New Rescue Dog

Question
Hello,

I rescued a min-pin from the shelter 4 months ago.  He has come a long way but I still have a ways to go.  I have thought about re-homing him but my conscience would just kill me.  He jumps up all the time.  I'm working on it but it drives me nuts. I'm a screaming shrew.  He gets up on the dining room table when I'm at work, on the back of the couch, etc.  He also is always jumping up on my other rescue dog and I never have any time with her because he is always in my face and hers.  She is getting very stressed out because of it as are my cats.  I'm tired of screaming at him. We have been to training and I'm seeing progress but how do I get him to settle down?

Answer
Consistently is very important in correcting jumping and other problems. Quickly correcting him each and every time he jumps on somebody is very important. He must never get the affection he wants. A number of things have been used. One of the most gentle is to grab his front paws and hold him up. The traditional knee to the chest or step on his paws are fading from use. As part of the the trend away from negative methods, just step backwards leaving his front feet to fall to the floor. After a few tries, the dog may just stand there looking confused.

A mousetrap is very effective in making a dog leave something alone. Most dogs will stay away from anywhere they were surprised by a snap. The best part is that it is not you that is correcting the dog. It works whether you are around or not. The mousetrap is very patient and is always on task as long as you reset it.

Better than mousetraps when you aren't around is the crate. Other dogs may not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with. Still your house and dog will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. They are harder for dogs to open too. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.

Follow through on the training, keep drilling him on his commands to remeind huim you are in charge,  Oh, take a look at www.dogbreedinfo.com./topdogrules.htm