

If I am expecting company then I often buy her a pigs ear to distract her but even then she can go and hide it, and then come and say hello   But at least it doesn't last too long then and she will go off and enjoy her pigs ear.

[Mo]

Phoebe & Joey are just the same.  They get so excited when someone comes into the house.  Joey's not too bad because he just grabs the nearest toy and starts making a whining noise, but Phoebe launches herself.  We we're going out on Saturday night and our friends came round ours first for a few drinks.  My friend was all dressed up with a short skirt and black tights but Phoebe was so excited, she jumped up at her and laddered them   and whenever the doorbell rings they both go mad and it's a nightmare trying to watch " A Question of Sport" during the buzzer round, they go absolutely bonkers  


It's also embarrasing when we're out walking.  If anyone shows Phoebe any affection she starts jumping up at them putting muddy paw prints on their nice clean trousers  
 

[kookie]

Livvy is like this too and screams for England,She's 5 and we have tried everything. I read Jan Fennels book once and tried her approach. All I finished up with was a very confused and upset cocker.
If people dont like it, they don't come in now!
Alfie and Cleo just waddle round in circles, with a cuddly (usually the same one) in their mouths.  

[graciesmum]

I discovered at the weekend rawhide can have a bit of a calming effect, not overly keen on giving it to her in case she swallows any of it in big chunks and chokes so not an ideal situation, i knew we we're expecting visitors including two small children so measures had to be taken before she floored the pair of them on sight   She loves kids especially and has been known to drag me halfway accross the park for a look at them