Dog behaviour advice. Bouncy Rottie Cross.
Discussion
My Rottsation is nearly two years old.
He is a very well disciplined dog. He does however go absolutely mental with excitement when we have guests, or on the walks when there are other dogs.
Now I can intervene just by shouting, but it's tiresome, and if you don't react quickly he's either trying to jump up to say hello, bodychecking them (45kg so not ideal), or on walks he irritates the other dogs as he ignores the social queues to calm down. It's also a bit of a shame to have to keep putting him on his lead.
It's not actually a huge problem, but it does mean only I can walk him, and my son is young so I worry he'll get accidentally knocked over.
So my question, 2 years old, do we think this may get better in time? Or is there a training trick I've missed? Currently he is taken outside and allowed back in after a while under supervision, and booted out again if he acts the goat. But after nearly two years of doing this with only small improvements, and I'm running out of ideas.
He's not molly coddled, he gets a firm hand, he gets long hard walks, aside from this issue he's fantastic. If he was smaller it would be adorable but because of his size some of our guests get terrified!
He is a very well disciplined dog. He does however go absolutely mental with excitement when we have guests, or on the walks when there are other dogs.
Now I can intervene just by shouting, but it's tiresome, and if you don't react quickly he's either trying to jump up to say hello, bodychecking them (45kg so not ideal), or on walks he irritates the other dogs as he ignores the social queues to calm down. It's also a bit of a shame to have to keep putting him on his lead.
It's not actually a huge problem, but it does mean only I can walk him, and my son is young so I worry he'll get accidentally knocked over.
So my question, 2 years old, do we think this may get better in time? Or is there a training trick I've missed? Currently he is taken outside and allowed back in after a while under supervision, and booted out again if he acts the goat. But after nearly two years of doing this with only small improvements, and I'm running out of ideas.
He's not molly coddled, he gets a firm hand, he gets long hard walks, aside from this issue he's fantastic. If he was smaller it would be adorable but because of his size some of our guests get terrified!
R8VXF said:
How many hours per day are you walking him? Sounds like he just has too much energy and could do with it being walked off more.
The short answer is as many as I can. About 1.5hrs+ a day but it's a solid walk. I live in the country so lots of hills, lots of running and play. I work a lot so sadly no more is possible, my wife used to walk him in the mornings as well but unfortunately it's not possible at the moment. When I'm working late, rather than him having to settle for a short walk, I pay a dog walker who takes him on a decent walk too. The additional hope was also to get him a bit more socialised with other dogs, but the walker reports he's still quite boisterous (but not aggressive) particularly to dogs which have behavioural problems. She is of the belief he'll grow out of it, but I don't want to let him down so I'm open to ideas from the collective.
I know it's a breed that needs walking and they're generally not walked enough, and I feel guilty we can't currently maintain twice a day walks, but in all honesty don't think it's that to be honest. He's placid as a Hindu cow unless someone arrives who he doesn't know.
Granville said:
socializing, and lots of it.
Do you have any dog training, agility classes or dog trainers near you? Someone who can see your dog in action and perhaps give some helpful pointers?
I've been doing a lot of socialising. He used to play with all the other dogs around here but now he's too big and they're too old, small, or timid nowadays bar one or two. I've been paying someone to walk him and the hope was that gives him some socialising. Do you have any dog training, agility classes or dog trainers near you? Someone who can see your dog in action and perhaps give some helpful pointers?
I don't disagree with your suggestion but I must admit I'm reluctant to have someone out to look at him just yet. It feels like someone telling you how to raise you kids so I'm not comfortable with it given it's a problem which is controlled. That's why I was kind of hoping more for things I can do myself. I guess I should have qualified it earlier!
Don't get me wrong though, if things got worse, I'd swallow my pride and go.
Prof Prolapse said:
Granville said:
socializing, and lots of it.
Do you have any dog training, agility classes or dog trainers near you? Someone who can see your dog in action and perhaps give some helpful pointers?
