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Jumping may seem like an isolated issue, but it is really a symptom of the way the dog views his overall relationship with you. Remember that dogs do not think like humans. They are canines, and pack animals have a unique body language that helps them establish hierarchy in their “pack.”
When a dog jumps on you, crawls or lies on you, leans on you, pushes into your space (on a bed or elsewhere) or paws at you, these are all **dominating** behaviors in dog language.
When a dog displays dominance in this fashion, you can bet the farm that in his mind HE is the pack leader in your family, and not you. It’s nothing personal against you–it’s just that he doesn’t view you as the authority in the household because you haven’t communicated your authority position in dog language that he can understand. Have you ever seen “The Dog Whisperer”? He really opened my eyes to all the reasons behind the issues I previously had with my dogs (like jumping)!
I don’t mean to some across like Cesar Millan’s PR rep, but this guy seriously understands the mind of a dog, and his training methods have worked beautifully with all my rescues. I encourage you to check out “The Dog Whisperer” and hope that you get great results like I have with my four-legged kids.
I promise if you address the issue holistically you will get lasting results and happy, respectful, balanced girls! 🙂
Pit Bulls ROCK!!
Check out the “Illusion” collar…
http://www.cesarsway.com/shop/Illusion-Dog-Collar-Leash-SystemIt’s an anatomical thing, really… Most collars sit far too low on the neck, which is where the dog has all his power. The closer to the head the collar is, the more control you have over the dog’s movement.
BTW… Sorry if I sound like a Cesar Millan commercial! It’s just that he really knows his stuff when it comes to handling powerful breeds. His training methods have worked on every dog I’ve adopted so far.
A doggie backpack also works *wonders* on walks. My girls focus so much on doing the “job” of carrying the backpack that they forget to tug! It’s a miracle what a difference it makes! 🙂
Hope this helps… Good luck with Zilla!
Pit Bulls ROCK!!
Neutering is always a good idea for the overall health of a male canine. Bear in mind, though, that keeping the dogs separated is a temporary solution, at best. The aggressive behavior won’t fix itself without commitment and work on your part. Real balance in your “pack” can’t be achieved until you’ve established yourself as the leader, gained the trust of every dog in the household to control the situation, and properly rehabilitated the dog aggressive behavior. If you’ve never checked out Cesar Millan (“The Dog Whisperer” on the National Geographic Channel) before, now is the time to do so. He’s a genius when it comes to understanding the psychology of a dog, which is so vastly different than that of a human.
Good luck with your boys, Gemini!
Pit bulls ROCK! 🙂
