How to Train Your Dog to Not Jump on the Table

Hello Chloe, First, I suggest teaching Place, Out, and Down-Stay. Quiet, Leave It, and other such commands will also be helpful. Once pup clearly understands the meaning of the command, I suggest either having pup stay in their crate (I will touch on the barking), or tether pup to something secure nearby and have them stay on Place while you eat. Teach the Quiet command, linked below. When pup is quiet, calmly go over to pup and place a treat on the bed, then return to eating. When pup barks (after you told them quiet when you crated or put them on place, then calmly go over to them, tell them "Ah Ah", and spray a small puff of air from a pet convincer at their side - don't spray in the face, stay calm, and only use unscented air - Citronella is too harsh and lingers too long!. After correcting calmly, return to eating, and reward pup if they stay quiet for the next 5-10 minutes. Gradually work up to pup having to stay quiet for the entire meal and giving one reward for calmness at the end of the meal. You can give pup a chew toy on place as well - stuffed with dog food or by itself. Work on this in phases. Once pup can stay calm during the meal, then you can practice Place without the back tie leash - but expect to enforce pup staying there a lot during the meal by having to return them to it. You will want to work on Place and Out and similar commands at times other than meals to begin with, before using those to enforce rules at meal times also - starting with easier expectations first, then gradually working up to the harder things (like the distraction of food) as pup improves. Out - which means leave the area: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Leave It method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Quiet method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bark Place command: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O75dyWITP1s Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Crate manners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn5HTiryZN8 Crate introduction - if needed: https://wagwalking.com/training/like-a-crate Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello Sonya, First, check out the videos linked below. Mild cat issue - teaching impulse control: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWF2Ohik8iM Moderate cat issue - teaching impulse control using corrections and rewards: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dPIC3Jtn0E Work on impulse control in general with pup, by teaching things that increase impulse control and calmness - such as a long, Place command around lots of distractions. Practicing the command until you get to the point where pup will stay on Place while you are working with the kitty in the same room. You can also back tie pup while they are on place - connecting a long leash attached to pup to something near the Place just in case pup were to try to get off Place before you could intervene. This keeps kitty safe while practicing and reinforces to pup that they can't get off the Place. The leash should be long enough that pup doesn't feel the leash while they are obediently staying on the Place because it has some slack in the leash. Place: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg5DVPWIWo Below are some other commands in general you can practice to help pup develop better impulse skill/self-control - impulse control takes practice for a dog to gain the ability to control herself. Thresholds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-w28C2g68M Heel article - The turns method: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-poodle-to-heel Down-Stay: https://www.thelabradorsite.com/train-your-labrador-to-lie-down-and-stay/ Leave It: https://wagwalking.com/training/train-a-shih-tzu-puppy-to-not-bite Out - which means leave the room: https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-to-teach-a-dog-the-out-command/ Work on Out and Leave It especially, for the cat and for counter surfing. Practice Leave It with food while present, but also booby trap the counter to help pup learn it's off limits when you are out of the room. You can do that a few different ways. Set up a camera to spy on pup in the kitchen, such as a tablet or phone with Skype on mute. You can place some safe food on the counter and use something like a Scat mat or Snap Traps with napkins gently over them to hide them. The Snap Traps are like mouse traps, that snap and jump when triggered but they won't actually close on pup so shouldn't be dangerous. You can also stack some metal pot lids and pans and tie a string through those, with the other end tied to a piece of safe food like a bagel, and the entire thing back tied to something secure so that they will crash onto each other making noise, but won't actually fall all the way off the counter onto pup due to the back tie. Set up your booby trap, add a temptation like a bagel, and watch pup from the camera in another room. When pup sets off the trap, return and remove the food before pup goes back to try again, or grabs it off the floor if it fell - you don't want pup to get the food or they may decide it's worth the risk. Set the trap several times over the course of the month until pup will no longer attempt to jump up. Use different foods to tempt pup so that pup avoids everything on the counter. When you aren't training, keep everything off the counter, and confine pup in another room or crate when you aren't around. Allowing pup to steal food successfully at other times will undo the training, so management in the meantime is important too. Best of luck training, Caitlin Crittenden

Hello! Here is information on jumping. Jumping: Teach your dog that they receive no attention for jumping on you or anyone else. Teach your dog to do something that is incompatible with jumping up, such as sitting. They can't sit and jump up at the same time. If they are not sitting, they get no attention. It is important to be consistent. Everyone in your family must follow the training program all the time. You can't let your dog jump on people in some circumstances, but not others. Training techniques: When your dog… Jumps on other people: Ask a family member or friend to assist with training. Your assistant must be someone your dog likes and wants to greet. Your dog should never be forced to greet someone who scares them. Give your dog the "sit" command. (This exercise assumes your dog already knows how to "sit.") The greeter approaches you and your dog. If your dog stands up, the greeter immediately turns and walks away. Ask your dog to "sit," and have the greeter approach again. Keep repeating until your dog remains seated as the greeter approaches. If your dog does remain seated, the greeter can give your dog a treat as a reward. When you encounter someone while out walking your dog, you must manage the situation and train your dog at the same time. Stop the person from approaching by telling them you don't want your dog to jump. Hand the person a treat. Ask your dog to "sit." Tell the person they can pet your dog and give them the treat as long as your dog remains seated. Some people will tell you they don't mind if your dog jumps on them, especially if your dog is small and fluffy or a puppy. But you should mind. Remember you need to be consistent in training. If you don't want your dog to jump on people, stick to your training and don't make exceptions. Jumps on you when you come in the door: Keep greetings quiet and low-key. If your dog jumps on you, ignore them. Turn and go out the door. Try again. You may have to come in and go out dozens of times before your dog learns they only gets your attention when they keep all four feet on the floor. Jumps on you when you're sitting: If you are sitting and your dog jumps up on you, stand up. Don't talk to your dog or push them away. Just ignore them until all four feet are on the ground. Please let me know if you have additional questions. Thank you for writing in!