I've been doing a lot of socialising. He used to play with all the other dogs around here but now he's too big and they're too old, small, or timid nowadays bar one or two. I've been paying someone to walk him and the hope was that gives him some socialising. Do you have any dog training, agility classes or dog trainers near you? Someone who can see your dog in action and perhaps give some helpful pointers?
I don't disagree with your suggestion but I must admit I'm reluctant to have someone out to look at him just yet. It feels like someone telling you how to raise you kids so I'm not comfortable with it given it's a problem which is controlled. That's why I was kind of hoping more for things I can do myself. I guess I should have qualified it earlier!
Don't get me wrong though, if things got worse, I'd swallow my pride and go.
It may be worth looking at his diet, when our Rottie has a beef leg once he gets a lot of marrowbone in him he is a nightmare, jumping 6 foot in the air and sprinting wildly.
We found a focus for ours, a larger than average Kong ball. With other dogs around he focuses on the ball and the sprinting and chasing tires him out in 30 minutes where he will not bring the ball back till he has caught a breath. We throw it 50m each time though so he works for it.
What worked for us and his jumping up was every time he did it we walked right into him so he lost his balance and fell over. He only jumps up on command now.
A Rottie is a headstrong dog but responds well once you find their trigger. Ours isn't perfect by any means but he does us proud more offen than not.
Dave!
We found a focus for ours, a larger than average Kong ball. With other dogs around he focuses on the ball and the sprinting and chasing tires him out in 30 minutes where he will not bring the ball back till he has caught a breath. We throw it 50m each time though so he works for it.
What worked for us and his jumping up was every time he did it we walked right into him so he lost his balance and fell over. He only jumps up on command now.
A Rottie is a headstrong dog but responds well once you find their trigger. Ours isn't perfect by any means but he does us proud more offen than not.
Dave!
Prof Prolapse said:
My Rottsation
It's no help but that sounds like somewhere you keep stuff to make it rot 
The knocking them over thing worked for me on dogs who jumped before. Doesn't have to be hard, just enough so they stagger on landing. Sounds cruel but when nothing else worked it solved it.
We did have him around calm dogs but now we simply don't know any that are compatible because of his size and strength.
Yes he's neutered. Still humps dogs that try and be dominant to him though... I guess it's prison rules out there in doggy land. Bloody cringe worthy, but avoided by use of the lead and telling him to back off.
It was my mates termed him a "Rottsation", my wife thought it was funny so I went with it. It's easier than explaining the cross.
To be honest I don't need to knock him down. If I tell him to go away and lie down or to sit, he'll do it regardless of his excitement levels as he is very well disciplined. The issue is because I'm tired of having to correct him before he does something and he's just so damn happy to meet people. I can discipline him for a longer result but it's a real shame as he really just wants to say hello and play, and even if he's in a huff in his basket, after a half an hour his excitement builds and I need to do it all again.
So I can correct his behaviour, he doesn't run wild, I just wish he would just chill out like previous dogs I've had as it's hard work correcting him every five minutes when he harasses the guests. I guess part of the issue is he doesn't respect guests like he does me, perhaps the root is that guests and other dogs are just there for fun.
Still, he's a bit of a beast, I'm glad to just have to deal with a dog that's too friendly!
Yes he's neutered. Still humps dogs that try and be dominant to him though... I guess it's prison rules out there in doggy land. Bloody cringe worthy, but avoided by use of the lead and telling him to back off.
It was my mates termed him a "Rottsation", my wife thought it was funny so I went with it. It's easier than explaining the cross.
To be honest I don't need to knock him down. If I tell him to go away and lie down or to sit, he'll do it regardless of his excitement levels as he is very well disciplined. The issue is because I'm tired of having to correct him before he does something and he's just so damn happy to meet people. I can discipline him for a longer result but it's a real shame as he really just wants to say hello and play, and even if he's in a huff in his basket, after a half an hour his excitement builds and I need to do it all again.
