jumping

Question
Hi Lucy
I have a american bulldog mix with shepherd ,he is a year old. I also have a lab mix which is 15yr old.I feed my dogs outside in the back yard and when I open the fence to feed them the 1yr old jumps up on the fence and me to get the food how can i stop the behavior? now even the older dog is doing it. the older dog is picking up the younger dogs bad behavior. also when I tell him to sit he bites me, not hard but I tell him no and he still does it.

Answer
Hi Marcia

He just needs training.  he is a large, adolescent, active type and he is starting to realise he is big and strong!

Teach him 'sit' using small food treats, away from your other dog.  when you have taught him this and he will respond to the command in any situation then you will have no problem asking him to sit before you bring the food out. if he gets up you go back in until he sits again.  no sit, no dinner!

While you are teaching this, feed them separately.  Why not either feed them one at a time outdoors, or feed one indoors and one out.  they are probably competing a bit for the food as the older dog may feel he needs to jump too, to get his share.

Try to find a toy he likes say a knotted rope toy and encourage him to bite this instead of you.  it sounds as if he is playing but may be frustrated too - telling him no doesn't help him, just makes him more frustrated with nothing to play with.

as he matures it will get easier!

Lucy