Greta, a 13-week-old German Shepherd, believes every guest deserves an enthusiastic welcome and that personal space is optional. Every unguarded meal is reachable, shoes make perfect chew toys, and passing feet should be nibbled.
In this blog, we’ll explore Greta’s puppy antics and how to handle them. Particularly how how training can help her develop good manners. Being a good dog doesn’t mean giving up the fun, but she does need to learn how to channel her energy in the right way.
Naughty Habit 1: The Enthusiastic Greeter
When the doorbell rings, Greta gets very excited. She forgets any manners and dashes to the door, knocking over anything (or anyone) in her path. She showers guests with kisses and hugs. Is the front door not closed yet? No problem, Greta will make sure to run outside and check that the suspicious squirrels are staying out of her yard and not sneaking into the house.
Training Tip: Teaching the “place” command can help avoid puppy chaos by having Greta wait in her designated spot. This lets guests come inside and shut the door before greeting Greta. For help with place, we have published a blog titled “How to Teach Place.”
Naughty Habit 2: The Sneaky Food Grabber
Greta believes that an unattended meal is just waiting to be claimed. She’s more than happy to take an unguarded plate off the kitchen counter. And every time she gets some baked goods or prepared meals, it makes her want to check the counter again.
Training Tip: This behavior can be corrected through the training method shown in our “How to stop your dog from counter-surfing” blog. Place a tempting item on the counter (like a favorite treat or your leftover dinner) and reward her for ignoring it or lying down instead of jumping up. If Greta does jump, we clap our hands and verbally reprimand her by saying “no”. We repeat this exercise if she tries to jump again. Over time, Greta will learn that counter-surfing is not an acceptable behavior for a puppy.
Naughty Habit 3: The Attention Seeker
Greta loves being the center of attention. Are you walking into the kitchen? She’ll jump on you. A stranger wants to see her? She’s already in midair. Talking on the phone and daring not to pet her? That’s right, time for jumping. In her mind, jumping equals attention. And attention is what she thrives on.
Training Tip: Greta just needs to know how to ask for attention politely. We provide some training advice in our “How to Stop Your Puppy From Jumping” blog. One training tip is to discourage jumping by ignoring it. Instead of pushing Greta away or talking to her when she jumps, we teach her to politely ask for attention through an “auto-sit.” Greta is rewarded whenever she sits calmly without prompting. Anyone who interacts with her is asked to give attention only when her bottom is on the ground. With consistent practice, Greta will learn that sitting politely and not jumping is the best way to get the attention that she loves.
Naughty Habit 4: The Leash Puller
Every little distraction grabs Greta’s attention on walks. Whether it’s a squirrel, another dog, or a cyclist, she just can’t seem to settle for a relaxing stroll. She’s fond of pulling but also not above flopping to the ground when she’s decided the walk is over. Why walk the final stretch when you could be carried like royalty?
Training Tip: Leash walking is an essential skill in obedience and manners training. It will make your outings much easier and let you enjoy every moment outside. We have provided a training guide in our “How to Teach Leash Walking” blog.
Naughty Habit 5: The Shoe Destroyer
Greta loves to explore with her mouth, and when left to her own devices, she will chew on shoes, the occasional book, and the corners of furniture. No room is safe when Greta is on the loose, and her definition of “chew toy” can be flexible.
Training Tip: When Greta can’t be watched, crating keeps both her and your belongings safe. This will stop her from getting into any mischievous adventures. We have discussed crate training in our blog “Crate Training and Preventing Separation Anxiety.” It is also beneficial to puppy-proof your home, which we have covered in our “How to Puppy-Proof Your Home” blog.
We’re here to help:
Do you need help teaching your puppy obedience commands, manners, or addressing any behavioral concerns? You can schedule a free consultation with our Pet Behavior Team. We offer private one-on-one training sessions across the Kansas City area, as well as virtual consultation programs for those who prefer to connect remotely or live outside our service area. Our co-founder and Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, Dr. Echterling-Savage provides virtual consultation programs. During these programs, she will design a personalized training plan and provide support to achieve your training goals.