So I can correct his behaviour, he doesn't run wild, I just wish he would just chill out like previous dogs I've had as it's hard work correcting him every five minutes when he harasses the guests. I guess part of the issue is he doesn't respect guests like he does me, perhaps the root is that guests and other dogs are just there for fun.
Still, he's a bit of a beast, I'm glad to just have to deal with a dog that's too friendly!
I've got a Boston Terrier (Vinnie) who sounds similar, charges about all excitable, races over to play with other dogs and jumps up at people, inside the house/garden he's perfect but outside it goes out the window. I find it as much of an issue as you, even though he's a much smaller dog, it's not an acceptable way to behave.
I've started working on it by firstly practicing basic commands outside in the park, firstly when there are no other dogs/people about, then build it up, a person far away, then a dog in the distance too, building it up slowly. Just basic stuff, sit, down, stay etc, the stuff you do at home. I tie a long line lead to myself just incase.
The second thing I have been doing is increasing his socialisation. We have had a similar problem as you, very few local dogs seem to be playful, they're all quite old and grumpy, there's a beautiful Rottie that has the patience of a saint, just taps Vinnie on the head to tell him to chill out lol. Aside from him and a Staffie he doesnt get much actual play time. I noticed when we had a friends springer staying over that for a the few days after Vinnie was much more chilled out on his walks with other dogs, I've been making a extra effort now to get him out with playful dogs when I can, weekend just gone we've been to the river and played with 2 bulldogs, a collie, 2 jack russell and a couple of others. I then went to the lake for a picnic the next day and all the dogs were walking past, not a blink at them. Granted they were a short distance away but normally he would be sniffing them out and trying to go play at a seconds chance.
You might have tried these already but thought I'd offer them anyway!
Good luck, let us know how he gets on.
I've started working on it by firstly practicing basic commands outside in the park, firstly when there are no other dogs/people about, then build it up, a person far away, then a dog in the distance too, building it up slowly. Just basic stuff, sit, down, stay etc, the stuff you do at home. I tie a long line lead to myself just incase.
The second thing I have been doing is increasing his socialisation. We have had a similar problem as you, very few local dogs seem to be playful, they're all quite old and grumpy, there's a beautiful Rottie that has the patience of a saint, just taps Vinnie on the head to tell him to chill out lol. Aside from him and a Staffie he doesnt get much actual play time. I noticed when we had a friends springer staying over that for a the few days after Vinnie was much more chilled out on his walks with other dogs, I've been making a extra effort now to get him out with playful dogs when I can, weekend just gone we've been to the river and played with 2 bulldogs, a collie, 2 jack russell and a couple of others. I then went to the lake for a picnic the next day and all the dogs were walking past, not a blink at them. Granted they were a short distance away but normally he would be sniffing them out and trying to go play at a seconds chance.
You might have tried these already but thought I'd offer them anyway!
Good luck, let us know how he gets on.
Only thing I can offer with experience with my old dog that was Doberman x GSD (very tall and 8 stone but soft as muck) that got excited around visitors is this -
Visitors etc. don't acknowledge your dog when they arrive. Totally ignore him. Hands in pockets or behind backs. If he goes to jump up, they turn away from him and they give a very loud and firm GET DOWN. The visitors need to come across as boring and uninteresting as possible. When he's calm, they go to him to say hello, but again, if it escalates and he gets all excited, they give a firm GET DOWN or SIT and retreat from him.
I also found it helped if he didn't come to the door to greet anyone, but waited in his bed. And you need the visitors to work with you, not always easy as most folk want to fuss the dog.
Visitors etc. don't acknowledge your dog when they arrive. Totally ignore him. Hands in pockets or behind backs. If he goes to jump up, they turn away from him and they give a very loud and firm GET DOWN. The visitors need to come across as boring and uninteresting as possible. When he's calm, they go to him to say hello, but again, if it escalates and he gets all excited, they give a firm GET DOWN or SIT and retreat from him.
I also found it helped if he didn't come to the door to greet anyone, but waited in his bed. And you need the visitors to work with you, not always easy as most folk want to fuss the dog.
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